Real time NG meter change
 

My neighbor is away at his cabin. I noticed a truck parked out front.
Went to check on what was happening.

The company was changing his gas meter (and mine today). I asked if
any pilot lights had to be re-lit. He said no, that he uses a small
tank to keep them lit.

Is this something new or has the method been around for awhile? I've
not witnessed one replaced like this before.

Real time NG meter change
 

On Sep 11, 12:46*pm, Oren wrote:
My neighbor is away at his cabin. I noticed a truck parked out front.
Went to check on what was happening.

The company was changing his gas meter (and mine today). I asked if
any pilot lights had to be re-lit. *He said no, that he uses a small
tank to keep them lit.

Is this something new or has the method been around for awhile? I've
not witnessed one replaced like this before.

Did you watch? How exactly does he tap the "small tank" into the
service fast enough that the pilot lights don't go out?

Real time NG meter change
 

On Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:00:18 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
wrote:

On Sep 11, 12:46*pm, Oren wrote:
My neighbor is away at his cabin. I noticed a truck parked out front.
Went to check on what was happening.

The company was changing his gas meter (and mine today). I asked if
any pilot lights had to be re-lit. *He said no, that he uses a small
tank to keep them lit.

Is this something new or has the method been around for awhile? I've
not witnessed one replaced like this before.

Did you watch? How exactly does he tap the "small tank" into the
service fast enough that the pilot lights don't go out?

No. I should have, though. I glanced at the tank. There were two
clamps like battery jumper cables have (grounding?). Not sure how he
tapped into the line. I expect them to come back to do other homes
soon. If I catch him I'll watch / ask.

Real time NG meter change
 

On 9/11/2012 12:00 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
....

Did you watch? How exactly does he tap the "small tank" into the
service fast enough that the pilot lights don't go out?

It generally will take seconds to (low) 10s of seconds for a pilot light
to use up all the contained gas before going out if gas is removed from
a relatively distant source...shouldn't be any trick at all to make a
temp connection in that time.

--

Real time NG meter change
 

On Sep 11, 1:24*pm, dpb wrote:
On 9/11/2012 12:00 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
...

Did you watch? How exactly does he tap the "small tank" into the
service fast enough that the pilot lights don't go out?

It generally will take seconds to (low) 10s of seconds for a pilot light
to use up all the contained gas before going out if gas is removed from
a relatively distant source...shouldn't be any trick at all to make a
temp connection in that time.

--

What about the gap between the old gas and the new. i.e. an air
bubble? Does the new gas fill the pipe fast enough for a continuous
flow?

What happens if they don't get it connected in time? Nothing in this
world works 100% perfectly 100% of the time. With modern appliances,
there shouldn't be a problem other than no pilot light, but what if a
house still has some really old appliances where the pilot light gas
is not monitored or - even more possible - a burner was on, the gas
went away and then came back on after the burner went out.

Wouldn't that be an issue that the meter guy wouldn't even know about?