What does it mean when the gas meter shows 'valve closed'?
2 Answers
The gas meter displaying 'valve closed' indicates that there may be no balance due to unpaid fees, insufficient pressure, or low battery in the electronic gas meter. Reasons why the gas meter shows 'valve closed' despite having a balance: 1. Insufficient pressure. The gas meter must close the valve when the pressure is low to prevent accidents. This issue requires contacting the gas supplier for resolution, as only they can control the gas supply pressure or repair the pipeline. 2. Low battery in the electronic gas meter. The electronic gas meter has an internal electrically controlled valve that operates based on detected pressure. When the pressure is insufficient, the valve automatically closes. However, when the battery is low, the detection probe malfunctions, and the pressure signal becomes weak. The LCD panel consumes very little power, so it may still display normal readings and show 'low pressure.' When the battery level drops further, it will display 'valve closed.' The solution is to replace the battery and reinsert the gas card to reopen the internal solenoid valve of the gas meter; otherwise, there will still be no gas supply.
Last time my gas meter also showed the valve was closed, which scared me into immediately calling the gas company. The technician said this is the meter's safety protection measure, and there could be many reasons for it. The most common one is running out of gas credit—nowadays with smart meters, they automatically cut off the gas when the credit is depleted. Another reason could be the batteries in the meter running out of power; last time for me, it was because the four AA batteries had been used for almost two years and were completely drained. Sometimes, using gas too intensively or detecting a potential gas leak can also trigger the valve to close automatically. When I encounter this situation, I first check the gas credit balance and the battery status. If both are fine, I report it for repair. The technician specifically reminded me never to dismantle the meter myself—they need to bring professional equipment to check if there's a pipeline leak. Safety is the top priority!
