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Jacked up meter for NG......I think

Gordy
Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
Has anyone ever had NG gas meters over read usage??

Comments

  • Abracadabra
    Abracadabra Member Posts: 1,948
    Gordy said:

    Has anyone ever had NG gas meters over read usage??

    I haven't, but anything's possible i guess. Good luck trying to get the gas company to admit they tested the meter and it overread.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    trying to figure out if the last actual reading was wrong. There is NFW im using 23 therms a day. My boiler and water heater would have to run 9.35 hours a day together to acomplish that. I have a thermostat that tracks number of hours ther is a call for heat in a 24 hour period I average 5 hours. My boiler is a 210k gross input it clocks at 183K. My average is usually 7 therms a day by the gas company now 23 ????
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    They should be willing to check that given the sharp increase in gas usage. I had to deal with them a few months back when I had a low pressure issue and found them receptive to my concerns.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    I just read the meter, and discovered this. Fired off an email to the rep. see what happens.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited January 2015
    Or Mary jane brownies, but I don't even have a gas oven. Dude I have been everywhere checking for leaks with trouble bubble... notta, and there is not that many places to check. Nothing's changed. The only spot is the 90 that's buried going from the meter through the basement wall. You would think you'd smell gas somewhere if that was leaking.
  • jonny88
    jonny88 Member Posts: 1,139
    Try doing a meter test.Did they give you an estimated reading or did they read your meter for the billing cycle.
  • Tolik
    Tolik Member Posts: 85
    edited January 2015
    We used to live in an apartment our gas bill was $17.00. Got a house in July 2014 first couple of bills in high $70's last bill was $255! Water heater set to lowest in summer and one hotter for winter. Stove is barely touched. I thought this is normal but now I'm suspecting something is wrong. The meter is making a squeaking sound. We are not home often and the "estimate" therm usage is shockingly close to actual reading.

    We have steam heat with a new "efficient" boiler installed two years ago.

    Please update how national grid responds to your requests. I happen to work in their main headquarters building, same building but different company. Maybe I can sneak in and let them know how I really feel, or I could just get arrested. It can go either way I guess. :neutral_face:
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,366
    Could it be a mistake in reading the meter? Even electronic readings can have glitches.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    It could be a botched reading. Last month. It's funny when I top off the pool in the spring the water municipal calls making sure I don't have a leak. Nicor sends a bill with avg daily Therms of 39 when the most I avg is 10 not a peep. I'll bet if it were zero they would be here in. Heart beat with no call from me.
    jonny88
  • Tim McElwain
    Tim McElwain Member Posts: 4,612
    As one with many years working in the gas industry I can tell you that gas meters never read fast they typically read slow as they grow older. Most gas companies will change the meter every 7 to 10- years for testing. I would say your problem is elsewhere not the meter.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    Quickie leak test done by many including gas company: All gas stops at appliances off; pencil marks on plastic cover plate benchmarking the 2 fastest dial hand locations; wait an hour and check for any movement indicating some gas going somewhere that you are paying for.
    On last job I did this after new pipe isolated fm meter and air tested at 50 PSI for several hours. Connected to meter and pencil checked and had movement with 4 oz pressure. Bubble test and found gas meter itself to be leaking and turning dials.
    Tightening the screws on the meter case stopped the leak. Told the "Not To Worry" gas company and they said it was an old style that was being phased out and would eventually get changed. (They own the building anyway)
    I think you would smell your excess somewhere. But is your ground froze enough to cap any underground leaks?
  • Tolik
    Tolik Member Posts: 85
    JUGHNE said:

    Quickie leak test done by many including gas company: All gas stops at appliances off; pencil marks on plastic cover plate benchmarking the 2 fastest dial hand locations; wait an hour and check for any movement indicating some gas going somewhere that you are paying for.

    Simple but genius... thank you. I'll give it a shot.
  • vaporvac
    vaporvac Member Posts: 1,520
    Gordy said:

    It could be a botched reading. Last month. It's funny when I top off the pool in the spring the water municipal calls making sure I don't have a leak. Nicor sends a bill with avg daily Therms of 39 when the most I avg is 10 not a peep. I'll bet if it were zero they would be here in. Heart beat with no call from me.

    I think you're correct. A friend built out their walls with 8" insulated panels. When their usage dropped to practically 0, the gas company was there in a heartbeat to see if they were cheating somehow!

    Two-pipe Trane vaporvacuum system; 1466 edr
    Twinned, staged Slantfin TR50s piped into 4" header with Riello G400 burners; 240K lead, 200K lag Btus. Controlled by Taco Relay and Honeywell RTH6580WF
    kcopp
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    And other times no one is paying attention. My boss had a non functioning meter on his house for 5 years before they did anything about it. He used all the gas he wanted and didn't pay a penny for the entire 5 years. Having worked for the utility for 7 years I can tell you things run "differently" there.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    If it were mine with underground pipe going into bsmt without breaking ground and fitting was suspected I would shut off meter and with steel probe hopefully get thru frost cap with several probe holes and smell for gas. Actually gas company should do this and "sniff " for leaks if benchmark test fails.

    We have all read bad stories about gas lines going directly into bsmt without breaking ground. Sometimes moves houses and worse.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    Hold the phone nicor on site. Small leak before meter. Their actual reading for Nov. waayyyyy off. Nov. reading 1950 previous actual was month of July 416. My reading last night 1233. Hmmm.

    My beef is they had my avg. daily usage as 39 therms when I'm no more than 11 on a design day with DHW. They have 3 years of data to draw from. I said to the on site personel that the water company calls when I top off my pool in the spring no less than the next day to make sure there is not a leak.

    Nicor on the other hand sees an excessive anomaly in usage as an opportunity to send me a bill for it, and not even investigate a possible leak of a volatile gas that could pose life threatening danger. A possible leak that is over 3 times my usage avg. luckily it was a meter reading error. You guys need to do some protocol structuring.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited January 2015
    He sent out a work order to "rebuild my meter" that is probably 35-40 years old. I had trouble reading it myself the lens cover on the dials looks like the lens cover on the head lights of a car after going through a sand storm.

    So the thread title changes to jacked up meter reader
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    I was glad they kept my meter inside the cellar when they ran the new pipe and installed a brand new meter. I noticed the meter yoke now has test ports and there is a shutoff BEFORE the meter.

    Before if the street shutoff didn't work they just opened the cellar door while they put on the new meter and the gas filled up into the balloon wall cavity above- fun times!

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042
    If meters have the rotating hands for all digits then it is really to mis-read the meter.....unless you do that for a living all day long and have last months reading on the card your holding.
    I guess I should appreciate my gas supplier....always a stop at meter.....no meters inside buildings....no svc regulators inside houses......4 oz max inside any bldg...all black pipe....no copper....suposted to be no csst....no UG service under bldg....always break ground to enter bldg....and publicly owned...and I have all their phone numbers and they have mine.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited January 2015
    Again the problem I have is they just billed me with out question no red flag when usage is 4 times normal. They have previous years usage. That's how they estimate. Like I said if it were zero usage they would be out in a heart beat no call from me.
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    Yeah they will find you!
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Of three things you can be certain - death, taxes, and utility bills !

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    Better you than me.
    jonny88
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    After the smoke cleared turns out I get a 1083.00 credit. My average daily therms went from 39 to 6.37. I never paid that much, glad I did not nicor would just give me a credit, and use my money for the next year.

    No response to a strongly worded email either.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Nice to win one.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    It is! Also nice to not have to fight.