Installing hot and cold water meters is one of the main steps on the path to energy efficiency. Thanks to metering devices, each family can conduct statistics, how many of its members consume a valuable resource. Thanks to the counters, the population has motivation to save water, reducing the load on the environment. If apartments and houses in new buildings by default are supplied with all the necessary metering devices, then with Soviet buildings everything is much worse. In some houses there are water meters for the whole house, and the entire consumed volume of water is distributed between all apartments in proportion to registered residents. In order not to pay extra funds for someone's waste, it is better to put individual counters. In this case, you will have to pay only for the actually consumed volume of hot or cold water.
Content
Installation and replacement of water meters takes a small amount of time, depending on the state of the pipeline. Such work can be done independently, significantly saving on the services of plumbers. It will not need special knowledge, and almost everyone has the necessary tool. About how to carry out installation and installation of water meters yourself - further.
Types and modifications of meters
Today, many models of hot and cold water meters are sold on the market. Structurally, they can be divided into several types.
On the principle of action, there are:
- Mechanical (tachometric) counters. The principle of operation of such models is quite simple. Water, passing through the meter, enters the street of the turbine in which the blades are located. Due to the pressure of water, the latter lead the rotation of the turbine shaft, which, in turn, with the help of gears moves the boar of the counter with numbers. Mechanical models are the simplest in operation and are much lower than electronic ones.
- Electromagnetic. The principle of operation of such meters is based on the interaction of the magnetic field of the device with the fluid flow. In this case, the flow rate is measured and the amount of water is calculated.
- Ultrasonic counters. Water consumption is calculated by analyzing the acoustic effect when ultrasonic vibrations pass through the fluid flow.
- Vortex. The amount of fluid is calculated by the number of vortices around the fluid of a certain shape immersed in a fluid stream.
For household consumers, the first type of counters are mainly used. They have a simple structure and do not require special service.
In terms of water consumption, devices are industrial and household. For an apartment, a counter is enough with a diameter of 15-20 mm. Industrial flow meters can reach a diameter of 50 m.
Also, counters are divided into cold and hot water meters. They differ in operating temperatures. Cold water meters operate at a temperature of up to +40 ° C, hot - up to +135 ° C. If the second can work to measure cold water (although due to the difference in cost it is not entirely effective), then on the contrary, it simply cannot be done.
Buying counters. What to pay attention to
Any counter that is installed in the apartment must have a certificate of conformity. Without it, the device will not be registered or sealed. Before buying, it is advisable to visit the water supply company and find out which counters are allowed to install so that there are no problems with its registration.
When buying the device itself, it is necessary to pay attention to its completeness and the absence of any mechanical damage. Even a small crack on the glass or sink on the brass flange can cause a refusal to register it.
The device, as a rule, includes:
- The counter itself.
- Mechanical mesh filter.
- Check valve. It is installed after the counter so that the user does not have the opportunity to rewind it back.
- Clushes with pitch nuts (American). They serve so that the device can be removed for verification. Although at present, some organizations are verified by meters without their removal.
- Passport. Its presence is mandatory. The passport should have a mark of the manufacturer’s OTC on the passage of control with the mandatory date of the first verification. It also indicates the serial number (must coincide with the one that is applied to the device itself). A copy of the passport will need to be provided to an organization that provides water supply services. During operation, marks on further verification will be affixed in this document.
The configuration of the meter for water accounting can vary depending on the manufacturer (it is better to verify it with the documentation). However, at the time of installation, all of the above components must be available. Therefore, if the device is not equipped with them, you will have to buy them separately.
Installing water meter with your own hands
When all the materials are prepared, you can start installing. In addition to the above parts of the system, a certain tool will be needed to conduct this operation:
- A set of rock keys (as an option can be used one divorce key).
- Bulgarian (you will need if the apartment has metal pipes).
- Mimaging for metal -plastic pipes.
- Pipe thread.
- Seal. As the latter, you can use a pac from or rubberized tape (FUM).
To carry out these work, it is necessary to clearly comply with the rules for installing water meters. The device is installed at the point of entering cold or hot water into the apartment. All points of water cleansing should be due to the counter, this is very important. Otherwise, it will not be registered. The metering device should be free access, both for monthly fixing of the indications and for inspections with regulatory authorities. Therefore, do not hide it under the bathroom or for the toilet. It is also worth considering that the meter system has several connections that can flow. Therefore, do not hide it behind a drywall outline.
Before the metering device, a water treatment filter is installed without fail. It is periodically necessary to clean it, therefore, there should be free access to it.
If there is no desire to flaunt all the communications, you can sew them with a falsity, having provided a revision window.
If you plan to install two meters: cold and hot water, and the distance between the pipes is minimal, they should be at a distance from each other.
When the installation site is selected, you can start the installation process:
- First, it is necessary to assemble the entire system into a single whole, including the cutting tap, and measure its position on the pipe.
- After that, you need to block the water supply through the riser. As a rule, the cutting tap on the riser is in the basement. It is advisable to inform the neighbors about the disconnection of water so that for them this does not become an unpleasant surprise.
- Then it is necessary to cut a piece of the pipe, in the place of which the meter system will be installed. If the pipe is metallic, then for cutting it is used with a cutting circle. After that, the scale is removed from the scene and remove the chamfer with a file. This is done on both sides.
- The next step using a dick of the corresponding diameter, a pipe thread is cut. Now on sale there are electric dies, which quickly cope with the task. The threads are cut on both sides.
- Next, the cutting tap is wound on the thread. For compaction of the threaded connection, Pacli or Fum is used. If the package is used, it can be previously lubricated with solidol. After the crane is installed, you can turn on water. For this operation, most likely, you will need an assistant who will report on the phone if there is a leak after connecting the riser. If it is not, you can no longer overlap the water.
- After the tap, a mechanical filter is installed. Next, a coupling is placed - “American”, to which the counter is temporarily connected. On the second side of it, the same clutch is placed, to which the check valve is connected.
- As a seal on the couplings that are connected to the metering device, gaskets of the corresponding diameter are used. They are made of rubber, silicone and paronite. It is better not to use rubber, since such gaskets are short -lived, and to remove a sealed counter to replace them - pleasure is below the average. For cold water, it is better to use silicone, and a paronyte for hot water.
- When installing water meters, it is necessary to pay attention to the correctness of actions. On each part, the arrow indicates the direction of movement of the water flow. It is such a side that must be installed by individual elements of the system. Especially this applies to the counter. Otherwise, he will rotate in the opposite direction.
- When the entire system is assembled, the shut -off valve opens, and a check for the presence of leaks is performed. It is very simple to do this with a piece of toilet paper. Even the smallest drops of water are noticeable on it. If there are leaks, the connection must be squeezed, in the absence of a result, everything will have to be disassembled and re -collect. Therefore, it is better to do work with high quality the first time.
The installation of hot water meter is carried out in the same order.
After the end of the accounting, the metering device operates as usual, however, before its sealing and registration, it is not accepted. After the installation, the controller should come, check the correct assembly of the system, the passport of the device, compliance with the meter to the passport. After that, the specialist seals the counter, makes the relevant entries in the journal, and draws up the act on the removal of the first indications. It is from this moment that the fee for hot and cold water will be charged according to the testimony of the installed counter.
