two semi rigid steel connectors on gas meter

[Tod]

Hi Guys,

Quick question, how would you treat two semi rigid steel connectors on gas meter.

All appliances are operating properly and all tightness tests etc have passed.

There are also no signs of corrosion on the pipework....

thanks

 

[mickie]

not too sure what you're talking about but ncs

 

[Tod]

Yes exactly, what i wnated to know is can the LL leave it or would you need to do something about it?

ie: Ncs or AR... as it is definatley not allowed

BS6400 2006,
8.9.2 says "only 1 pliable (semi rigid) connection shall be used" on a meter installation

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[mickie]

its not allowed but its also not AR or ID, so it'll be ncs

 

[Tod]

Thats what I thought, many thanks

 

[stani]

dont we just inform the transporter that there is a property with 2 semi rigids and they then send out and change them over.

 

[stani]

is'nt there a technical Bulletin about this?

 

[villa_tom]

The transporter won't do anything as there will always be one flexi to a meter on the inlet - everything after the inlet is down to the home owner so its just NCS

 

[stani]

Technical bulletin 084 ---- NCS---and the customer to contact the supplier to get it sorted, we're all correct.

 

[CMairiD]

I'm somewhat baffled why they would say contact the supplier. The meter standard shows the flexi on the inlet and rigid on the outlet, so if you have two flexis surely the outlet is wrong and it's the home owner/landlord who would correct.

 

[stani]

the TB states its to stop theft etc so I presume the reasons are its in the suppliers interest to make sure that only one pipe is flexible.

 

[Tod]

Thanks, well that makes sense - if it is due to theft, they would rather come and inspect the meter and change it over themselves in case the occupier has been tampering with the meter etc. Where if an engineer just does it, they would never know if the occupier had been tampering /steeling gas etc.

 

[tamz]

The supplier won't change anything. They would just advise to get it fixed. It is the owners responsibility.

 

[AWheating]

unless the supplier has recently had a new meter fitted and the fitter did not repipe as per regs.

 

[tamz]

The meter fitter wouldn't fit the extra flexi and if it was already there wouldn't give a fk. He would put it down in his paperwork as NCS = WGAF in the real world.

 

[metaldust9]

i had this on property i went to and when transco came out to a annaconda pipe that had a slight leak (flexi on meter) there was 2,the bloke said theres nothink wrong with it and didnt change it ,he said the meter supplies when the change the meter dont have time to do rigid pipework, as so many to do in a day, so he left it,odd to me as in the regs as others have said but they seam to do what they want

 

[plumbdoctor]

your all right but if the meter is not correctly secured to a meter bracket then i would sway with a A.R but if its fixed correctly to a bracket with to semi rigids then ncs is fine

 

[kirkgas]

I'm somewhat baffled why they would say contact the supplier. The meter standard shows the flexi on the inlet and rigid on the outlet, so if you have two flexis surely the outlet is wrong and it's the home owner/landlord who would correct.

most of the time yes, but the reg says one semi rigid connector, preferably on the inlet, so therefore it is acceptable on the outlet, so the problem arose when the second one was fitted, we just dont know who fitted the second one (prob not the supplier to be honest, but you never know) in the end up it is NCS at best so let the customer sort it with the supplier or for the customer to come back and ask how much

 

[buckley plumb]

i have seen a few like this the last on the gas supplier moved the meter and used semi on each side. is this an approved way

 

[GrahamM]

I have seen quite a few semi-concealed meters done with 2 anacondas. The outlet side is usually quite tight to pipe up, so I believe some take the easy way by fitting another flexi.
I believe the main justification for the one anaconda regulation is meter security, so some may argue the meter is well secured in the concealed box, therefore they think 2 flexi's can be justified. Or maybe they just don't have a clue about the regs!:confused5:
No excuses for it on a standard meter install though.
As some have said it would only be NCS.

 

[AWheating]

It understandable in a semi concealed box to enable easy removal / access to meter. If iremember some semi concealed boxes have a fitting built into the box for a flexi connection and some just a hole to pipe up in copper.

I know some meter guys that did not know this reg exsisted, experienced guys too.

 

[thereisawizza]

dont we just inform the transporter that there is a property with 2 semi rigids and they then send out and change them over.

Have you heard the moaning they do when you do this??! You'd think you'd called them out of bed with Kylie & Danni Minogue!

 

[AWheating]

the flight from australia would be a pain just to alter a small amount of pipework!

 

[midge]

The problem often dates back to when it was acceptable to use lead pipe on both inlet and outlet. The stainless steel flexes (Anaconda) were just another easy way of replacing the outlet lead.
At some point in time BS6400 made any pipework downstream of the meter outlet connection the responsibility of the owner/occupier. Hence when that meter is changed the meter fitter has no requirement to replace it other then issue a NCS.

 

[Pssst]

It would be NCS at worst.

Transporters will not upgrade the outlet pipework so no point in reporting.

The installtion was ok under previous British Standard but changes are not retrospective.

The only time it would be altered is during a meter exchange,in which case the meter worker is required to bring the installation up to the latest standard. It isnt always possible to secure meter bars due to danger of drilling cable/other services.

Anacondas are prone to leakage within weeks if a careless installer has allowed self cleaning flux to drop onto them.

 

[m4martin0]

The meter installation finishes at the meter outlet so only one anaconda can be fitted to the meter installation
so if another one is connected to the oulet of the meter that's fine as is not part of the meter installation according to the GSR

 

[GrahamM]

The meter installation finishes at the meter outlet so only one anaconda can be fitted to the meter installation
so if another one is connected to the oulet of the meter that's fine as is not part of the meter installation according to the GSR

Eh???
Are you GSR? Is everyone that contributed to this post, including myself, miss informed in your opinion and 2 pliable connections ARE permitted in a meter installation?
Have a look at BS6400-1.

 

[Pssst]

The contracts which meter operators (MAMs) have with those who may undertake meterwork on their behalf,require them to renew the outlet with rigid pipework if they do a meter exchange. They must also upgrade with a bracket. Digressing slightly and as someone mentioned semi con boxes, not long ago i went to a punter who was complaining that they had no gas/heating not working. After some checking,went to semi con box and had to do a couple take as i thought i was seeing things. I noted that someone had fitted the meter reg so that it was screwed rigidly into the meter with a nipple but flexed on its inlet over to the ecv. Trouble was that the flex inlet had actually been fed into the reg outlet so every time there was a demand for gas,the reg locked up and cut off the flow !. Questioned punter who confirmed meter had been changed previous day !!! dohhhh.......

 

[Reg Man]

The meter installation finishes at the meter outlet so only one anaconda can be fitted to the meter installation
so if another one is connected to the oulet of the meter that's fine as is not part of the meter installation according to the GSR

If its connected to the meter its part of the meter installation.
I think from memmory, the suppliers found that customers were lifting the meters up on the flexi's and laying it on its back, which dis-engaged the reading mechanisium, therefore stealing gas as it was no longer metered.