Let-by or is it?

[Doodlebug]

Thought I'd share this as its a strange one. When I was working with Transco years ago I had a call out for let-by. When I arrived at the job I was met by an engineer claiming in all the years he'd been in the game he'd never seen let-by as bad as this. I attached my gauge and sure enough after turning the ECV off at 10mb the gauge continued to rise and rise and rise. I removed the anaconda from the ECV and bubbled the ECV which I found to be bottle, not letting by at all.
I will leave this with you to see who can come up with the correct diagnosis of what was happening.


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[TBServices]

Thought I'd share this as its a strange one. When I was working with Transco years ago I had a call out for let-by. When I arrived at the job I was met by an engineer claiming in all the years he'd been in the game he'd never seen let-by as bad as this. I attached my gauge and sure enough after turning the ECV off at 10mb the gauge continued to rise and rise and rise. I removed the anaconda from the ECV and bubbled the ECV which I found to be bottle, not letting by at all.
I will leave this with you to see who can come up with the correct diagnosis of what was happening.


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Bright sun shining on the meter and pipe work?


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[Doodlebug]

Bright sun shining on the meter and pipe work?


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Nope, this rose steadily from 10mb to 20mb in the space of about 5 seconds.the meter is inside the property.


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[Doodlebug]

Do t think anyone will get this, it's a tricky one and only ever come across it once. I will give a clue later.


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[mountainman]

The property was pinching gas from next door?

 

[Doodlebug]

The property was pinching gas from next door?

Nope lol


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[Doodlebug]

Clue is..... It was a new meter fitted recently.


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[galaxy_plumbing]

seized regulator, so no gas through ? just a guess 😀

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

or blank disc in the meter

 

[chris watkins]

Meter round the wrong way

 

[Doodlebug]

Neither of the above. Do you give up?


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[mountainman]

My last try then.
Assuming the meter isn't fitted in a lift.

Faulty manometer or tube

 

[Doodlebug]

The answer is........ The test nipple had some factory grease inside it, I simply cleaned with a small piece of wire and it was fine. Does make you think though, the engineer who fitted the meter obviously didn't do a test.


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[dave1]

I've had a few of these doodlebug, always carry a safety pin in the bottom of my bag now.

 

[Doodlebug]

I've had a few of these doodlebug, always carry a safety pin in the bottom of my bag now.

Have you really mate? I've only ever found this once. Do you fit meters or are you finding meters that obviously haven't been tested?


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[dave1]

I carry out servicing and breakdowns for a H.A, yeah found 3 that I can think of the top of my head.

 

[chris watkins]

The answer is........ The test nipple had some factory grease inside it, I simply cleaned with a small piece of wire and it was fine. Does make you think though, the engineer who fitted the meter obviously didn't do a test.


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Don't quite understand how it wasn't found straight away, how did they drop the system pressure down to 10 without noticing nothing came out of the test nip ??

 

[Doodlebug]

Don't quite understand how it wasn't found straight away, how did they drop the system pressure down to 10 without noticing nothing came out of the test nip ??

Thats a very good point mate, assuming they did a test before breaking into any gas pipes, it would have taken an age to drop the pressure down to 10mb. I never asked, I just got called for let-by and found grease in the test point.


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[scorps]

the first let-by i reported 25 yrs,or so, ago the engineer said it will be grease always is,he was right,once he showed me how to clean the nipple with a pin iv,e not had to ring transco since

 

[scorps]

Thats a very good point mate, assuming they did a test before breaking into any gas pipes, it would have taken an age to drop the pressure down to 10mb. I never asked, I just got called for let-by and found grease in the test point.


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it,s usually flux from the plumbers meter union

 

[Doodlebug]

You can always prove let-by, just remove anaconda from ECV and bubble. Simples, always handy to have plenty of 5lites on van.


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[Billy Bob Bob]

have had this a few times on new meters,blow down your hose that normally fixes it

 

[Leo21]

You can always prove let-by, just remove anaconda from ECV and bubble. Simples, always handy to have plenty of 5lites on van.

Is it true that they them call 5 lights because it was to do with the old gas lights and how many we're in the house size of meter etc.

 

[Doodlebug]

You can always prove let-by, just remove anaconda from ECV and bubble. Simples, always handy to have plenty of 5lites on van.

Is it true that they them call 5 lights because it was to do with the old gas lights and how many we're in the house size of meter etc.

Yeh as far as I know, that's correct, 5 lights and 10 lights.



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[Nostrum]

I've had this a few times too, also had them blocked solid so they don't give anything

Had one recently that was even more bizarre, it would rise, then fall, then rise!

Never figured it out, it just stopped. Thought it may have been a leak and let by but bubbled ecv, nothing. Took about 20 mins to complete a test. Any ideas..? Managed a 5 min test solid in the end so walked away scratching my head.

 

[Doodlebug]

I've had this a few times too, also had them blocked solid so they don't give anything

Had one recently that was even more bizarre, it would rise, then fall, then rise!

Never figured it out, it just stopped. Thought it may have been a leak and let by but bubbled ecv, nothing. Took about 20 mins to complete a test. Any ideas..? Managed a 5 min test solid in the end so walked away scratching my head.

Was it a windy day? Believe it or not wind can cause this.


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[Billy Bob Bob]

Was it a windy day? Believe it or not wind can cause this.


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atmospheric pressure

 

[Nostrum]

Not that I can remember it was in quite a sheltered estate as well so sun or heat wasn't to blame, it's a digital gauge as well so wondered if it was playing up but it's fine. It was up and down about a mb but would hold steady in between changing direction. Really odd and would love to have found out what it was.

 

[Nostrum]

Imagine the wind blows on the other end of the gauge a bit like blowing on a bottle top?

 

[Doodlebug]

Not that I can remember it was in quite a sheltered estate as well so sun or heat wasn't to blame, it's a digital gauge as well so wondered if it was playing up but it's fine. It was up and down about a mb but would hold steady in between changing direction. Really odd and would love to have found out what it was.

It would have been wind mate. I've had it a few times and you will find it again I'm sure.


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[Billy Bob Bob]

Imagine the wind blows on the other end of the gauge a bit like blowing on a bottle top?

post 27,same affect hot or windy,bit like a curry innit LOL

 

[Nostrum]

Well happy to associate it to wind/atmospheric pressures as I haven't got any other explanation. I've been out in worse weather than that before though and not seen anything so pronounced.


Maybe being in a sheltered area actually amplified the atmospheric difference.

 

[Phil]

Whats an ECV you gas guys?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Whats an ECV you gas guys?

emergency control valve

 

[Resolute]

Emergency Control Valve.

 

[dave1]

Emergency control valve, the lever valve on the incoming side of your gas meter.

 

[dave1]

Boom boom boom 3 awnsers all at the same time.

 

[Doodlebug]

Well happy to associate it to wind/atmospheric pressures as I haven't got any other explanation. I've been out in worse weather than that before though and not seen anything so pronounced.


Maybe being in a sheltered area actually amplified the atmospheric difference.

Doesn't have to be windy where you are.


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