A water meter is a measuring device that allows you to track the consumption of hot and cold water. With this device, it becomes possible to see the actually consumed cubic meters of water per month. The purchase and installation of a water meter is one of the important steps towards cost savings. "Plumber Portal" will tell you how to choose a water meter for an apartment, recommended by the water utility and other consumers.

Household management becomes much easier after installing water meters. More recently, most people paid their water bills at the same rate, which was very unprofitable for many.

The general tariff does not depend on such factors as accidents, repairs, prevention of water supply networks, all losses in the network are included in consumers' bills. The temporary absence of tenants from the apartment also does not in any way affect the water bill and does not relieve the owner of paying for it.

In some houses, the actual water consumption is shared among the registered tenants. At the same time, many have to pay the amount that is indicated in the payment book, regardless of the actual amount of consumed cubic meters.

In the presence of a water meter, the water bill does not depend on how many people live in the apartment. Payment depends only on the actual volume of consumed liquid, which is recorded by the device.

The vodokanal's standard payment includes water losses due to damage to pipes in street highways and basements of houses, which make up almost a third of the resource cost. An individual water meter will allow you to avoid paying for the resource you have not consumed, the bill will directly include the volumes of water consumed in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. Thus, it is worth noting that the payment by the meter is much less.

Based on all of the above, it should be concluded that installing a water meter is undoubtedly a wise step, as it will significantly save money. The actual payment of the invoice is several times less than the amount for the tariff calculation.

In addition, installing a water meter means being a law-abiding citizen. By law, each consumer is obliged to install metering devices recommended for installation in a residential area.

The main types of water meters

Nowadays, there is a fairly wide selection of different water meters in hardware stores. In order to choose the right device, it is recommended to know their classification, to study the main types of water meters for the cold (cw) and hot (cw) water supply systems. Before purchasing and installing a measuring device, it must be selected according to certain criteria. Which water meter is better to put in an apartment?

There are the following categories of classification of water meters:

1. By appointment. The principle of operation of flow meters, both for hot and cold water, does not differ, the only difference is the materials from which the internal elements (bearings, impellers) are made. Cold water meters are designed to operate at a water temperature not exceeding 40 ° C. For hot - from 120 to 1500C, but a meter designed to measure the volume of hot water is quite capable of measuring cold water.
2. By the type of power supply, water meters are divided into 2 types: volatile and non-volatile. The first type of meters works only when there is a power supply, the second type does not need it.
3. According to the principle of operation, water meters are: vortex, tachometric, ultrasonic and electromagnetic.

An electromagnetic meter works on the principle of magnetic induction, where the field speed is proportional to the flow rate of water passing through it.

A vortex counter registers the frequency of vortices, which occurs when a special body is placed in a liquid. The flow rate directly affects the received data.

A tachometer water meter is a mechanical device based on a turbine or impeller rotating under the action of the water flow and thus transmitting the rotation to the counting device.

An ultrasonic water meter analyzes the acoustic effect that occurs when an ultrasonic vibration passes through a water stream. Water meters for domestic and industrial use are produced. Household water meters recommended for installation in the residential sector, industrial - used in enterprises.

Ultrasonic and vortex flowmeters are most often used in heating systems.

The most popular in the residential sector are water meters with an electromagnetic and tachometric principle of operation. Their most distinctive features are:

• compactness;
• reliability;
• acceptable price;
• long service life;
• small measurement error.

Periodic checks prolong the life of the instrument and determine the accuracy of the readings in operation.

How to choose and install a water meter?

Before purchasing a water meter, it is recommended to consult about the permitted types of devices. You can get this information from the specialist of the local water utility. The production of meters should be carried out by specialized enterprises, and the necessary data should be indicated in the documentation:

• manufacturer country;
• guarantee period;
• installation dimension;
• recommended interval between verifications;
• device price;
• accuracy class of the device;
• list of documentation;
• availability of service support from the manufacturer.

The main condition that characterizes all water measuring devices is their production taking into account GOST. Latin letters from A to D indicate the accuracy class of the device, the price of the product directly depends on it.

The most popular are products of foreign companies: Sensus, Zenner (Germany), Viterra (Canada), Valtec (Italy), Actaris (France), Metron (Poland).

Before buying an imported device, you need to consider not only its compatibility with our communication networks, but also how sensitive the internal parts of the device are to water quality.

Moreover, in the event of a breakdown, the repair of the water meter may be delayed due to the fact that there may be no components available. Before purchasing the device, it is recommended to ask the seller about the certified warranty service centers and their location.

Among the domestic firms are: Staroruspribor, Gazelektronika, Teplopriborkomplekt. Domestic water meters are less functional than devices from imported manufacturers. The average price of domestic devices, comparable in functionality with imported ones, is 1.5-2 times lower.

After the technical parameters and functional data of the water meter have been specified, it must be installed and sealed. The installation of the water meter is carried out by licensed enterprises, and not by an ordinary plumber. Payment for installation falls on the consumer, or the flow meter can be installed by hand, and then invite a specialist for sealing.

Installation of a water meter is done only on the condition that the individual product number corresponds to the passport. This data will be needed at the next filling. When installing, you need to remember that you should think in advance about where the device will be located.

The place of installation of the water meter should be selected based on the convenience of its installation and subsequent dismantling for periodic verification, the possibility of taking monthly readings and accessibility for cleaning the coarse filter.

In relation to the pipe, the installed water meter is a rather heavy structure. In order to reduce the load on the pipe and eliminate the danger of the possibility of breakage of the structure, the water meter is fixed to the wall using mounting clamps. Also, a corner is attached to the sewer riser using a clamp, and a water meter is also attached to it, like a wall.

In the event that the water meter is equipped with plastic fittings, they are replaced with brass ones during installation. In order to prevent the structure from leaking, it is recommended to install silicone or rubber gaskets instead of paronite gaskets.

After the installation of the water meter has been completed, the specialist issues a permit for the installation of the meter and a contract for its maintenance. After the completion of all activities, payment is made according to the readings of the installed device.

In order to avoid overestimated readings of the meter, the site recommends following simple and accessible rules that will save money associated with paying for water bills:

• periodically check all appliances and plumbing devices that are connected to the water supply;
• timely change devices and pipes with leaks;
• the tap of the washing machine must be kept closed;
• periodically check the serviceability of the mixers of cold and hot water, excluding the overflow of water into the pipe with a lower pressure;
• installation of check valves;
• replacement of valve mixers with more efficient designs;
• installation of pressure reducing valves that will help reduce the pressure that arises after emergency work on main routes;
• timely elimination of the leakage of the toilet cistern;
• find out what is more profitable for you to use a bath or shower. For a shower, you can use an economical shower head.

To save money, it is recommended that you follow a lean user culture. For example, the tap must be turned on exactly as much as necessary; when brushing your teeth, it is better to use the water collected in a glass, and not mindlessly pour out the whole river from the tap.

There are also so-called "black methods" of saving, they imply a complete stop of the meter. This is often done using magnets to stop the meter. However, at the very first check, the controller can detect the use of a magnet, which can lead to unpleasant consequences for the consumer.

There are also standards that stipulate the frequency of checks for water meters. For cold water meters this period is 6 years, for hot water - 4 years.

There is a fairly wide selection of apartment water meters on the market. Domestic devices are excellent for work in local conditions, taking into account the characteristics and properties of water, as well as the perfection of water supply systems and lines.

Now you know which water meter is better to choose for installation in an apartment or other living space.

Modern realities are such that the installation of water metering devices has become an urgent need. Those who doubt this will find it useful to know what water metering is for, and how this solution will help reduce the financial pressure of utility costs. From this publication, you can gather information about the types of water meters, their principle of operation, and recommendations for choosing models. Let's start with the main thing.

What is water metering for?

Despite the obviousness of the answer, many segments of the population are in no hurry to install metering devices until there is an official order. This inertia is due to the fact that for many years, when the services of the water utility cost mere pennies, we did not pay attention to the consumption rates. With the rise in prices for utilities, this item of expenditure has increased significantly. Based on this, you can list all the advantages of installing a hot and hungry water meter:

1. To begin with, companies providing water supply services, a priori, will not operate at a loss. Consequently, they will try to shift all their expenses onto the shoulders of consumers. When you see a burst mainline, with which water flows for weeks near the house, know that its costs are paid by those who pay according to consumption rates.
2. Excessive consumption rates. The second factor is directly related to the first, but we have highlighted it separately to show its scale. Take, for example, St. Petersburg, according to the regulation on the norms of 2017, for one person the consumption of cold water is 220 liters per day, hot water - 150 liters. Again, for each person registered in the apartment. This is even higher than the norms of SNiP.
3. The owners went on vacation, and they were not at home, it happens, but the receipt has to be paid.
4. Owners of private houses may have noticed that the receipt added the expense "for irrigation", which is directly related to the area of ​​the site, and it does not matter if something is growing there or a garage is installed. Moreover, in the latter case, you can find an additional item for water consumption for washing a car.

The listed factors are quite enough to explain the need to install water meters.

What types of water meters are there?

In practice, four types of water flow control devices are used. Their classification is adopted according to the principle of action, which can be:

1. Ultrasonic... The flow rate is determined by the speed of propagation of high-frequency vibrations. Below is a simplified design of such a device.

Previously, such devices were not used in everyday life due to their high cost, but recently models at affordable prices have appeared on the market. Distinctive features: high precision and long service life.

1. Vortex... The operation of such devices is based on the analysis of pressure changes caused by the appearance of vortices due to the placement of a streamlined body in the flow of the working medium. The design of such a device is clearly shown in Figure 4.

Basically, such devices are used to control technological processes in production. Not used in everyday life.

1. Electromagnetic... The flow velocity is measured by measuring the strength of the electromagnetic field, which changes under the influence of the flow of the working medium.

The features of the device do not imply its installation on small-diameter pipes, which makes it impossible to use such devices as a water meter in an apartment or private house.

1. Mechanical (tachometric)... The lower figure shows the principle of the device.

Legend:

• A - Water supply.
• B - Turbine.
• C - Transfer device.
• D - Mechanical indicator.

The principle of operation of such devices is quite simple: under the influence of the flow of water (A in Fig. 6), the turbine (B) rotates, while rotating the transfer device (C), connected to a mechanical multi-segment digital indicator (D). The main advantages of such devices:

• Simple construction.
• Low cost.
• Independence from the presence of power supply.

The disadvantages include:

• Criticality to the composition and "purity" of water, mechanical impurities and the presence of mineral salts, as well as other impurities, lead to a stoppage of the turbine, that is, a breakdown of the device. After that, you will have to submit an application to the water utility and install a new device. Therefore, such devices require the installation of a filter that needs regular cleaning.
• Short service life compared to other types of devices.

Despite the listed disadvantages, it is the last type of devices that is used as a household flow meter.

5.Electronic tachometric devices

According to the decree of the government of the Russian Federation No. 3541 of August 27, 2012, which regulates the provision of utilities, it is allowed to install multi-tariff devices for metering hot water supply. Such devices, in addition to mechanics, are equipped with a microprocessor, thanks to which water consumption is recorded at several rates, depending on the temperature of the working stream.

The advantages of such devices are obvious:

• Payment is made depending on the quality of the services provided. That is, if the hot water is of insufficient temperature, its consumption is considered at a reduced rate.
• Many devices are equipped with an interface that allows you to transfer data about the readings of the device to the company providing water services (provided this is possible).

The features of such devices include:

The relatively high cost, which pays off within two years, taking into account the service life of 8-10 years, this is quite justified.

The need for a built-in power supply, the service life of which is 5-6 years. Replacement of such a battery is performed when the device is checked. This procedure is performed every three to four years, depending on the type of device.

How to choose the right water meter for a private house or apartment?

First of all, you need to decide on the choice between a mechanical and an electronic device. The advantages of both have been described above. Let's pay attention to universal electronic devices that can be installed on both hot and cold water. Such a decision is only justified if the service provider has implemented a remote readings collection service. Otherwise it will be a waste of money.

It is necessary to check the availability of the certificate of conformity and the passport of the device. Its commissioning is not possible without these documents.

Pay attention to the characteristics of the device, the main parameters are given in the passport, these include:

• Q MAX is the throughput of the device.
• Q N - the level of the nominal flow rate at which the manufacturer guarantees the accuracy of the readings.
• Q MIN - the minimum flow rate while maintaining the parameters of the permissible error.
• Q Т - transient flow rate at which the accuracy coefficient changes.

In addition, it is necessary to choose the right settings, namely:

The landing diameter, as a rule, is 15.0 or 20.0 mm for pipe fittings laid in an apartment. In private houses, DU can be 25.0-32.0 mm.

Mounting dimensions, for household appliances installed in apartments, standard length 110.0 or 130.0 mm. For larger pipe fittings, devices with an assembly size of up to 260.0 mm are manufactured.

As for manufacturing firms, in this case it is better to opt for domestic manufacturers. In any case, imported electronics are used during assembly at the factory.

Review of popular manufacturers of water meters

We have compiled a table that includes the most popular models from various manufacturers. Sorted by rating based on customer reviews.

video review:

Information that may be useful

On the Internet, you can find many publications that describe ways to influence the operation of water meters in order to reduce the readings of water consumption. From the point of view of the law, such actions are unacceptable and entail the corresponding punishment in the form of significant penalties. If you want, you can calculate how much such dubious savings will cost.

We remind you that the water utility regularly checks the devices for the integrity of the seals and the installation of devices (such as a neodymium magnet) that affect the normal operation of the meters. Note that at the moment, almost all devices are manufactured in an anti-magnetic design, which makes it impossible to influence the magnet. But this does not prevent the employees of the vodokanal from issuing a fine when it is found.

The devices are checked in accordance with the established regulatory schedule, its interval is specified in the contract with the organization providing water supply services.

Water meters can be installed independently, by any person or company. But only the relevant water utility service is engaged in their sealing and registration (a personal visit to the company is required). How to properly install and put the devices into operation, you can find out from the publications of our website.

It is forbidden to change sealed devices on your own, issues with their removal and installation are resolved with the company providing the service. To do this, you must send a corresponding application.

It is impossible to overestimate the importance of installing a water meter, because this device is indispensable for all families who do not want to overpay to utilities. So, the bills of residents of private houses often include the costs of watering and washing a car, it does not matter that you water the area with rainwater, and only wash the car at the car wash. Installing a water meter will allow you to pay only for the amount of water used.

Fig 1. The water meter can significantly save on utilities

How to choose a water meter that suits your needs?

Before proceeding with the search and installation of a suitable water meter model, it is recommended to settle organizational issues with the management company:

• Find out if all models are approved for installation and use? Sometimes there are exceptions, though not always legitimate;
• You should always buy a water meter new, in packaging and from a trusted organization, otherwise the controller may refuse to register the device;
• Keep in mind that the period for calibrating water meters is stipulated in the documents for the device - be sure to save them so that there will be no problems in the future.

Fig 2. Do not lose documents for the water meter, as it indicates the verification period

Some housing and communal services companies refuse to register multi-tariff water meters. However, such reluctance is not backed up by laws, and it is possible to appeal against the actions of negligent specialists in court or the prosecutor's office.

Evaluation of the technical characteristics of the water meter

When the organizational issues are settled, you should start looking for a suitable model. Water meters differ in their characteristics depending on the manufacturer and other parameters, so the following recommendations should be taken into account:

• Do not buy devices in silumin cases, it is better to choose brass, stainless steel or bronze products - they are much more reliable, they are not subject to corrosion. Alternative - polymer water meters;
• Choose products based on their purpose - meters for cold water are released in a blue case, for hot water - in a red one. Universal measuring instruments are gray;
• Consider the diameter of the pipe on which the meter will be installed. If in apartments pipes with a diameter of 15-20 mm are usually used, then in private houses this figure reaches 32 mm;
• Throughput is another meter characteristic that affects measurement accuracy. Calculate the approximate water flow rate to ensure that the appliance will function properly.

In addition, when choosing a water meter, one should also take into account the accuracy class - the higher it is, the more expensive the device is, but the measurements are more correct.

Video 1. Water meter. What are the accuracy classes?

Which manufacturer of water meters to choose?

There are few manufacturers of water meters for an apartment, but you can buy devices from both foreign and Russian companies in the economy and premium segment. Users assure that the following water meters are the best models for apartments:

• Itelma WFW20 D080 - high quality water meter sold at a very tempting price;
• Meter SVU-15 - the most budgetary option for the domestic consumer;
• Betar SHV-15 - has an impressive service life and high measurement accuracy;
• Zenner ETWI-N DN 15 - an inexpensive but high-quality measuring device from a well-known brand;
• Itelma WFW24 D080 - famous for its quality;
• Valtec 1/2 - this manufacturer produces affordable models for a wide range of users;
• Ecomera EKO-80F is an expensive water meter, which could rightfully be recognized as the best, if not a high price. Ideal for flanged pipes.

Choose a water meter for cold and hot water, taking into account its reliability, performance and installation features. The most popular measuring instruments are foreign-made devices with an electronic control system. They need to be checked less often, are suitable for use in apartments and private houses, and have proven themselves well.

Video 2. Choosing a water meter

The tendency to increase the prices for the provided utilities, alas, has become a common thing. An increasing number of consumers, realizing that there will be no return to the times when the penny prices for energy and water allowed them to be consumed in uncontrolled quantities, are beginning to introduce a mode of calculated savings in their homes and apartments. And in order not to pay too much, they switch to calculations exclusively based on the readings of consumption meters. Not an exception, and supplied to residential buildings

In some regions or settlements, already on a legislative basis, residents are obliged to install water meters, in others, sooner or later, they will come to this anyway. Therefore, the installation of metering devices for consumed water is a problem that will surely affect every homeowner, and many do not wait for "decisions from above", deciding on this step on their own. But before that, it is necessary to decide on the question: which water meters to choose so that the device works as long as possible, and does not create misunderstandings with the workers of the local water supply organization. Let's try to figure it out in more detail.

What does the installation of a water meter give to the owners?

Surely, "seasoned" skeptics will be found who will begin to object that, they say, it is perfectly possible to do without a water meter until it becomes mandatory for everyone. Indeed, it is possible, however, the installation of water meters still gives the owners a number of significant advantages.

• It should be assumed that no utility service in our time will work at a loss. This means that, in order not to lose out, the tariffs for water consumption without the use of water meters are calculated in such a way as to minimize the likelihood of losing their own benefits.

The existing so-called "consumption rates", according to statistical studies, often exceed two or more times the actual water consumption by one person. No one at Vodokanal is interested in whether all the registered residents were at home during the past month, whether the whole family went on vacation, whether a “cleanliness” lives in the apartment, taking a shower twice a day, or, conversely, a person which you cannot make one more time go to the bathroom. Invoices will still come with daunting amounts due.

• Many owners of private houses connected to the central water supply system are familiar with the situation when the consumption rates per person are added to the amount "for watering" - from the area of ​​the land plot, and if there is a garage - then also for washing the car. And in this case, it is almost impossible to prove that you are watering the garden with collected rainwater, and that you wash your car exclusively at a car wash. The only way out is to install a water meter.
• one more "attack" is decided on the water. Subscribers who continue to pay "the old fashioned way" are often exposed to all possible losses. These can be losses of a purely technological nature, or "hanging" payment debts, accumulating at the expense of always and everywhere existing persistent defaulters for services. Do you feel like paying for it too?

Water tariffs are already considerable and grow from year to year, but at least the owners of apartments with installed water meters pay only for the actually consumed volumes!

• There is one more component. In addition to tariffs for water consumption, there are also corresponding prices for water disposal, that is, sewerage, and they are often even higher, but calculated on the same volumes. That is, by putting in order the calculations for the consumed water, the owner also receives a "reactive" effect of saving on payment for the sewage system.
• We note another positive effect of installing water meters - this measure is usually quite disciplined. This means that the consumer begins to treat water with care, considering it as a truly valuable natural resource. Usually, in such houses and apartments, you cannot find faucets with not fully closing taps or a constantly flowing toilet cistern. And such owners will use water wisely, prudently.

Not many people think about it, but clean water is a valuable natural resource, the reserves of which in our area are large, but still have a certain limit. It is clear that the overall picture is perceived with great difficulty in terms of apartment consumption, but even on the scale of a district, a city, not to mention megacities, the effect of an economical attitude to water gives amazing results.

In a word, whatever one may say, there is only benefit from water metering devices. You should not spare money on the primary costs associated with the purchase of equipment and its installation - these funds will quickly pay off - the average family "comes out in plus" after 5 ÷ 6 months.

What water meters are suitable for an apartment. Their device

There are many varieties of water metering devices that work according to different principles. However, not all of them are suitable for the conditions of an apartment or a private house.

Tachometer counters

The simplest and most understandable in the device and principle of operation are tachometric counters. The flow of water rotates a turbine or impeller (impeller), the torque is in one way or another transmitted to the shaft, on it - to a mechanical or electronic calculating device. Each complete revolution of the shaft corresponds to a certain volume of water passed through the meter.

• In domestic water meters installed on small-diameter pipes, an impeller is usually used. It has, however, a certain inertia and dependence on the turbulence of the flow, but with small volumes of pumped liquid, this does not lead to significant errors.

More accurate instruments of the tachometric principle of operation have a turbine instead of an impeller - its inertia is practically not noticeable, that is, the readings will be taken with much smaller errors. Turbine meters are usually installed on pipelines with a nominal diameter of 25 mm and above (the greater the flow, the more the inertial rotation of the impeller affects), although there are devices for smaller diameters. Their device is somewhat more complicated due to the need to change the direction of the torque transmission axis.

• The phenomena of turbulence of the water flow are fought in one more way - by dividing the jet into several. Hence the name - single-jet meters and multi-jet meters. The latter, of course, are more complicated in the device, however, the accuracy of their readings is significantly higher.

• Combined meters are also available. In them, a built-in valve system switches the water flow from a turbine to a vane multi-jet water meter and vice versa. At "low speed", the impeller will give more accurate readings, and when the pressure rises, the turbine enters the course.

Such metering devices can be of a monoblock design or be assembled according to a separate scheme. They are installed on water mains, where a wide range of pressure indicators is possible. In everyday life, you probably won't have to deal with such.

• There is one more division of tachometric counters - into "wet" and "dry". The principle of such a division is clear even from the name of the devices.

- In "wet" meters, both the turbine itself (impeller) and the counting mechanism are in the water. This greatly simplifies the transfer of torque from the wheel to the counting mechanism - no additional devices are required, a simple axle, gears, etc. are enough, in a word - pure mechanics. The advantage of such devices can be considered low cost and absolute insensitivity to an external magnetic field. The disadvantage is obvious - constant contact of precision mechanics with water inevitably reduces its service life. In addition, even slight contamination of the flowing water can cause the counter mechanism to jam.

- In metering devices of "dry" type, the counting mechanism does not come into contact with water in any way - it is separated from it by an impenetrable partition. The torque is transmitted by a special pair of permanent magnets, one of which stands on the impeller, and the other on the main shaft of the calculating mechanics.

It is clear that the absence of contact with water dramatically increases the viability of the calculating device, which, by the way, can be not only purely mechanical, but also electronic, equipped with a digital display. The disadvantage of such a scheme is its vulnerability to an external high-intensity magnetic field, which is often tried by unscrupulous water consumers. Manufacturers take this point into account, and therefore modern meters are equipped with special inserts (couplings) that protect the transmission link from external magnetic influences.

It is these dry-type tachometric meters that occupy the leading positions in popularity among consumers - they are not so expensive, reliable, durable, easy to install into the system. It all deserves to dwell on their basic structure in a little more detail.

water meter

An approximate diagram of the device "dry" tachometer water flow meter

The housing of the "water" part of the meter (pos. 1) is made of metal alloys that do not have magnetic properties. These can be copper alloys (brass, bronze) or aluminum (silumin). Counters are also found in durable polymer cases. On the body there are two branch pipes with a threaded part - for inserting the device into the water supply. The direction of water flow is usually indicated by an arrow on the body. A filter mesh can be installed in the inlet pipe to prevent large solid particles from accidentally entering the impeller. In the outlet pipe of some models, you can find a check valve - this makes it possible to do without the mandatory installation of this element when installing the meter.

The impeller-impeller (pos. 2), which has its own centering system, is located in the housing. So, in high-quality water meters, the wheel axle rests on watch stones, which minimizes friction and contributes to high accuracy of the instrument readings.

An annular permanent magnet (pos. 3) is installed in the upper part of the wheel, which rotates together with the impeller.

At the top, the water block is hermetically sealed by a cover (pos. 4) made of magnetotransparent material (polymer), the lowering of which is circumferentially installed with an O-ring .. A cylindrical protrusion is provided on the cover in the center - a rotating magnet will be located inside it.

Modern models of such meters are equipped with a special coupling (pos. 5), which completely closes the magnetic transmission of rotation from all sides, protecting it from the effects of external magnetic fields.

Full sealing of the lower water block is ensured by a threaded compression nut (key 6) or a retaining ring.

The upper part is a counting mechanism (pos. 7), which is also located in a sealed plastic casing. It can be completely transparent, as shown, or it can have only the upper transparent window for taking readings. Between each other, the water block and the counting mechanism are connected in different ways, but often it is a plastic belt-clamp, which makes it possible to rotate the counting mechanism relative to the water meter body - in order to establish a convenient location of the scale for taking readings. This belt is sealed with the manufacturer's factory seal.

Inside the counting mechanism on the main shaft, exactly coaxial with the impeller, the same ring magnet is installed. Thus, when the impeller rotates, the magnetic pair precisely transfers this torque to the counter shaft. Further, a system of gears, somewhat similar to a mechanical watch, transmits rotation to a flow indicator, a small-volume pointer counter and a roller digital scale.

From above, the counting mechanism can be closed with a protective casing with a cover (pos. 8), but on many apartment water meters this option is not provided, as it is not particularly important when operating in "clean" conditions.

The flow of water through the meter is signaled by a rotating indicator (pos. 9). A small arrow scale (pos. 10) shows small flow rates - each whole division corresponds to 100 ml of water passed through the device, and a full revolution, respectively, to 1 liter.

The digital roller scale usually has a series of black and red numbers. Black stands for full cubic meters, and red stands for decimal places, up to one thousandth. That is, the red scale shows liters, from 1 to 999 - until the whole value of a cubic meter is obtained.

There may be a different arrangement of scales, as shown in the illustration on the right side of it. The digital scale shows only the whole values ​​of cubic meters, and the four dials show hundreds, tens, units and tenths of liters, by analogy with the example above.

Tachometric meters are also available with an electronic digital scale.

The rotation of the shaft at a certain scale is converted into electrical impulses, which are processed by the electronic circuit and displayed in digital form. On the one hand, it is convenient, but if this innovation is designed solely to optimize the perception of readings, then overpaying for such a device does not seem to make much sense - it is quite possible to do with “mechanics”. Moreover, electronic meters will also need to provide power.

It is a different matter if the meter has the option of impulse reading. Inside such mechanical counters, there is a special reed switch that generates pulses with each revolution of the shaft. Such a water meter is connected by a signal cable with a special meter located on the wall or even taken out into the entrance of an apartment building. The signal cable can be already installed in the water meter, that is, come out of its body, or a special socket (plug or other connector) is provided for its connection. In the remote electronic unit, the consumed water is recorded with the recording of the readings in the non-volatile memory and (or) with the simultaneous transmission to the information collection and processing center. At the same time, such a block can also show the accumulated amount to be paid for the consumed water - it is easier for many to assess the level of efficiency of consumption at any time.

Even more interesting can be the case with counters. They can be equipped, in addition, with a temperature sensor, that is, not only the amount of consumed water is assessed, but also the quality - the electronic unit will consider the water as hot only if the heating level corresponds to the declared parameters. Otherwise, if the temperature is insufficient, the flow will be carried out either at a reduced rate, or, in general, as for cold water. There are models that work in a complex way - signal cables from both cold and hot water meters are connected to the electronic module, and the owners always have information on all the quantitative and qualitative parameters of the consumed water.

There may be another solution. For example, in the Sayany water measuring complex, the electronic unit is an integral part of the hot tachometer counter. Accordingly, a signal cable from a cold water meter is connected to it.

Other types of water meters

Tachometric meters were considered in detail, since they are mainly installed at the end users of water. However, there are several other types of metering devices.

• In ultrasonic devices, the water flow rate is determined by the transit time of the ultrasonic pulses. Special piezoelectric sensors serve as both a source and a receiver of vibrations, assessing the passage of signals along and against the flow of water. The information is processed by a microprocessor, resulting in highly accurate flow rates.

Basically, such sophisticated equipment is used on large water communications, however, there are devices designed for domestic use. Such water meters are similar in size and appearance to electronic tachometric ones, but the panel indicates that this is an ultrasonic device - it is labeled "Ultrasonic" or "Ultralyd".

Such devices, of course, are very accurate and reliable, but very expensive, so in our area at the consumer level they have not yet received sufficient distribution.

• There is a coil in electromagnetic meters that induces a magnetic field. Special sensors analyze the change in the generated electromotive force when the water flow moves and give an accurate value of the volume passed through the device.

At the household level, electromagnetic meters, as a rule, are not used - such devices are installed, at least, in an apartment building.

• Another variety, which also usually does not find application in a private house or apartment, is vortex or super-static resonant devices. They assume the presence of a certain measuring section with the division of the flow into three parallel channels. A special swirler redirects the jets through the channels, and according to the frequency of such transfers, special sensors remove and evaluate information about the speed of the total flow. Such devices are most often used on various production lines.

All electronic water meters are characterized by high measurement accuracy, regardless of the quality and quantity of water pumped through them. They are convenient for taking readings, for work in remote data collection systems, for use in modes of differentiated payment rates. To carry out periodic verification, it is not required to dismantle the entire device - it is enough to disconnect and send the electronic analytical unit for testing.

It is customary to read the disadvantages of the high cost of the devices themselves - it can be 5 ÷ 6 times higher than the price of conventional mechanical water meters. In addition, a vulnerable point is the provision of uninterrupted power supply - from the network or accumulators (batteries).

How to choose the right water meter for an apartment or private house

If the task is to purchase water meters for your apartment (private house), then you must be guided by certain criteria for choosing a device.

Organizational issues

• First of all, it would be reasonable to check with a local company that delivers tap water to consumers or operates residential buildings, whether all existing models are approved for registration - certain restrictions are quite possible. By the way, they are far from always legitimate - this will be discussed below.

If a settlement has already introduced a system of electronic centralized reading and (or) multi-tariff calculation for water consumption (or it is planned to be introduced soon), then, of course, a water meter with a pulse output should be purchased. By the way, such an acquisition may be justified in the long term - sooner or later the "wind of change" will come to you, and you will not have to buy new devices.

Very often, water supply organizations organize the sale of certified devices, or there you can get good advice about specific trading or service companies engaged in this type of activity.

• If the device is purchased independently, it must be new and from a trusted trade (service) organization. Never "with hands" and not on a spontaneous market, no matter how sellers assure that there will be no problems with "vodokanal". It is possible that after the purchase and installation of such a device, the controller will simply refuse to register it: with the modern level of printing, forging a passport with seals and quality control stamps is worth nothing.

When purchasing a water meter in a reliable organization, the passport of the product must be checked, in particular, the presence of marks on the passage of the factory control verification, on the established intercalibration periods, on the manufacturer's warranty obligations. Each meter must have its own individual serial number. The store is obliged to affix the date of sale of the device with the appropriate certification.

By the way, if you purchased a certified device that meets all the requirements, including with a differentiated water consumption metering system, and employees of the management company or Vodokanal refuse to register it and accept payment according to its testimony, you can safely appeal, guided by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of 05/06/2011, enacting the "Rules for the provision of communal services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings", in particular, paragraph 31 of these rules. Below is a fairly large extract of the sub-clauses "t" and "y" directly related to the issues covered in this publication:

So, in accordance with paragraph. 31 of the said Resolution:

the executor (that is, a legal entity, regardless of its organizational and legal form, or an individual entrepreneur providing the consumer with utilities) is obliged: ...

r) not create obstacles for the consumer in the exercise of his right to install an individual, general (apartment) or room metering device that meets the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurements, including a metering device, the functionality of which makes it possible to determine the volume (number) of consumed utilities resources differentiated by time of day (established time periods) or by other criteria reflecting the degree of utilization of communal resources, even if such an individual or common (apartment) metering device in terms of functionality differs from the collective (common house) metering device with which an apartment building is equipped;

s) to carry out, at the request of the consumer, the commissioning of an installed individual, general (apartment) or room metering device that complies with the legislation of the Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurements, even if such an individual or general (apartment) metering device in terms of functionality differs from the collective (common house) metering device, which is equipped with an apartment building, no later than the month following the date of its installation, and also start calculating the amount of payment for utilities based on the readings of the metering device put into operation, starting from the 1st day of the month following the month of commissioning metering device in operation; ...

These were, so to speak, organizational moments, and now let's move on to technical and operational ones.

Assessment of technical and operational characteristics of the device

• You should not buy water meters in cheap silumin cases - the strength of this alloy is low, the material is gradually eroded by oxygen corrosion. Much more reliable - brass or bronze, or, with "wet" meters - stainless steel cases. Electronic meters in a durable polymer case are quite justified.
• Counters are designed to account for cold (up to +40 ° C) or hot (usually up to +90 ° C) water. In addition to the inscriptions on the front panel, clear color coding is also used for everyone: blue - red.

Bright color coding will not allow confusing counters for cold and hot water. Gray - universal

You can also purchase universal devices that are suitable for both water pipes. Their usual color coding is gray.

water meter

• An important selection criterion is always the settings of the device. This refers to what nominal diameter (DN) of the pipe it is designed for (usually pipes of 15 or 20 mm are used in apartment conditions, at the entrance to a private house it can reach up to 25 - 32 mm). The second parameter is the installation length of the water meter. This is a standardized value: for apartment meters it is 110 or 130 mm, and for larger ones with DN 25 or 32 - 190 or even 260 mm. It is necessary to estimate in advance the place of the proposed insertion of the device.
• The capabilities of the water meter must correspond to the real one. Usually, all metering devices have a very solid margin of safety. So, meters on DU = 15, as a rule, can withstand a pressure of up to 10 atmospheres (1 MPa), and with DU-20 - even up to 16 atmospheres (1.6 MPa). In reality, there are practically no such pressure values ​​in the water supply system.
• The next parameter is the indicators of the permissible water consumption, that is, how much volume the meter can pass through itself without loss of metering accuracy.

To assess this characteristic, several indicators are used, which are indicated in the product passport.

— Qmax- the maximum allowable volume of water passing during an hour.

— Qn- nominal flow rate at which long-term operation of the device with normal measurement accuracy is guaranteed.

— Qmin- the minimum flow rate at which the specified measurement error will be maintained.

— Qt- the value of the so-called transient flow rate, at which the level of error of the device changes.

All domestic water meters are designed for ample consumption. So, for DU-15 pipe meters, the maximum flow rate is usually 3 m³ / hour, nominal - 1.5 m³ / hour, which is quite enough even for intensive consumption in a given situation. But exceeding the maximum level may damage the device.

• Any measuring device has its own permissible error. The lower it is, the higher the accuracy class of the device (in ascending order - from "A" to "D"). Most household water meters have an accuracy class "B" for their normal, horizontal arrangement, and a slightly lower, but acceptable class "A" for vertical installation. Some meters of electronic type may have a higher class "C", moreover, regardless of the installation method of the device.

Most of the parameters important to the user can be found on the meter itself:

1 - serial individual number of the device.

2 - pictogram icons about the presence of state certification of this meter model

3 - model name. In this case, the name immediately mentions the nominal pipe diameter - 15 mm.

4 - operating temperature range. The illustration shows a universal water meter. This is also evidenced by the gray color of the case design.

5 - Nominal flow rate Qn. The maximum flow rate is usually twice as high.

6 - this meter has the ability to take impulse readings. Therefore, the value of the volume of passing water is indicated, corresponding to the development of one impulse. The indicator is necessary for fine tuning and

7 - accuracy class of the water meter. In this case: class "A" in the vertical position ("V"), and class "B" - in the horizontal position ("H").

• When purchasing the device, be sure to check the completeness of the delivery. Most meters come with American union nuts and appropriate seals - this will greatly facilitate the installation of the device. For devices with a pulse output, the sensor itself with a signal cable can also be attached. However, for some models, a separate purchase of such a sensor is provided if necessary - this should be indicated in the product passport.

A list of all items included in the kit must be specified in the technical documentation of the device.

• Finally, an important parameter of choice is the price and brand of the device - interrelated parameters.

- The most reliable models are considered to be imported - "Sensus", "Viterra", "Valtec", "Actaris", "Siemens", "Zenner", "Elster Metronica". All these brands are distinguished by high reliability, very little or no manufacturing defects, and extended calibration intervals. Many of the models are produced under license and at production facilities in Russia.

- Russian-made water meters are usually not so expensive and fully justify their purpose. Another advantage can be called the fact that the devices are often maximally adapted to local conditions, for example, to the traditionally hard water in our water supply systems. At the same time, some Russian water consumption meters are quite capable of competing with Western counterparts in terms of their manufacturability.

Domestic manufacturers include "Economy", "Pulse", "Meter", "Beregun", "Betar", "Staroruspribor", "Gazelektronika", "TPK" and other companies. It makes sense to get acquainted with the rating of pre-selected water meters on the Internet at consumer forums.

We will not consider the installation of water meters and all measures related to their registration and commissioning in this article - this has already been described in the corresponding publication.

Can you install a water meter yourself?

The installation operation itself is not so difficult, however, there are also quite complex cases associated with the peculiarities of the location of the pipes. , and what needs to be done after that - read in a special publication of our portal.

And at the end of the article - a traditional video with recommendations on the choice of metering devices for cold and hot water:

Video: what to look for when choosing a water meter