Mounting the water meter yourself

More recently, 15-20 years ago, almost the entire population of the country with a central water supply, ubiquitously paid for services for water supply in accordance with the established consumption norms for everyone living in a house or apartment. In the corresponding proportion was calculated and for the services of water disposal( sewerage).

Currently, most homeowners already use water meters. Installation of devices is usually planned for the construction phase of the house and the engineering communications to it. In houses of old construction, water meters are cut into existing wiring by specialists of profile firms or plumber, whose ads are widely used in any newspaper. It is easy enough to install counter of water by yourself, if, of course, the owner of the apartment has certain skills of work with plumbing fixtures and equipment.

This publication will focus on the need to install a water meter, its selection rules, self-installation, as well as what needs to be done after installing .

Do counters need water?

The incompleteness of the payment system by the number of residents is evident These rules exist in many regions, by the way, and until now, of course, is always calculated taking into account the interests of water utility organization, which in any case must remain in profit .

In , the calculation of in this case absolutely does not accept the possible absence of one or more family members. Even if no one was in the apartment for a long time at all ( for example, summer residence outside the city or a family trip on vacation), the regularity of the arrival of bills for payment is in no way affected.

It's no secret that, probably, in any m m apartment house there are representatives of the category of so-called hard-core non-payers. And that real water flow, which remained unpaid, the management companies often scatter on the accounts of those tenants who did not worry about installing devices and paying for water on incoming fat.

But even if we discard all these very probable moments and turn to purely statistical data, then all equally becomes evident the profitability of installing device .It is estimated that the average citizen spends a month to 4 cubic meters of cold water and up to 3 - hot. And according to the existing norms we have to pay almost twice as much - 11.7 cubic meters!

Another is more difficult for the owners of private houses to pay extra fees , based on of the area of ​​the adjacent land, the presence of their own car. Again, never in this case calculates the calculation, whether the site is used as a backyard farm, and whether the machine is often washed.

Do not pay too much, and give their money only for the actual flow of cold and hot water will help install individual devices .Of course, this will require certain primary costs - for the acquisition and installation of equipment. However, as practice shows, in the family of their 4 people such expenses already pay off in six months.

Another is one very important positive point of installation of such devices .In most regions of our country, we have become accustomed to treating water as to some kind of givenness that has always been and, of course, will not go anywhere. At the same time, few people thought that water supplies are by no means limitless. And mounted water meters noticeably disciplined consumers, involuntarily forcing them to be more attentive to the rational and economical use of water. Probably, such an owner of the apartment will never have a leaking faucet or a faucet, the faulty tank in the bathroom.

Maybe at the level of a single consumer this is perceived, as is a trifle, but already in the scale of the district, the city and larger ones, such measures give a very impressive result.

How the water meter works and how it is correct choose

In order to properly mount the of the water meter yourself, and it is necessary to properly operate it, it is probably necessary to have an idea of ​​its device.

Most water meters used in domestic conditions have a single tachometric principle of operation. The flow of water passing through the device causes the paddle wheel to rotate ( impeller) or of the .The torque is transmitted by the mechanically or electromagnetically to the counter device. Each turn corresponds to the defined by the water flow.

The principle is one, but its technical implementation can differ.

• In small water meters used in apartments, usually there is an impeller. The number and length of the of its blades are precisely calculated, and give an accurate calculation of the consumption flowing through the water meter chamber.

water meter As a drawback of such a scheme, it can be noted that the that the wheel with blades has defined inertia and is more susceptible to turbulent flows generated by the abundant passage of water, that the affects the accuracy of the flow calculations. However, in the scale of consumption of one apartment this is not practical, therefore counters are the most common .

If the water meter is placed on the more " serious " of the highway with a large head of water, then, as a rule, install turbine-type instruments.

They do not have the drawbacks inherent in an impeller, and the level of accuracy at them is much higher.

There are meters and combined type with a system of valves that ensure the passage of water at low head through the impeller, and as it increases - through the turbine. However, they are usually used only for the general accounting for , and at the household level, they will most likely not have .

• Water meters can be single-jet and multi-jet. As, perhaps, it is clear from the name, in the first, water passes through the chamber by a common flow, which, in principle, also contributes to the intensification of the effect of turbulence. To reduce this negative phenomenon, in the highly accurate , the flow is divided into several channels.
• By the degree of isolation of the counting mechanism from water, the accountants are divided into "dry" and "wet".

In water meters constructed according to a "wet" principle, the counting device has direct contact with water. The transmission of the torque from the impeller is carried out in the usual mechanical manner, through the axle system and of the gear .Advantages - insensitivity to magnetic effects, low price. Disadvantages - a small operational resource due to the constant interaction of the mechanism with water, a special sensitivity to the purity of the flowing liquid.

In the "dry" counters the mechanic zm cr of the rudder or of the is separated by the from the of the counting device by an airtight bulkhead. The exact mechanics of the meter never, under any circumstances, with water does not contact.rotation transmission is carried out through a pair of magnetic - annular magnet is mounted on top of the impeller housing, and a - a mechanism counting device which also stored in the sealed cylindrical flask. Such a scheme dramatically increases the service life of the device, which is no longer so demanding both for the purity and temperature of the water. The disadvantage is the vulnerability to the external influence of magnetic( electromagnetic) fields, so meters were equipped with an additional protective antimagnetic coupling.

Such devices accounting on standing on time are the most common under apartments.

residential water meters is arranged. The diagram shows the basic device of a typical modern residential water meter:

The ( 1) bottom of the can be made of nonmagnetizing alloys based on aluminum, brass, and less frequent polymeric ones. In the body there are channels for of water flow( 2) with a central chamber in which the impeller-impeller( 3) is installed.impeller axis from quality water meters equipped with hourly stones( 4), which provides its rotation with minimum friction and provides high accuracy readings.

«Water" part counter sealed polymeric partition( 5) which is fixed or special nut or locking ring. meters with antimagnetic protection at the same location in the center is a special protective clutch, which protects from an external magnetic field.

On top of the body is sealed hermetic counting mechanism( 6), which is most often made of transparent plastic. It is attached to the case with a special ring , which allows the to rotate the around its axis so that the scale can be set to the position most convenient for reading the readings. This fixing ring must necessarily mark the factory seal.

The torque transmission is carried out by a pair of ring magnets( 7).One is located on the impeller, it is not the upper slice, and the second set coaxially to the first counting mechanism main shaft. Thus, the rotation of the impeller is "copied" by the with the exact device mechanics.

The rotation of the main shaft via the ( 8) system of ( 8) wheels is scaled and the is transmitted to the by the flow indicator arrow( 9) and to the digital scale with the rollers( 10) counting the water consumption, usually to the third decimal place(from 1 liter).Thus, on most counters there are three red digits showing the fractions of cubic meter, and five digits of of black , allowing to count from 9 to 99 99 9 m3 of consumed water.

Video: how is the conventional counter water

Many modern water meters are equipped, in addition, with a special reed switch , which converts a certain number of revolutions into an electronic pulse.

In this case, is connected by signal cable with a special indicator panel, which can be located nearby or even is placed in the entrance. Such a panel can have programming functions, and show not only the expense, but also its monetary equivalent in accordance with the current tariffs.

Hot water meters in general completely repeat the described construction, but they are made of heat-resistant materials that ensure the accuracy of the readings when heated to high( up to 90 ° ) temperatures. In addition, some modern water meters with pulse output help to solve another one problem of saving money - they can monitor the water temperature.

For these purposes, a temperature sensor is installed in the pipe near the input( sometimes - into the water meter body itself), also connected to the electronic indicating unit . If the water temperature drops below the set values, then its flowrate will be counted in a separate window. When the temperature is normalized, is maintained by the in the usual way. When paying for , the hot water consumed by displays the average. A two-rate charging scheme - can be used, for example, at a water temperature above 50 °( optimum) nt for , I am counted as "1", if the temperature falls below this contractual mark, in the range 45 ÷ 50 °,then when calculating the amount for payment, a decreasing factor of "0.7" is used.

How to approach the problem of a water meter?

• First of all, it is necessary to find out in the management company that is responsible for the water supply to the place of residence of the owner of the dwelling, which devices are allowed to be installed by the rules in force in the region. It is possible that the electronic system and multi-tariff payment system has already been implemented in the city, and utilities will require the mandatory installation of the meter with pulse signaling. Most likely, the client will be asked to purchase a water meter at them with the provision of a paid service for its installation. If not, then in the "Vodokanal" should provide information about trade or service organizations that have the right to implement similar devices .
• If you purchase the water meter yourself, you should never buy it from the hands or in retail outlets that do not deserve full trust, even if the price of the seems very attractive. First, there is no guarantee that the device is not a fake or "restored" b / y-counter , and how many it will serve - no one knows. Secondly, you can run into trouble when post -run management organization refuses to put this water meter on account for , and will have to buy another one.

What data should be paid special attention:

• As already mentioned, meters are for cold and hot water. The temperature range must be indicated in the product data sheet( for example, from 5 to 40 ° With - for cold and from 40 to 90 ° With - for hot).Such symbols can be printed on the front panel of the device, in addition, color marking( blue and red cases) is also used. There are also universal models - they usually have a gray color marking, and the panel indicates the possibility of their use for both hot and cold water supply.

• The next important parameter is the diameter of the conditional pass( DN). The OD should correspond to the actual wiring of the pipes at the site of the intended installation of the device. Usually the apartments use pipes with DN 15 or 20 mm - this needs to be clarified in advance, before going to the store.
• Accuracy class of the counter .The current regulations allow the use of instruments with accuracy class "A"( ± 1%) or "B"( ± 2%).Usually, the modern meters provide work on the metrological class "B" with their horizontal position with the scale, facing upwards, and in class "A" - for any other location of the device( except for placing the water meter on a horizontal section with facing down by counting mechanism is forbidden).
• It is worthwhile to clarify the maximum allowable water pressure in the system, since some devices may have certain restrictions. Typically, for the of the counters, the limit is 1 MPa ( 10 bar ), and for the DN-20 - 1.6 MPa ( 16 bar ).
• An important indicator is the maximum( Qmax) and nominal( Qn) water flow. For most common counters DN-15, these values ​​usually amount to Qmax - no more than 3 m³ / h, - about 1.5 m³ / h. Such a flow should be more than enough for any apartment or house. Exceeding these values ​​ will cause to very fast output of counter.

All the necessary technical information is always detailed in the product passport and is often applied to the front panel of the counter, as shown in the picture:

. Everything is crystal clear:

- CB-15G - counter water with remote control -15 mm, for hot water with a maximum temperature of 90 ° C .This is also indicated by the red color of the connecting ring of the device.

- The symbol " B-H " means that the device corresponds to the metrological class "B" with horizontal( H) position.

- Accordingly, the designation "A-V" refers to the class of the "A" counter with its vertical( V) installation.

- The maximum permissible pressure in the water supply system is 10 bar.

- Nominal water flow Qn - 1,5 m³ / h.

- Red pictograms in the center from the bottom indicate that the this model of the device is certified by the state.

• Important parameters - dimensions of the water meter, on which the possibility of its tie-in in one or another place depends to a large extent. Of particular importance is the so-called mounting length of the meter , which takes into account the size of the device itself and the thickness of the connecting elements. This is the standardized value of : for residential water meters it is usually 110 or 130 mm, and for house , the counters are 190 or 260 mm.
• In the instrument passport must be a mark on the passage of technical control at the factory manufacturer with the release date of the product. In the same place, warranty device should be specified. As a rule, for counters cold water it is 6 years, hot - 4 years. It is necessary to verify the serial serial number of the device - it must be indicated in the documents and on the case of the counter.

• The store must make a mandatory certified stamp in the passport about the date of acquisition of the water meter.
• The completeness of the supply of the water meter must be checked. In the minimum configuration, as a rule, two connecting nipples with gaskets and nuts are attached to the device itself - "American".If meter has the ability to pulse readings, then the sensor itself may be included in the kit with a connecting signal cable, although it happens that they have to be purchased separately.

water meter installation

If the instrument was acquired by , and a decision was made to install it independently, you should first of all become acquainted with the basic rules of its installation.

• The meter should be installed in a heated room( with an allowable air temperature of + 5 to + 50 % ). The must have natural or artificial lighting. The location of the device should give full access to it for reading, revision, maintenance or replacement, and to exclude the possibility of mechanical damage.
• It is recommended to get the technical conditions of the installation in the management company before independent installation, they may differ from each other in different regions.
• The water meter must be installed as close as possible to the to the inlet of the water pipe to the apartment( house).It is recommended that , , a straight horizontal section be chosen for this, .There should not be any tees or other branches between the input and the counter of the , muted by the or overlapped with valves. Nothing should give an opportunity to the official representative of Vodokanal to assume the possibility of unauthorized water diversion bypassing of the meter.

• will work correctly if straight sections are observed before and after it - this reduces the likelihood of turbulent flows. The length of the straight section to the of the should be 3 DN, at the output - 1 DN.With regard to the most common in the housing conditions of water meters Du-15, it will be 45 and 15 mm, respectively. As a rule, this distance is provided by the supplied connecting fittings.
• At the entrance to the apartment( house) in front of the counter , it is necessary to install a shut-off valve. This will make it possible to cover the total water supply to the intra-apartment water distribution system if it is necessary to carry out sanitary installation or repair work.
• Mechanics zm cr of the is quite sensitive to insoluble suspended solids in water - grains of sand, scales, rust flakes and , . Not only do they have an abrasive effect on plastic parts - , the upper and lower axle assembly of the impeller axis may be damaged, and the water meter will quickly fail. Therefore, before installing the , a mud filter is always provided. Usually this is the so-called "oblique" filter, the is equipped with an mesh that delays the t t verdict suspension. Filters on the horizontal sections of the pipe must be installed with a sloped part down.

As a rule, such filters are made of brass. For polypropylene pipelines there are polymer models, but the master plumbers do not praise them and recommend to install brass all the same.

• For technical installation of the water meter, which is in effect in many regions of the country, it is necessary to install the reverse valve after the water meter. This is done mainly to exclude the possibility of the reverse "unwinding" of the readings of the device, for example, by the airflow, which some crooked consumers sometimes try to achieve with the by connecting in some way a vacuum cleaner.

However, this valve has quite practical value - it will not allow the impeller mechanism to stay dry in the event of an emergency - water loss in the system. In the water meter chamber, there must always be water - it provides a kind of "lubrication" of the bearing bearings( stones) of the impeller axis.

On the vertical sections of the pipeline with the water flow , a similar valve is installed not after, but in front of the water meter, preventing water from escaping from the appliance chamber when the pressure dropssystem.

water meter. By the way, when you buy a water meter you need to pay attention to the one more detail - some devices in their design already have an integrated backstop valve - no installation of an additional device is required. In addition, such a valve can be a structural feature and a connecting fitting of the water meter.

So, if everything is purchased and the place for installing the water meter is determined, you can go directly to the installation.

The universal installation diagram of the device shows on the scheme:

1 - input from the water main.

2 - shut-off valve( valve).Its te np has no fundamental importance. In our time, ball valves are often used with a lever handle or a "butterfly".If goes on lime pipe, you can use a special polymer valve, but only if you have confidence in its quality, because , judging by the reviews, they do not always differ in the high reliability of .Many masters recommend the installation of metal quality valves, which, by the way, will be easier to change in case of failure.

Important note - if a ball valve is installed, it should not be used to control the intensity of the water flow. He should be two staff positions - "open" or "closed".The semi-closed state of such a valve leads to its rapid wear.

3 - "oblique" filter-mud maker, which has already been mentioned above.

4 - connecting fittings with nakidnymi nuts - "American"( 5), usually included in the scope of delivery of the water meter.

6 - water counter .

7 - non-return valve. Its "classical" arrangement is shown. On a vertical section with an ascending flow, it should be transferred to the position between the filter and the connecting pipe.

8 - the entrance to the intra-apartment water distribution system. All the points of without any exception are allowed to be connected only after the of the counter.

Video: basics for self-installation of water meter

• Before the begins installation, you should first lay out all the elements in the order in which they will be assembled. In this case, special attention should be paid to the arrows, applied to on the product cases - they indicate the direction of the water flow. An error in this issue is unacceptable - the system simply will not work.

• Now it is desirable to perform a general assembly of the entire structure on the table "dry" without the use of gaskets. It is necessary, , that the calculate the pre-number of threads for correct assembly( for example, to ensure that the forward part of the filter is underneath the ) and determine the overall mounting length of the resulting assembly. The resulting length should be compared with the existing section of the pipe where the water meter is planned to be placed.

If "lucky", and there is the possibility of such a direct installation, then mounting seriously will be simplified. But in a number of cases, the conditions for the placement of pipes can force you to come up with more complicated schemes - this will be described below.

• It is advisable to to begin installation with the installation of a shut-off valve. This will require disconnecting the water supply in the inter-house backbone, so it is better to carry out this step immediately, so as not to leave the for a long time without the water supply, the entire riser.

After , the specialist responsible for this has performed the overlapping of the riser, we can start the installation work. Usually at the entrance to the apartment from the riser is always a crane. After the old crane, the pipe must be cut off with a bulgarian. At the same time, will drain - from , it is necessary to prepare a basin. Then you need to try to unscrew the old valve.

If all is well, the valve is unscrewed and the threaded part on the - pipe is in normal condition, then you can pack a new tap. To do this, it is best to use linen cotton with special sealing pastes " Multipack " or " Unipack " - this is guaranteed to ensure tightness of the connection.

Worse, if the tap does not succumb, or the threaded part on the pipe is no longer suitable for further use, it is rusted or deformed. It is necessary to cut its a Bulgarian and to cut a new thread with a lair.

• After the new tap is "packed", it must be closed, and then you can resume the water supply to the entire riser. All further internal installation work will be carried out from the installed valve.

• The next step is screwed and packed together a "oblique" filter and a connection socket counter .The assembled unit can be screwed into the crane, taking into account the number of turns, so that the bevel of the filter is at the bottom.

• Next, a second connecting pipe and check valve are assembled into a single unit. Funny, but very common error of beginners home masters - produce "zapkovku" fittings, forgetting to put on them nakidnye nuts, "American."We have to disassemble and remake anew.
• Next, the most crucial step is to connect to the existing water distribution system in the apartment. If it is full of HCV steel pipe, it is recommended portion of meter to the nearest threaded joint suitable for tapping, or made of a metal-polypropylene tube - this will significantly simplify the work. The fittings is screwed onto the polymer pipe, a section of the required length is laid, which also ends with a fitting. The distance is maintained in such a way that after the connection to the prepared "fitting + valve" assembly the required installation length of the water meter has been maintained. For the convenience of work, in order not to be mistaken, you can make a water meter on the entrance and exit "American" - so it will be easier to determine the required site.

If the wiring is already made of polymer pipes, then there are no particular problems for at all .

• After this assembly is assembled, it is possible to install gaskets and perform the final installation of the water with American pincers. Rubber gaskets are usually supplied, and experienced masters recommend to replace them with paronit of the same diameter. When tightening the union nuts immediately set the required location of the scale of the meter - so that it is most convenient to take readings.

Very often hosts apartments combine installation works of a water meter with the modernization of all inter-apartment wiring with rework its for metal or polypropylene. After the of the meter, it is possible to install a collector comb , from which it is possible to distribute water to the points of consumption.

water meter It is much more difficult to get out of the situation when the conditions of the room and location in and pipes do not allow performing the "classical" piping of the meter. You have to include imagination and ingenuity in order to place all the necessary elements of the design in a limited space.

For example, hot and cold pipes can be placed too close to each other, and you have to leave the side with a tap:

tap. The section of the tie-in can be too short - then we'll have to mount the loops for providing the with all the components:

loops. It happens that the water pipes are hidden in niches or boxes, but here you can find a successful solution:

• . After the water meter and all the following water communication nodes are mounted,alignment of the once again verified, you can carry out a trial run. The shut-off valve should be opened very smoothly, with a gradual filling of the system with water, in order to avoid a water hammer capable of disabling the .It is necessary for this to open the tap on one of the points of the to allow the air to escape from the pipes.

After the system has filled with water, you can open the valve completely. The crane on the water asphalt is closed, all connections are visually inspected for the absence of leakage .If everything is normal, then the installation work can be considered complete.

Video: master class on installation of water meters in high-rise building

. What should be done after installing

. First of all, after installation of water meters, it is necessary to invite the responsible water provider or the housing maintenance organization. It should check the correctness and of the reliability of mounting the device and make it sealable. The two union nuts on the connecting fittings are to be sealed, which makes it impossible to dismantle the counter on its own. In addition, the cork on the filter will surely be sealed, because through this hole it is possible to make unauthorized water intake. Very often an additional seal is placed on the locking plastic ring that connects the lower part of the instrument to the body of the counting mechanism.

The employee of the management organization will take the indications available to on the scale on the mode nt pl ombirovki. It should be remembered that the transition to payment to meter will be produced by from this moment, regardless of when the device was mounted and how many on the ran into cubic meters. The readings taken at the time of statement on the become the starting values. This will be reflected in the certificate of the and in the product certificate. At the same time, the deadline for the next water meter verification will be established.

During the operation, the of certain rules should be adhered to:

• Welding operations on metal sections of intra-apartment wiring are not allowed.
• Plumbing with with meter must be reliably fixed so that does not cause vibrations in the , otherwise the device will quickly lose its efficiency.
• Hydraulic shocks in the system should be avoided. If the water supply to the house is stopped, then, , if possible , temporarily close the inlet valve, and when opening - follow the with the same principles as when the meter was initially commissioned.
• If there is a possibility of exceeding the permissible pressure, the gear unit must be installed.
• The meter should be constantly filled with water - as it is reached, was described above.
• It is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the external surface of the device, to prevent the accumulation of dirt or dust on the without , the entry of chemical active substances.
• If the head in the system has decreased noticeably, the filter grid may be clogged. Cleared it is simple - the cork is wrung out and the mesh is rinsed with with water jet. However, do not forget that the cork is in a sealed condition, and for carrying out these actions it is necessary to invite the responsible worker of the managing organization. Self-infringement of the integrity of the seal is prohibited.

• . When the next inspection period is suitable, it is necessary to ensure delivery of the device to the appropriate metrological laboratory. Independently this should not be done - there may be suspicions about unauthorized water withdrawal. It is better to invite a specialist who is dismantling the water meter and temporarily installs another counter or just a connecting pipe. During the verification period, payment will be made in accordance with the current norms of daily water consumption. By the way, some devices do not need a complete dismantling - only the upper counting mechanism is sent to the verification tests.

Video: Example of verification of water meters

The verification procedure, with the call of the master for dismantling, carrying out the tests themselves, reverse installation and sealing, is usually a paid service, and the can cost .On the forums on the Internet, there are many recommendations to simply purchase, by the time of the check, the new counter - so it can turn out even cheaper, the more so the old device should pay itself off more than once. In this case, the new should be chosen with the same mounting length. In this case, the installation of a new water meter will not be difficult - it is simply installed in place of the old one.