If you think that you pay for hot and cold water supplies too much money, then it's time to think about installing water meters. Perhaps they are already mounted, but there are too big litters or do not work at all, then it's time to attribute them to verification or replace. To produce all the necessary procedures, you need to: stand in long queues, fill a bunch of papers, cause an employee of the appropriate instance, having lost a bunch of precious time. Excellent output will be replaced, verification and installation of water meters with their own hands. This procedure will pass quickly and easily, moreover, you will spend only on the consumable material, performing work personally.

General provisions for replacing water meters

In order to decide on the choice of a water meer, it is necessary to understand its technical characteristics and other nuances. The correctly selected water counter will save you from a headache associated with constant replacement and calling relevant instances.

Classification of water meters

Before buying water meters, it is worth understanding their classification. The devices needed to calculate water consumed exist in two versions characterized by temperature indicators.

By temperature regime Water meters are distinguished by the following types:

• hot (up to 150 °);
• cold (up to 40 °);
• universal.

They have the same principle of operation, but differ in the inner composition of the mechanism.

By the type of power Water counters are divided into the following models:

• non-volatile (for them no additional power supplies are used);
• energy dependent (function only in the presence of constant nutrition from the power grid).

To use the energy-dependent counter model, it is necessary to constantly connect to the power grid. If your room is subject to frequent voltage drops, and in your area, the power outage is a contented normal phenomenon, it is better to postpone the setting of the meter of such a model, replacing with non-volatile.

According to the principle of action Water account devices can be divided into the following groups:

1. Vortex (calculate the amount of water consumed, relying on the frequency of vortex flows).
2. Electromagnetic (the score is conducted, thanks to the measurements of the water speed and the induction of the magnetic field).
3. Tachometric (the number of spent water cubes is measured due to a small turbine placed in the stream. The turbine rotates the impeller, which displays the result on the water meter dial).
4. Ultrasonic (thanks to the ultrasonic fluctuations passing through the flow, the acoustic effect is analyzed, which determines the amount of costs).

As you can see, there are many parameters for which water counters are classified. Choosing a countable device entirely depends on you and your wallet. We advise you to stay on a non-volatile version of an electromagnetic or tachometric type, which will be more reliable and easier to install.

Criteria for which water counters choose

Choose the water meter is quite simple, but it is better to pay attention to some nuances that will continue to avoid frequent replacements and verification. Choosing a hot or cold meter, we advise you to stop your attention on the turbine version. Compared to electronic, which often fail, turbine-type mechanical water meters have a longer service life.

Choosing water meters, pay attention to the following parameters:

• the cold water meter should be blue, and hot - red. Since each meter is designed for its type of water, it is not recommended to change them in places when installed. They have a different design, besides, the hot water meter is much more expensive;
• if the water meter is sold in a plumbing store, then it is certified. Accounting devices that control the amount of water consumed are not issued for sale until the metrological instance is taken, and the corresponding quality certificate will not receive;
• each meter must have an individual passport, which indicates the serial number of the device. Also pay attention to its indicators, they must be close to zero.

Such uncomplicated criteria will help you choose a functioning water meter that meets all quality standards.

Installation conditions

The water meter is a rather complicated device, because it's not just so he passes a number of different checks before issuing sale. When you bought a high-quality device that meets all standards, then it's time to draw attention to its technological features.

To set the counter, the following conditions must be observed:

1. On the rubber tube, install the valve if the room provides for the presence of fire drainage. No special permits are required to install the valve, but then you note that later it should be sealing the worker of the Vodokanal.
2. If the apartment provides for the presence of an elevator assembly, and the hot water supply flows through a two-pipe scheme, then for the installation of hot water water meter, additionally purchase the bypass valve. It is mounted in the circulation pipe to resolve the conducted water indicators.
3. Installing the meter is unacceptable for rooms with a constant temperature below + 5 °. Take care in advance, otherwise you will not get the necessary permissions from the employee of the Vodokanal.

The installation of the waterometer provides for the mandatory execution of all three of the above conditions, in case of their presence.

Terms of replacement of water counters

The need to replace the old water meter is quite easy to reveal. The installation date is indicated in the process of the measuring instrument. To calculate the speed of replacing the hot water meter, add to the date of 48 months. If the received date is overdue, the device must be replaced. For mandatory replacement of cold water counters, it is necessary to add 72 months to the date specified in the technical passport.

As can be seen, the deadline for replacing hot water meter is much smaller. This is due to the fact that at temperatures above +60 °, the water turns into an aggressive medium, accelerating the corrosion process. Over time, the water destroys the mechanism of the counter, which attracts significant errors during operation.

Replacement and installation of water counters

Getting Started with a self-replacement or installation of a water meter, prepare carefully and study all the technical points that will help make installation qualitatively and quickly. The water meter installed on its own on all the rules, in compliance with all rules and laws, will last longer, and by the next meter replacement you will already be fully armed.

Tool and consumables

Before installing such measuring instruments such as a water meter, be sure to arm all the necessary tools and other components. Choosing high-quality materials, you relieve yourself from constant replacement of connecting elements and leaks.

To secure the design of the water meter, the following tool and material are used:

• adjustable key and set of wrench keys of different diameters (for connecting elements);
• bulgarian (to dismantle spoiled pipes);
• roulette (for measurements);
• lerka (for cutting threads, if required);
• santitary soldering iron (in case of work with a polypropylene pipe);
• ball cranes, couplings, coarse filters, check valves, fitting with nuts, sealing gaskets, water counters;
• silicone, panel or plumbing paste.

For the assembly of the water meter kit, use only high-quality components. It is better to overpay some amount for a well-performed product than to pay catastrophic amounts for repairs to neighbors.

Removing old counters

If old water meters began to wink a large cube, or stopped working at all, they must be replaced. Because fittings, filters and cranes can be clogged due to scale, it is better to replace the entire node. Do not forget that before dismantling a broken counting device, you need to contact the appropriate instances. This is done to remove the old seal. It is not recommended to do this independently, because in the future such a procedure may entail a huge variety of unwanted bureaucratic formalities.

To remove old water meters, act as follows:

1. Discharge the water supply of the apartment using an introductory crane that is in front of the counter.
2. Open cold and hot taps, on all available mixers to empty the pipeline from water residues.
3. Using a wrench of the required diameter, unscrew the nut serving the connection of the water supply line and the ball valve. Then unscrew the nut connecting the reverse valve with the continuation of the pipe.
4. Remove the entire system, carefully moving the pipe for a short distance.

The ideal option will be the dismantling of the entire node, however, if the fittings are still efficient, then only the water meter can be replaced, unscrewing the two nuts of the Americans connecting it with the entire system.

Verification

After you removed the water meter, it must be attributed to verification. To do this, it is surrendered to the special service of the Vodokanal, which specializes in the control of measuring instruments. Be sure to take a technical passport of the device.

Verification is free, and in the event of a malfunction, you will receive a written conclusion of an expert in which all problems will be indicated. If you bought a counter in a specialized store, then present the conclusion about the inoperability of the device and the check. Then you will get back your money, or you will be replaced with a water meter.

In the case of successful calibration, you will receive the appropriate stamp of the Water Channel service, and also learn about the date of filling.

Installing a new meter

You dismantled the old water meters, bought new and attributed them to verification. When all the preparatory procedures are made, it's time to proceed to self-installing hot and cold water counters.

To correctly mount the counters of hot (cold) water, follow these steps:

1. Collect the waters of the "dry". To do this, alternately connect the fittings with each other in a strictly specified direction. All components of the node have an arrow on the housing, which will serve as a reference. Connect the node using a pass or plumbing paste, wrapped or wrapped the threads of fittings. Move on the thread to the side, which the nut is unscrewed. Note that the paste fully solidifies in 8-10 minutes.
   

   Useful advice: Do not use a large number of pacles or pasta. Heating, the metal has an extension property, which may well reflect on the connecting elements. The thread, tightly wrapped with flax, can crack and give to flow.

2. Make sure that all items are located correctly by arrow indicating the movement of water in the system. Check the reliability of fixation and the correctness of the assembly.
3. Place the new node for your previous place. If its length turned out more than the previous one, then there is nothing terrible. To install a new waterway assembly, cut off the extra piece of the pipe using the grinder and roulette. To apply new threads at the cut, use Lerch. In the case when the node has a length of less necessary, use connecting nipples and extension cords.
4. Fix the waterway node to the plumbing pipe using the adjustable key. In order not to damage the thread, do not overload the connecting nuts.

Installing a new meter is over, and it's time to call a special employee who feels the water meter, and will also be a corresponding act of acceptance.

As you can see, the replacement of the old meter is performed quite quickly, but if you consider all bureaucratic formalities, the process takes much longer. Most often in companies providing water supply services, the cost of work related to the replacement and installation of the water meter is much higher than that of individuals. It is better to produce all the necessary actions yourself. This will significantly reduce the budget of the project, besides, it will become excellent experience, because after a while they will have to remove the counter again to attribute.