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Wishboneash
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October 10, 2022
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Can't have Smart Meters fitted because the Meters are 'too close' together?

  • October 10, 2022
  • 28 replies
  • 6775 views

Hi all

 

rightly or wrongly, been trying to get smart metres fitted to gas and electricity.

 

Booked up a free visit last year with OVO engineer and he took one look at it and said can't do it gov because your gas and electricity metres are too close to each other.

And off he went.

 

So, been toing and froing with OVO and they said they will be able to fit smart metres if minimum distance between said meters is achieved and it will cost me £125 to them to movement the gas metre, or so I thought..…

 

So booked a date in November for what I thought was going to be OVO to move the gas metre and was then told to phone Cadent i.e. British Gas for them to actually repositioned meter.

 

Got a provisional quote from them for £790 to move it less than a metre!!

 

The cadent person also said there is no legal requirement for a minimum distance to be achieved for older gas and electricity installations although these days there is for new installations.

 

Googled it and couldn't find anything relating to it other than forum posts discussing whether there is room for the smart metres or not but don't have that problem at all here.

 

So, obviously not going to pay them £790 to move a gas metre and looks like I'll have to ask for the £125 I paid to OVO back unless of course anyone here knows different and the first engineer wasn't quite correct in saying I can't have smart metres due to the closeness of the existing meters? Hope someone can help out.

 

Thanks in advance 

 

Best answer by Lukepeniket_OVO

Updated on 10/10/25 by Chris_OVO:

Hi all, 

 

So immediately what jumps out at me is the tape measure on top of the Timeclock, gas meters and pipework should be a minimum of 150mm from the cutout/service cable, metering equipment and consumer units, for accessories like a switch or cables ot should be a minimum 25mm away.

 

I can see that both the timeclock and consumer unit are too close to the gas Meter. Looking at the meter outlet the engineer could re do the outlet so it can be moved further away (best method) or refit smart in that position whilst fitting adequate barriers which we do carry and filling out a warning notice  to advise yourself.

28 replies

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Blastoise186
Super User
Blastoise186Super User
Super User
October 11, 2022

Hehehe, this is where our sekrit weapon comes in. If anyone knows the answer, Luke will. :)

But yes, I’d argue that gas meter probably is due for recertification - almost all imperial gas meters are most likely over 20 years old at this point.

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L
OVO Staff
Lukepeniket_OVOSolved
OVO Engineer
October 11, 2022

Updated on 10/10/25 by Chris_OVO:

Hi all, 

 

So immediately what jumps out at me is the tape measure on top of the Timeclock, gas meters and pipework should be a minimum of 150mm from the cutout/service cable, metering equipment and consumer units, for accessories like a switch or cables ot should be a minimum 25mm away.

 

I can see that both the timeclock and consumer unit are too close to the gas Meter. Looking at the meter outlet the engineer could re do the outlet so it can be moved further away (best method) or refit smart in that position whilst fitting adequate barriers which we do carry and filling out a warning notice  to advise yourself.

OVO Operations Excellence Manager and Former Field Operations Team Leader
    L
    OVO Staff
    Lukepeniket_OVO
    OVO Engineer
    October 11, 2022

    Sorry the timeclock is far enough away but that would be removed as it's no longer needed.

    OVO Operations Excellence Manager and Former Field Operations Team Leader
      Blastoise186
      Super User
      Blastoise186Super User
      Super User
      October 11, 2022

      Thanks Luke! I think I can see what you mean there.

      Would/could it be a (fairly) simply case of rotating the gas meter outlet pipe to the other side (for example) and make use of what seems like a pretty long flexible hose to accommodate the inlet pipe?

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      L
      OVO Staff
      Lukepeniket_OVO
      OVO Engineer
      October 11, 2022

      Yeah basically sweating the 90 degree off in the top right and swinging it all around, but tbh as long as the barriers are there it's ok

      OVO Operations Excellence Manager and Former Field Operations Team Leader
        Blastoise186
        Super User
        Blastoise186Super User
        Super User
        October 11, 2022

        Well, that sounds way easier than moving the meter then. Especially if it’s free?

        On the plus side, you’d have literally the best gas meter signal ever! XD

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        Blastoise186
        Super User
        Blastoise186Super User
        Super User
        October 11, 2022

        Just wanted to let you know @Wishboneash that we may have a solution for you thanks to Luke. Feel free to share this thread with the Support Team and ask them to review it, as I suspect it’ll result in some progress for you.

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          WishboneashAuthor
          Rank 2
          October 19, 2022

          Great, thanks All

          Ovo now looking into it.....

            Blastoise186
            Super User
            Blastoise186Super User
            Super User
            October 19, 2022

            No worries! Thanks for asking this question. :)

            If you need us again, we’ll be here.

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              WishboneashAuthor
              Rank 2
              November 28, 2022

              Hello all

              update on my mission to have smart metres fitted by OVO !

               Had an ovo engineer visit on Wednesday and he said no problem, can fit electric and gas smart metres for you sir.

              Thought that's good we will make progress and get the 2 metersfitted. However, after he had fitted the electric smart metre he said it nearly finished electricity be back on in 5-minutes.

              At this point he switched the main fuse on  and the existing RCD tripped and he couldn't get the old part of the original installation which is controlled by the RCD to liven up as the RCD would not allow it it.

              fortunately, home insurance has emergency electrical cover so we duly contacted them and had an electrician out and he identified what he said was two earth shorts, 1 on a ring main and one on the lighting circuit.

              But, he didn't have enough time for his allocated time slot from HomeServe  to do the necessary so he isolated the offending 2 circuits and then the RCD switched on ok.

              But, went away for the weekend and found that the RCD had in fact tripped again and all the contents of the fridge spoiled as fridge not on for 2 or 3 days.

              Had second HomeServe engineer this morning, and he says RCD is faulty and should be replaced or really the old original fuse board and one that was put on in the 80s should both be replaced by a modern circuit breaker consumer unit it with built-in RCD to each circuit I understand.

               

              2nd engineer suggested installing smart meters can throw up probs with extg installation as smart meters more sensitive…?

              Thought I was getting somewhere with ovo at last getting  the two smart metres but seems to have opened up a can of worms.

              OVO engineer didn't fit the Gas smart metre as he spent so much time trying to get the electrics working in the house having fitted the electric smart metre.

              Any thoughts from you guys who seem to know a lot more about these things than I do.!

              Show more replies
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