Non-motoring > how long to replace an electricity meter ? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: borasport Replies: 23
View Threaded 

 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:20 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - borasport
British Gas want to replace ours, and they'll only specify 'between 8 am and 8 pm'

I'm guessing it would take quarter of an hour or so to do a straight meter replacement ?
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 20 Sep 10 at 10:04
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:23 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Iffy
...I'm guessing it would take quarter of an hour or so to do a straight meter replacement ?...

Spot on, if not a little less.

Had one done at Iffy Towers a couple of years ago.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:28 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Redviper
When I moved into my house, I had the pre-payment one took out, and replaced with a standard meter

It took 15 min for him to litrally just unbolt the old one and put on the new one, and then test it was working ok
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:50 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - henry k
>> It took 15 min for him to litrally just unbolt the old one and put on the new one, and then test it was working ok
>>
Do not bank on it. The test may show up a leak that you were not aware of and then" the fun " may start.
Last time the gas mob were in my place they said there was a leak.
Their clever clogs hacked at the cooker and that did attempt did not work so he slapped a condemmed notice on it and off he toddled leaving us to go find an instant new cooker.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:57 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Iffy
...The test may show up a leak that you were not aware of and then" the fun " may start...

Henry,

The OP refers to an electricity meter, although can't electricity 'leak' to earth as well?

I'm sure I've heard that said, but no idea what it means.

Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 10:05 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - henry k
I read leak......back to sleep....zzzzzz
Last edited by: henry k on Mon 20 Sep 10 at 10:05
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 10:43 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - borasport

>> Do not bank on it. The test may show up a leak that you were
>> not aware of and then" the fun " may start.


Long ago and far away, when I but a child, father, (a coal miner) and the bloke next door (a cement mixer driver) installed our gas fire. 10 or more years later, BG turn up to replace meter and end up slapping big red labels all over everything prohibiting its' use until leak fixed.

It turns out father had run a copper pipe to the fire then set it in cement and the pipe had pretty much corroded away to nothing - no wonder my mum was always moaning about the gas bill !
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 09:52 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - bathtub tom
They failed to turn up to do mine on three separate occasions. If you complain loudly enough they'll offer something like fifteen quid compensation for a missed appointment.

I subsequently ignored their appointments until their communication got suitably frantic. I told them I was worth thirty quid an hour and I'd claim that in future.

They made an evening appointment, turned up on the dot and did the job in less than an hour!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 14:20 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - rtj70
If it's a straight forward swap then yes probably 5 minutes - they don't get allocated much more time than that.

But in our last house, the previous owner at some point had extra wires to the meter area added. Hard to explain but it meant it could not be quickly be swapped out. On two occasion they turned up to do the work and quickly disappeared without doing anything - stating they needed some extra parts.

On the third visit the guy did stay to do the job properly but it took probably 40 minutes to complete. The wiring probably shouldn't have been quite like it was but that was not down to us. Basically a few extra cables from the meter to another fuse box.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 14:30 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Dulwich Estate
It'll probably be done in a flash.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate on Mon 20 Sep 10 at 14:31
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 14:54 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Stuartli
Current practice is to avoid annoyances such as customers.....:-)
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 15:04 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Redviper
I know of a Cable TV Engineer for a large Cable TV firm, who if they are about to knock off for the day would, on the job sheet for the remainder of the customers for that day put "No anwser at door" and then promtly go home.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 16:00 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - rtj70
A friend many years ago heard the letterbox and rushed to the door (expecting a parcel). There was a note from the postman saying he'd tried delivering but nobody was in. So he opened the door and called after them. It turns out the postman couldn't be bothered bringing the parcel because he 'thought they might be out' hence the card through the door.

Customers, who wants those anyway?
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 16:44 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - bathtub tom
This happened to a neighbour. He contacted the sorting office who made the postman deliver the parcel after he'd done his round.

Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 16:56 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Tooslow
yup I've had that. A card fluttering to the ground, from the letterbox, as I came down the stairs. I had the pleasure of opening the door, shouting "oi" and getting my parcel, which he just couldn't be bothered to wait while I answered and signed apparently. It was on the van.

Parcelforce are by far the worst.

John
Last edited by: Tooslow on Mon 20 Sep 10 at 16:57
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 21:31 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Perky Penguin
I am having mine done on Thursday - I'll post the answer here then
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 21:37 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - RattleandSmoke
I wonder if they can disconect if the electricity is dangerious? I was watching a on C4 a few weeks ago about houses falling down. This daft couple had bought this house with dangerious electricity and they were over loading it using a 4 way gang in the only working socket in the house.

It turns out the wiring was insulated with paper! and atlhough the sockets were BS1364 they must have been the very early kind just after the war.

Anyway the reason I asked is because the meter was clearly a modern digital type and I just do not understand how could install that without noticing the electrics were in a lethal state.



Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Mon 20 Sep 10 21:54 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - Perky Penguin
Because all they are doing is replacing the meter, which in my house is in a box on the outside wall. I have to turn off the power at the main box in the hall. Matey does the biz with the meter and I turn the power back on. He never has to come into the house and wouldn't be there to inspect the wiring anyway - different department/skill level!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Thu 23 Sep 10 10:34 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - Perky Penguin
20 minutes, including removing the off-peak timer (economy 7?). Had to come in the middle of a very complicated call to the TomTom help line in Amsterdam!!!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Thu 23 Sep 10 12:13 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - borasport
What sort of notice did they give you - I managed to get them to narrow it down to 'after lunch' rather than 8am-8pm, but it still means taking half a day off for something that might take 15 mins at 7 pm

(though I imagine most 'fitters' or whatever you want to call them will be wanting to be done a.s.a.p. on a friday)
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Thu 23 Sep 10 14:17 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - Perky Penguin
They gave me a choice of date and that was it; I didn't ask them for am or pm, they might have obliged if I had. Van arrived about 1015 and was gone about 1035.
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Thu 23 Sep 10 at 14:17
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Wed 22 Sep 10 10:45 
 how long to replance an electricity meter ? - hjd
There is a fixed rate compensation of £20 for a missed appointment. They won't offer it; you have to ask. Not eligible if you weren't in when they called, or if they notified you the previous day. Google compensation for missed gas (or electricity) appointment or scan the small print on the supplier's website.
We have just had to claim this (for a gas meter replacement). Appointment was for morning, defined as 8am to 1pm. At 12.58 on the day they rang and said that they couldn't come that day because they had been too busy. They are now trying to claim that this constitutes notice and therefore no compensation is due. No chance. Also, if you don't get the money within 10 days then the amount due doubles.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Fri 24 Sep 10 16:31 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - borasport
11 minutes including at least two mobile calls to his mates and a safety check, which comprised, I kid you not, of plugging in something labelled 'socket'n'see' that appeared to have come from Toys'r'us range of proffesional tools.....
Reply to this message | Report message
       
 Fri 24 Sep 10 17:08 
 how long to replace an electricity meter ? - RattleandSmoke
I have one of those, all they do is tell you that the neutral, live and earth are wired correctly. I use it when replacing sockets as a double check. They tell you its wired correctly but they can't tell you its safe. Not sure what the point of doing this after installing a meter is.

Reply to this message | Report message
       
Latest Forum Posts