Gas Meter ID

[D45]

Anyone tell me about this meter?

I see some people upgrade the meter, to flow more, and trying to determine if I should upgrade as well.........

Thanks

 

[gungatim]

I don't know much about meters, but I doubt a meter change is going to flow more since the incoming line is the same. the meter just reduces pressure and measures volume.

most changes are for wifi/remote usage reading just like the electric and water meters.

what would someone have to add to the home to require more gas flow? only thing I can think of is maybe a tankless water heater.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... Are yet gas appliances workin' properly now,..??

If so, why would you want to replace the Utility's meter,..??

 

[BillK]

Are you adding something that will require a bunch more gas ? If so, call your gas company and ask them if your service will support it.

 

[JRC3]

Looks like a 250 CFH / 250,000 BTU. I run 150K tankless, 100K furnace, and a gas range off mine with no problems. Mine is in the back yard about 100' from the house with 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" cast iron pipe to the house.

When I had the gas turned on at the house I talked to the gas guy and he told me they are usually good for up to another 1/3 of their rating.

 

[D45]

I am just making the supply if enough for my house and all the NG appliances

 

[naturalgas]

I can’t read the tag but let’s call it the standard 175 which you could probably put a load of 225k on it. Your Gas Co will tell you what you need for you4 load and should upgrade for no charge. More use for them is a win


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[JRC3]

That looks like the sticker for the drive-by meter read transmitter they retrofit older meters with.


What appliances do you have? Mine add up to about 290K BTUs and my meter supplies enough. I've cranked up the stove and oven while the furnace is running and all the burners are blazing in my tankless water heater.

 

[D45]

House furnace, gas stove, hot water heater, gas grill, garage heater......and the gas fireplace (currently not in use)

Obviously all rarely on at one time, but even a 225k load sounds close to maxing

I guess I need to figure out the appliance load........all I know is the garage heater is 75k and the hot water heater is a 38k unit

 

[JRC3]

That's probably a very common 250 cubic foot/250K BTU meter. I even see "250" on that number plate.

 

[D45]

Garage heater: 75,000
Hot water heater: 38,000
Gas grill: 32,000
House Furnace: 115,000 (input)
Stove: 56,500 (5 burner)
Oven: 18,000

Total: 334,500

Does this seem right?

 

[naturalgas]

They make a 325 meter that will fit on that piping that will handle load no problem . Or upgrade to 425 type. The meter you have is to small for your load.Just let the Gas Co. Know what your total load is and they will- should set you up with the proper fitt. Around here it’s a no charge job. Bigger meter = more gas flow they are happy



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[Paperman]

So its there something that made you look at your meter or start to wonder about its capacity? I ask as its one of those things nobody thinks about. Like a water supply. I doubt your water connection would support every sink, tub, washer, garden hose and ice maker if they were all on at once. Likewise I doubt you will have all five burners on high, the oven on high, the grill on high with the furnace running along with the water heater/garage.

If there is an issue, sure worry about it. If you were awake last night and couldn't sleep cause' your thinking of your meter capacity you need some bigger problems in life to worry about!!! and I mean that I a good way

 

[mm08822]

Why were others increasing size?

The meter appears to be a 250 CFH as others have stated. My Utility Co.’s next size is 425CFH. If the meter is upgraded, the regulator gets upgraded for higher CFH also. The regulator also has a throughput rating as well as an adjustable outlet pressure. My utility will upgrade 1 meter size for free.
The supply lateral is usually at a high enough pressure that it remains untouched.

Your loads are not all simultaneous. The stove and furnace are not each on continuously. All 5 burners not all running at full output, etc.
I typically apply a diversity factor of 0.75 to the sum of the probable simultaneous loads. (Forget the outside grill.) This number has never been questioned by the AHJ when submitting calculations on plans. So your 334 CFH >>> (334 – 32) x 0.75 = 225 CFH < 250 CFH.
Your meter looks to be sized properly for the existing loads. Someone also mentioned another 30% available flow(?). Need the meter specs to confirm.

I am more concerned with the pipe sizes entering the house and distances to the loads. This is where a big loss in pressure can occur. The pressure at the end of the line is where it should be measured to determine if it remains in the accepted operating range – 5-7” H2O when many loads are in operation. If it were low, sometimes the utility can increase the regulator output pressure slightly – depends where it currently is. It could be your pipe is too small and that is your problem, not utility. Buy a yellowjacket pressure tester if you plan to test - $43 at supplyhouse dot com.

Unless you are planning additional loads like a generator, I would leave well enough alone other than maybe performing the pressure check.

 

[D45]

Oh, and I forgot that I also have a gas dryer!

Any idea of the BTU on a dryer?

I found this online: "A new dryer might generate 22,000 BTUs per hour. Like the older gas dryer, new dryers also cycle on and off, every thirty minutes or so. This means that this new dryer would use 11,000 of its 22,000 BTUs per hour"

Garage heater: 75,000
Hot water heater: 38,000
Gas grill: 32,000
House Furnace: 115,000 (input)
Stove: 56,500 (5 burner)
Oven: 18,000
Dryer: 22,000

Total: 356,500

 

[D45]

So your 334 CFH >>> (334 – 32) x 0.75 = 225 CFH < 250 CFH. Your meter looks to be sized properly for the existing loads.

356 -32 x .75 = 243

 

[UpstateNY]

Simple way to find out: Turn all devices at full "volume" on, leave the furnace as the last to activate, if the furnace doesn't fire up, call the gas company for a free meter upgrade.

 

[naturalgas]

Simple way to find out: Turn all devices at full "volume" on, leave the furnace as the last to activate, if the furnace doesn't fire up, call the gas company for a free meter upgrade.

[emoji23] lol


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[mm08822]

356 -32 x .75 = 243

Ok, still your regulator and meter appear to be sized correctly. The diversity factor is not a precise number and the overall peak load does vary randomly.

So now what? Any further measurements or let sleeping dogs lie?

Again, why were other customers increasing the regulator/meter size?

 

[D45]

Other people on here, reading older posts, were upgrading meter/regulator sizes......but I believe they also might not have had a 250 CFH meter

 

[D45]

True, what is the possibility that I will have ALL up and running on FULL blast at the SAME time?

I might upgrade down the road, after my NG fireplace is up and running........especially if the power company will do it for free

https://www.nipsco.com/our-services/add-modify-service-lines/upgrade-gas-line

 

[D45]

Tonight I had the garage heater on, was cooking on the grill, had some food in the oven......and the furnace was on

Everything seemed to be working fine