Why does the gas meter fluctuate a lot: analysis of the reasons and recommendations for eliminating them
Despite the fact that since 2014, prices for blue fuel in the Russian Federation have not actually changed, people are trying to save in every possible way and pay only for actually used cubic meters. However, you want to cut even minor expenses. Do you agree?
Naturally, the consumer thinks about why the gas meter moves a lot if the device records too high a consumption of gaseous fuel.
[adinserter name=»mobile: insert in text — 1″]
We will tell you what to do if an incorrect display of readings is detected. We’ll tell you which organization to contact so you don’t have to overpay for non-existent volumes. You will also learn a list of possible reasons why the flow meter malfunctions and what measures you can take yourself.
The content of the article:
How to check the operation of the meter?
You can check on your own whether the meter really moves a lot.
To make sure that the accounting device is not deceiving you, you need to:
- turn off all gas appliances in the house and check whether the meter is moving (if so, then there is a gas leak or your meter was connected illegally);
- run the gas appliance at full power for 15 minutes, and compare the readings obtained with the device’s passport data;
- if the gas meter is equipped with an electronic display, and even when the gas tap is turned off, the readings continue to change, then the reason is most likely stray currents.
It is prohibited to perform other manipulations to discover the cause.
Some models of accounting equipment (SRS or SGB, MKM, SGMN) are not protected from hacking. If you have a desire to lower the meter readings, remember that after interfering with its operation, traces remain on the device in the form of small cracks, scratches, and chips. Malfunction of the device is also indicated by non-factory parts, damage to the seal, etc.
No matter how carefully the “craftsmen” try to hide traces of interference in the operation of the accounting device, experts experienced in the field of verification will be able to detect them. If a violation of the housing and design of the device is detected, the device will be considered faulty, and its owner will receive a considerable fine.
Why does the new gas meter change more?
People who have individual gas meters installed often complain that they receive inflated readings every month. The data obtained is strikingly different from those recorded by the old device.
Gas service employees explain this by saying that the old device did not work correctly due to wear and tear on the mechanisms. As a result, it showed that blue fuel consumption per month was lower than actual consumption. After installing new devices, the readings are true.
Very often the problem lies not in the meter itself, but in the gas equipment. For example, if a powerful floor standing gas boiler, his gas burner consumes 0.5 cubic meters per day. There is a decent overexpenditure per month. In this case, the readings change, even when the gas equipment is turned off.
Is the meter not working correctly or is it broken?
Most often, if it is noticed that the meter readings do not correspond to reality, consumers rush to have their gas metering devices checked. As a result, it most often turns out that the meters are working properly.
Since this procedure is paid, there is no need to rush. First of all, if you find that the gas consumption meter is not working correctly (it moves too fast/slow, the numbers do not change when the gas is on), you should notify the gas service.
The main reasons why the gas meter runs unreasonably high:
- problem with gas equipment;
- a leak;
- nearby electrical appliances.
In the first case, you need to calculate how many cubic meters of gas you use per month. If a single-circuit gas boiler is installed in the house, the operation of which involves only one heat exchanger, while the consumption of blue fuel is 10-20 cubic meters, then the reasons for such a huge consumption should be analyzed.
It is recommended to first check the energy efficiency in terms of heat retention. Insulating your home can solve this problem and gas consumption will be significantly reduced.
One from the most common reasons winding extra cubes is a leak. That's why check system costs even at absence smell. After all at leak smell gas Maybe And Not be felt.
You can check for leaks yourself. To do this, coat all connections and the gas valve with soapy water. The presence of a leak is indicated by the appearance of bubbles. In this case, you urgently need to call the emergency gas service.
The operation of the gas meter can also be affected by electrical appliances located nearby. To rule out this option, simply try turning off the device or moving it to another location. Many users note incorrect operation of gas metering equipment if there is a microwave nearby.
What to do if you find that the gas meter is moving a lot:
- It is strictly forbidden to open the meter, interfere with its operation and break the seal;
- after arrival, the repair team is required to attest to the integrity of the seal;
- depending on the result of the inspection, the device can be dismantled and taken away for inspection;
- If there is no gas leak, you can safely use gas appliances until the gas service arrives.
If the meter cannot be repaired, then you must be given a document according to which you are shown meter replacement.
For the period during which you do not take readings from the gas flow meter, payment for gas is carried out in accordance with the generally accepted contract for the supply of blue fuel.Most often, this is the average rate of gas consumption, which begins to be calculated from the day you contact the gas service.
If the gas meter is found to be faulty during inspection, the monthly fee is recalculated for the previous six months. In both cases, consumption standards are too high.
To avoid such a situation, the consumer should carefully monitor the operation of the gas meter and equipment. Responsibility for the serviceability of all appliances in a residential premises lies with its owners.
How to report a fault
Having decided to check how much a personal gas meter is winding up, and suspecting something is wrong, most users turn to the gas service. There are a number of nuances in this procedure, knowing which you can save your money and nerves.
Let's consider the situation. The owner of the apartment noticed that the new gas meter was pumping much more than the old one, was not working correctly or was faulty, and contacted the gas workers. Calls to the gas service are ignored. Specialists don't come.
A week or even a month later, an inspector comes to check and discovers a malfunction. An act is drawn up and soon a bill arrives for gas payments for the past six months at an average tariff with inflated standards. Having no desire to get involved with the courts, most consumers pay the receipt because they understand that the balance of rights is shifted towards gas workers, not consumers.
Here's another example. You discovered a problem and called number “04”. An inspection came to you, identified and fixed the problem.Later, you will receive a gas bill based on average rates for the past six months. In any situation, consumers are advised to be vigilant and take a number of preventive measures.
Algorithm of actions to avoid unnecessary financial expenses:
- report the malfunction to the organization that sends you the payments (contact details are indicated in the receipts);
- when communicating with a gas service representative, find out whether your appeal has been recorded and in what form;
- the best solution is to report the meter malfunction in writing;
- when gas workers come to you with an inspection, find out whether their visit is a reaction to your application or is it a planned inspection (if you do not receive a clear answer, call the gas service).
Try to protect yourself from troubles in advance.
You will learn how to install a gas flow meter from next article, which describes in detail all the nuances of installation and connection.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Video guide for zealous owners who decide that the gas meter records too much consumption:
If you notice that the gas meter is moving a lot, is damaged or faulty, you should immediately notify the gas supply organization. If you do not do this, then serious problems and considerable financial expenses await you ahead. The cause of incorrect operation of the meter is most often a leak, a problem with gas equipment, or a malfunction of the meter itself.
Write your stories about cases of gas meter malfunction and how the equipment was checked. Share your experience of “communicating” with the gas service in the comment block below. Ask questions on controversial issues, publish a thematic photo.
Tell us how to avoid trouble when dealing with gas workers. Please advise how not to become part of a fraudulent scheme, avoid extortion by inspection authorities and save personal funds. It is possible that your recommendations will be useful in practice to site visitors.
Well, who wrote this? What kind of floor-standing gas boiler consumes half a cubic meter per day? The author is completely off topic, don’t read this heresy! A wall-mounted boiler of 24 kilowatts, according to its passport, consumes up to 3 cubic meters per hour! At one o'clock! And the floor ones are even bigger.
We have a floor-mounted one, the consumption in winter is on average 20 cubic meters per day at a temperature of -10-25C and an area of 90 square meters.
In our family, gas consumption is 1.5 cubic meters per month and this is stable. And when the next bill arrived, we were “pleasantly” surprised by the consumption of 24 cubic meters. And this is in a month, when we spend 18 cubic meters in a year. We found the reason ourselves. Two weeks ago, they pulled out the refrigerator to remove accumulated dust, and when they pushed it back, they placed the side wall close to the gas meter. And from that day on, our electronic meter began to be powered by stray currents, emptying our family budget. The valves were closed at night, and in the morning there was an increase of 1.5 cubic meters to the readings. As soon as the refrigerator was moved from the meter by 1 cm. everything has returned to normal. Tomorrow we will call the master, but we don’t know how this will end. Advice, check if your electronic meter and refrigerator are working against you?! All the best.
I realized that we were talking about a wick.
Last year, the Borisov gas service carried out maintenance on the boiler.As a result, for all my manipulations with unscrewing and screwing up all the connections on the street, I paid 70 bel for checking the boiler itself and the gas stove. rub. Plus for dismantling the meter for verification, another 16. At the same time, the gas workers stole 0.5 m of hose from my gas stove because it was 2 m and needed 1.5. And they connected it to the stove with a clamp, so now it can’t be moved away from the wall. This year they came again and turned off the gas because there was no chimney inspection report. The act was completed the next day for 15 rubles. I don’t know how much they’ll tear off now. The hose never arrived. I want everyone to know what good specialists work in Borisov. By the way, I completed chimney inspection training in 20 and received a certificate.
My Itron Gallus gas meter has electronic and mechanical readings, but the mechanical ones began to show more numbers than the electronic ones, why??? and what readings are considered correct?
Hello, my Prince G6 meter started to wind up periodically when I set it to minimum and ended up burning a couple of thousand extra cubic meters of gas while I was sorting out these services and waiting for a new replacement meter. As a result, I feel that no one will count anything for me, since according to the standard, I have even more, and in parallel with everyone, I use the heating partially. Advice: don’t get involved with ultrasonic meters under any circumstances, then you’ll have to justify that it’s not your fault and you won’t understand what to pay for!
The Prince G6 gas meter and the entire line of this type are ultrasonic (sensors are purchased in China) and have no direction of movement, i.e. they can be connected in any direction. And if you studied physics, the effect of convection (air movement from cold to hot) has not been canceled.The result is that gas is not consumed, but it moves inside the gas pipeline and the meter counts. And the most interesting thing is that they are programmable and it is not known what corrections the gas supply organization made to the correction system. By the time of verification, the error increases and again you pay for what you consumed. The conclusions you made are completely reasonable. In some countries friendly to us, this type of meters is generally prohibited for installation.
I give you a life hack for an electronic gas meter. Attention: follow the instructions. I don’t know why. But if you reduce the gas supply through the common valve, then the electronic meter calculates 4-5 times less consumption for boiling 250g of water. Of course, for everything else BUT. be careful. Light all the burners and the oven at full power. Next, start reducing the common valve until your gas supply apparently decreases. Then reduce the smallest burner to the lock. If it doesn’t go out, everything goes out normally. the same trick continues until it stops going out at a minimum. This is for your safety, so as not to accidentally extinguish a working stove. You don’t need to do anything to the other burners and oven. All. Believe me, the consumption of the stove will decrease significantly.
Meter Prince Gallus 6 discrepancy between the mechanical and electronic readings is 35,000. Annual inspection of gas equipment under the contract, but was discovered only the other day. But somehow we didn’t know where to look, we only looked at the board, how much money was on the card...