Why should expired gas meters be replaced promptly?

"I changed to a new smart gas meter, but why do I feel that the meter is running faster?" Recently, some natural gas users who have just replaced their IoT smart gas meters have doubts about their gas usage at home and the new IoT smart gas meters. To this end, we took the initiative to communicate with some users who have replaced their IoT smart meters to understand the relevant situation, and in response to everyone's concerns, we specially sorted out the relevant knowledge of IoT smart gas meters to answer everyone's questions, so that everyone can use the IoT smart gas meter technology product with peace of mind.

1.Why do we need to change the meters? Is it possible not to do so?

Article 7.5.1 of the National Metrology Verification Regulations of the People's Republic of China JJG577-2012 "Verification Regulations for Diaphragm Gas Meters" stipulates: "For gas meters with a maximum flow rate of Qmax≤10m3/h and used for trade settlement, only the first mandatory verification is carried out, and they are used within a limited period of time and replaced when they expire. The service life of gas meters using natural gas as the medium is generally not more than 10 years. The service life of gas meters using artificial gas, liquefied petroleum gas, etc. as the medium is generally not more than 6 years." Since gas meters are mandatory verification measuring instruments, they must be strictly implemented in accordance with relevant regulations. The verification regulations are metrology technical regulations, and their provisions have legal status and are mandatory. Therefore, after the gas meter is installed and used for a period of time, the gas company must replace it in time.

Natural gas is a flammable and explosive gas fuel, and the safe use of gas is extremely important. As a metering instrument for terminal trade settlement in gas transmission and distribution, gas meters are also closely related to the safety of gas use. As the years of use increase, the internal membrane of the diaphragm gas meter gradually ages. The sealing rings that play a sealing role are all rubber products. As time goes by, they will age and deform, affecting their sealing performance, making it easy for gas leakage to occur, causing safety accidents such as combustion and explosion, threatening the personal and property safety of the majority of users. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of gas use, expired gas meters must be replaced in a timely manner.

2.Why should you switch to an IoT smart gas meter?

As an important and commonly used energy meter, smart gas meter is an important foundation for maintaining the stable development of national economy and people's livelihood. In recent years, the state has issued relevant policies, such as the State Council's "National New Urbanization Plan (2014-2020)", the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's "Notice on Deepening the Comprehensive Development of Mobile Internet", and the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Management of Civil "Three Meters". On the one hand, strengthen the quality inspection of existing smart gas meters in the market and check for safety hazards; on the other hand, guide the original mechanical gas meter industry and end users to develop in the direction of intelligence and Internet of Things. With the continuous development of smart gas meter technology, NB-IoT smart gas meter is currently a smart gas meter with advanced technology, stable performance, safety and reliability. It has gradually replaced traditional diaphragm gas meters and early wired remote meters and wireless remote meters. NB-IoT smart gas meter has the following advantages:

1.Security: NB-IoT gas meter has the function of remote valve closing, and also has risk analysis and early warning mechanism. The gas company can monitor the user's gas usage status in real time and analyze the data through the data sent back by the user end, so as to implement safety measures such as closing the valve when the user is out for a long time without flow and closing the valve when the flow is abnormally large, so as to ensure the safety of the user's gas use.

2.Convenience: First, the meter can be paid through the Internet, such as recharging and paying through the online business.Users can complete the payment without leaving home, which can save users a lot of time and transportation costs; second, the account balance, gas consumption, current gas price, battery power and other information can be seen through the smart display screen of the meter, so that users can keep track of their gas usage at any time; third, the gas company can read the user's gas usage data through the mobile Internet, without the need to visit the home every month, which can reduce the number of visits to disturb users and better protect the privacy of users.

3.Entering the Internet era, smart gas is an inevitable trend in the development of the gas industry and will gradually enter thousands of households. As an important part of smart gas, NB-IoT gas meters will gradually enter thousands of households. First, in the future it can be directly connected to the control center of the smart home to realize the interconnection of all things and facilitate home management; second, the background system of the IoT meter can accurately collect users' gas usage data, analyze it according to the users' gas usage characteristics, help users adjust pressure and ensure supply, so that users can get a better gas usage experience.

3.Is there any difference in the measurement between the new IoT smart gas meter and the previous ordinary membrane gas meter?

The IoT smart gas meter is an ordinary diaphragm gas meter with an IoT controller installed, which can realize functions such as real-time reading of gas volume and automatic valve closing for abnormal flow. Its safety and convenience are greatly improved compared with ordinary diaphragm gas meters and wired remote meters. Since its measurement principle and components are still ordinary diaphragm gas meters, but an intelligent module is added to the collection of measurement data, its measurement accuracy is no different from that of traditional diaphragm gas meters.

4.Why do you feel like the new gas meter runs “fast”?

1.Since the newly replaced IoT smart gas meter reads the gas consumption every day and settles the gas fee in real time, compared with the previous method of reading the meter once every two months and settling the gas fee once, the daily settlement method will give users the illusion that money is being deducted every day and the fee is increasing, so they feel that the gas meter is running "faster".

2.Seasonal gas consumption differences. Due to the low ambient temperature in winter, the normal temperature of food or water is 10 to 20℃ lower than that in summer. The gas consumption for cooking food of the same quality or boiling water is more than that in summer. In addition, most families need a higher water temperature for bathing in winter than in summer. After the water temperature at the outlet of the water heater is increased, the gas consumption will increase accordingly. If the bathing time is extended, the gas consumption will be even greater. If the gas meter is replaced in autumn and winter, some users will use the gas consumption during the winter to calculate the annual gas consumption, which will give the illusion that the newly replaced gas meter is "running faster" than before. In addition, in the daily use of gas, changes in gas usage habits, changes in the number of gas users, changes in gas equipment, etc. may cause changes in gas consumption. For example, some users who have replaced their meters have replaced water heaters or stoves with higher power and higher gas consumption. If their gas usage habits and gas-using population remain unchanged, their home gas consumption will increase accordingly.