How to install water meters yourself: installation and connection diagram of a typical meter

Have you thought about installing a water meter amid regular tariff increases? Agree that it will be good to use it to determine the consumption of water resources and significantly reduce the cost of paying for the use of hot and cold water. You don’t want to call the master from the public service for installation, but you plan to do all the work on your own, but have never done this before?

We will tell you how to independently install water meters, where to start and what rules should be followed when they are put into operation. The article proposes a scheme for the correct connection of water meters, a step-by-step installation process with visual photographs and video tips from experienced masters is considered.

And also we paid attention to the legal aspect of self-assembly - we told in detail which applications and other documents and which organizations are to be assigned.

Feasibility of installing the device

Installation of a water meter is the first step on the path to the rational consumption of communal resources and the competent disposal of the family budget. Indeed, the volume of cubic meters saved will directly depend on amount payableindicated on the receipt.

The ubiquitous installation of metering devices also disciplines water utility workers, preventing them from uncontrolledly writing off losses to residents as a result of operating worn-out networks.

As the experience of people who have already installed water meters with their own hands shows that connecting a water meter makes it possible to save up to 30% of payment costs, provided that the number of residents corresponds to the number of residents registered in the house.

The accepted norms of water consumption do not correspond to the amount of liquid consumed in real life.

You may be interested in information on how to save water by meterconsidered in our other article.

Significantly reduce the cost of water will help the installation of the meter even in the case when the number of tenants in the apartment does not match the number registered in this housing.

For example, if two households live in it and five people are registered, then the fee will be calculated from the “average” monthly consumption for each registered family member.

Installation of a flow meter allows not only to significantly reduce the item of expenses, but also to act as a disciplining moment for the rational use of natural resources

Some owners in apartment buildings with centralized water supply do not want to install metering devices specifically for hot water.

And the reason for this is that many people are close to the situation when, in the early morning or late evening, opening a faucet with hot water, they have to drain the cooled liquid for several minutes in anticipation of a hot stream.

In this case, if you install the flow meter on hot water, in addition to the time spent on the painful waiting for hot water, you will also have to pay extra for the cold water flowing from the tap at hot rates.

And therefore, if you are systematically faced with the need to drain water for a long time - think about whether to put a water meter on it. Maybe it’s quite enough to confine ourselves to a meter for a pipe with cold water.

It is not advantageous to install an individual metering device only if more people actually live in the apartment than prescribed

Legal Aspect of Self-Installation

The legislation does not provide for categorical prohibitions on the manifestation of such independence. The main thing is to be guided by common sense and during installation to comply with regulatory requirements and installation rules.

But in most cases, specialized organizations are engaged in their connection, which have the appropriate permission to perform this type of work.

Licensed organizations carry out installation of metering devices, strictly observing the requirements and procedure for putting installed metering devices into operation

If the services of specialized companies are imposed on you, be aware that this is illegal.You can do the procedure of insertion into the equipped water supply system on your own.

When installing equipment, it is worth considering a number of points:

1. Devices purchased only from licensed companies. A technical data sheet must be attached to the device.
2. The installation of equipment involves shutting off the water supply along the riser, which is quite problematic to do on its own.
3. When installing and connecting the device, it is important to follow the water meter connection diagram and strictly observe the technology. Otherwise, when a pipeline breaks through, all losses will have to be reimbursed from your wallet.

In order for the readings of a water meter installed on its own to be taken when calculating utility bills, it is necessary that they be sealed and put on the balance of the local branch of Vodokanal.

Registration and registration

Before you put water meters in your bathroom, you must contact your local water utility in order to get the technical requirements for the water meter in your hands. This is the responsibility of the water metering project approval department.

Having received permission, you can safely buy a meter. The rating of the best counters popular among users is given in our other article.

You may also be interested in information on existing types of meters, discussed in our article: Types of water meters: overview of various types + recommendations for customers

When purchasing a product, make sure of two parameters:

1. The serial number on the water meter must correspond to what is indicated in the passport.
2. On the seal, the device should have an imprint of Gosstandart.
3. In the passport to the device should be recorded the date of the factory check.

At the time of purchase, the seller must put a store stamp and indicate the date of sale.

The best option is if the interval between the date of the factory check of the meter and its sale is not too long

The purchased device must be checked by contacting one of the following organizations:

• Department of Housing Office;
• water utility management;
• private licensed company.

To carry out the verification, the instrument is handed over with the technical data sheet. Upon completion of the procedure, the stamp of the checking organization will be entered in the passport and all the relevant fields will be filled out. In parallel with this, a sealing date will be assigned.

Keep in mind that it is forbidden to damage the instrumentation seal, otherwise it will simply not be accepted in the water utility. If you accidentally damaged a factory seal, then the agency may still accept the device.

But, if there is no instrumentation seal, then the counter data is considered invalid.

For independent insertion of a water meter, the housing office will provide a drawing and the necessary technical conditions, which are likely to be required during installation

In the equipment connection plan, the sequence of installation of parts will be clearly described.

There is nothing complicated about it. Traditionally, the “garland” looks like this: the stopcock comes first, after it is a collapsible filter, the water meter itself follows it and the check valve completes the “chain”.

Mounting the water meter yourself

In advance, on the day when the water meter is supposed to be inserted, it is necessary to write a statement in the name of the organization serving your house in order to call the plumbing to temporarily shut off the water supply in the riser.

Stage # 1 - choosing a place for placement

When choosing a place for installation, it is necessary to evaluate the current state of pipelines and determine whether there is a wiring from risers.

Metering devices may be placed both in horizontal and vertical position.

The task of the master is to provide free access for inspection of the device.

The counter is placed as close as possible to the place of entry of the highway into the bathroom. For private houses, this parameter is 20 cm from the exit point of the pipeline.

In most cases, meters are mounted on pipes that divert water from a common riser, trying to place them immediately after the shut-off valves

Most often, the device is placed near the toilet or under the washbasin. The distance of the straight section, which must be allotted before inserting the device, is recorded in the meter data sheet.

According to the requirements for the installation of metering devices, if the stop valves are old, they must be replaced with more reliable ones. Ball Valves.

For pipelines HV and GV use ball valves of various markings: for hot water - DN25, and for cold - DN15.

The ball valve is equipped with an internal thread on one side and an external thread on the other; it is used to screw the coarse filter

For installation, it is better to use high-quality cranes from trusted manufacturers, which are able to withstand operating temperatures of up to 100 ° C and above, and high working pressure.

Stage # 2 - purchase of necessary components

The number of water meters is calculated based on the number of risers located in the apartment.

To simplify the task of inserting a counter according to the scheme, you should clearly understand for yourself the purpose of each system node:

1. Stopcock - “advanced” in-house pipeline. Plastic faucets are cut in for overlapping polypropylene pipes, and brass models for metal and metal-plastic pipes.
2. Cleaning filter - protects equipment from large suspensions and therefore needs periodic washing. Available in two versions: straight and oblique.
3. Check valve - prevents the device from rewinding back when the water supply suddenly stops.

The ball valve can only be in two positions: open / closed.

The semi-open position of the ball valve, regardless of the type of its execution, is the right way to quickly exit the locking mechanism

The presence of a check valve immediately after the meter is a prerequisite when connecting a water meter.

The placement of this device immediately after the counter allows you to prevent the possibility of starting the air flow against the movement of water, which is often used by some unscrupulous "craftsmen" when unwinding the device.

Water supply inspectors always check the availability of this valve and without it they never allow the commissioning of the device.

Of the tools for the work required:

• Bulgarian (angle grinder);
• soldering iron;
• scissors or hacksaw;
• gas and adjustable wrench;
• FUM tape or tow;
• corners and bends;
• couplings (to switch to another size).

Bends and corners will be needed to connect the device to the water pipe. If desired, they can be replaced with flexible hoses made of rubber or rubber, the outer walls of which are coated with aluminum or nylon braid.

“American” and O-rings should be included with the flowmeter.

"American" is a connecting fitting equipped with a union nut, the main purpose of which is to remove the device without harm to the elements of the plumbing system

When planning to embed a counter for hot water, you will additionally need to purchase paranitic gaskets, and if a water meter for cold water, rubber seals. Ensure the tightness of the connections of "American" with a check valve will help tow and FUM tape.

Stage # 3 - installation and connection of the water meter

The easiest way to install a water meter, crashing into a plastic water pipe, - made of metal-plastic or polypropylene pipes. The polymer is easily cut with special scissors, the upper part of which is equipped with a sharp knife, and the lower one is equipped with a pipe holder.

Compound or soldering of pipeline elementsmade of a polymeric material is carried out by means of a soldering iron, the technology of its application is quite simple.

When dealing with a water supply system made of metal pipes, it is quite problematic to embed water meters without using special tools.

Therefore, the independent connection of metering devices on metal pipes in most cases is combined with a full or partial replacement of an in-house pipeline.

All parts of the sanitary construction are connected in accordance with the scheme attached to the product and the drawing obtained in the housing office

To simplify the assembly process, first lay out the elements of the "garland" on a flat surface in the order that you will connect them.

And to correctly calculate the number of turns, make a “dry” connection. To do this, screw the filter onto the tap, counting the turns in parallel with this. Traditionally there are no more than five.

When making a “dry” connection, pay attention to which of the coils the sump occupies a position below. After this, unscrew the connection, and wrap a sealant on the threads of the filter thread of the stopcock.

Threaded grooves are wrapped with a sealant, trying to drown it as much as possible in turns, then covered with a thin layer of sanitary paste, and a shut-off valve is screwed on top

When tightening the stopcock, the main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise the connection may simply burst.

When assembled, the design will look like this: the stopcock switch, filter sump and counter dial “look up” and the impeller down.

By measuring the length of the resulting "garland", the worker measures the same distance at the insertion point into the pipeline.

The overlap of the water riser in an apartment building should first be agreed with the employees of the water utility.

Installation sequence:

1. The pipe previously disconnected from the water pressure is cut. When cutting off the site, it is better to substitute the basin, since it is likely that the water remaining in the pipe will slightly drain.
2. A valve or ball shut-off valve with a strainer mounted on it is connected to the pipeline.
3. A pre-assembled block of the water meter is connected to the shut-off valve with a filter, not forgetting to lay a rubber or paranitic gasket of the appropriate diameter.
4. The arrow on the device is oriented in the direction from the cut-off valve embedded in the pipeline. From the side of the sharp end of the imprint of the boom, an American is screwed to the filter, and from the side of the tail a non-return valve.
5. By connecting the counter to the tap, measure the exact location of the reciprocal thread.
6. Cut off the excess pipe. At the end of the pipe, make a thread and mount the fitting.
7. The check valve is unscrewed from the collected water meter and fixed to the prepared counter thread.
8. After the installation is complete, the connection of the "American" with the body of the flowmeter is restored.

When assembling the water metering unit, carefully monitor the direction of the arrows installed on each of the components. Arrow marks in the form of arrows act as a guide, indicating the direction in which water should flow through the meter.

It is impossible to ignore the direction indicating marks, since in this case it is impossible to guarantee the correct operation of the equipment

If during the assembly of the system you confuse the direction of the arrows on the device body, check valve and filter, then when checking the water utility worker seal meter will not allow it.

After all, you can only put into operation a system in which each unit element is correctly installed.

Stage # 4 - System Health Check

To check the correct installation, the assembled structure is connected to the water supply. To do this, slowly open the ball valve, which cuts off the system of the in-house water supply system from the common riser.

After starting the system, all threaded connections are checked for leaks and a leak is detected.

The absence of leaks at the points of insertion into the water supply system indicates that the insertion and connection of the device were completed successfully

If everything is in order, you just have to write an application and wait for the visit of the inspector of the water utility. The controller will check the correct connection, conduct a test run and see if the device is working.

Then it seals the meter with a seal and draws up the commissioning report.

Payment according to the readings of the water meter will be charged from the month following the date of commissioning of the connected meter. For this, the owner of the apartment needs only to transfer the document to the DEZ in a timely manner.

Information on how to take readings and how to correctly transmit them is discussed in detail in our other article.

You may also be interested in information about timing verification meters and the rules for its implementation, set out in our article.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video wizard installation tips:

Video option of installing a water meter in an apartment building:

Self-installation of the counter is a simple procedure. Its main problem is only in bureaucratic ups and downs: filing applications, obtaining and approving permits.

But then in the future it is only necessary to take the metering device every four years for inspection and enjoy the benefits of civilization without overpaying significant amounts.

Have you been installing water meters? Tell us what difficulties you had to overcome at the same time.

Perhaps you encountered problems when registering the device with a water supply organization? Your experience will be of interest to many users who are just thinking about buying meters. Leave comments in the block under this article.