Today it is rare to meet a person whose apartment is not equipped with water meters. There is no need to talk about electric meters, energy is not supplied without such a device at all. Also, many install such devices for gas, heating. Such an action is not yet mandatory, but the need to save dictates its own rules. What are counters, what types of them can be found on the shelves of Russian stores and how similar is their principle of operation - this will be discussed in today's article.
What is a metering device
A meter is a device capable of converting consumption into a numerical value, according to which payment will be charged according to the tariff rate. Such devices may vary according to the area of \u200b\u200buse. There are the following types of flow meters:
- electricity;
- water both hot and cold;
- gas;
- gigacalories –installed in the heating system.
Such metering devices are used for household needs, however, there is equipment of an industrial type that can work with large volumes. Similar meters are installed in the basements of apartment buildings and are called common house meters.
Design differences of metering devices
Here you can also distinguish several types. The simplest and cheapest devices can only calculate how much energy or fluid is used up. If you pay attention to more expensive devices, then among them you can see transmitting meters that do not require monthly readings by the owner himself. The data is automatically displayed in your personal account on the website of the supplier company or UK.
If we compare the water and heating meters, their designs are radically different. If a disk rotates under pressure in the DHW and cold water meter, which creates a magnetic field and transmits it to an electronic microcircuit or an analog dial, then the situation is different with batteries. A device installed at the coolant inlet to the radiator reads the temperature. The second sensor, connected to the device by a wire, reads the data from the output. Based on the difference in indicators, the microprocessor performs calculations, displaying the consumption of gigacalories. This data can also be transmitted to the management company by the owner or automatically, via the Internet.
Differencesmetering devices by information output method
In order to make it easier to deal with this issue, it makes sense to consider it using the example of various types of electric meters. The most common today are induction devices with an analog dial. Their popularity is due to their low cost with almost absolute reliability. The problem can be called only that all of them are able to take into account only one tariff. Therefore, if the owner needs to take into account the consumption of electrical energy at a reduced price (night), such a device will not suit him. In this case, it is necessary to purchase a different type - electronic meters with a higher cost, capable of switching from one tariff to another at a certain time of the day. Almost all such models are transmitting.
Electronic models are equipped with a liquid crystal display, which displays information about the current date and time, consumption, both instantaneous and for the entire period of operation, as well as what tariff is currently in effect.
Installation locations for metering devices
It all depends on which meter is meant and how it is installed. For example, if it concerns a gigacalorie consumption meter, then there are 2 options - installing a meter on each radiator or an agreement with neighbors and placing devices on the top floor. In this case, the total cost will be shared by all. Despite the fact that the cost of such devices is quite high (from 8000 rubles), they quickly pay off. After all, subject to good insulation of apartmentsradiator taps will almost always be covered. In addition, the overspending recorded by common house meters will not apply to those who have their own.
Electrical meters are most often installed in the stairwell, although some owners move these meters into the apartment. In fact, there is no difference here. The only thing that is not very convenient when the device is at home is the need to provide access to controllers to check the seals and the correct operation of the device.
Water meters must be mounted inside the dwelling, in close proximity to one of the fence points. It can be a sink with a faucet, a shower stall or a cistern in the bathroom.
How many meters should be in the apartment
Here a lot depends on the number of rooms and connected equipment. For example, if 1 electric meter is installed in an ordinary apartment, then in the absence of gas supply, a second one can be installed. Tariffs for such metering devices are usually lower. The second counter is connected separately to the socket for the electric stove, hob, oven.
The number of water meters depends on the area of the apartment. For a one-room apartment with one riser, two metering devices are installed - one each for cold water and hot water. Standard "dvushki", "treshki" - 4 devices.
The average apartment is equipped with six appliances:
- HVS - 2 pcs.;
- DHW - 2 pcs.,
- electricity meter;
- gas flow meter.
Devices for heating systems in Russia are still not widely used. If you want to install them, you will need to calculate the number of radiators (in an apartment building). For private sectors, everything is simpler - only one gigacalorie meter is needed.
Bypassing or cheating counters: is it possible
In Russia, it has always been considered quite natural if a person tries to pay less than it should actually be. Previously, it was easy to stop the counters or even reverse them so that the readings did not increase, but decreased. Now it has become quite problematic to do this.
Older electricity metering devices with a third class of accuracy had a very serious vulnerability. The "craftsmen" swapped the input and outgoing phase wire, as a result of which the counter disk began to spin in the opposite direction. Modern devices do not have this problem. Regardless of the connection order, they will work normally.
The first generation water meters were easily stopped by a conventional ferrite magnet. Newer models have ceased to respond to such a weak field, but again let us recall the nature of the Russian person. Neodymium magnets have appeared on sale that can stop the rotation of the disk inside the counter.
However, utilities are not asleep either. Anti-magnetic stickers and seals were used, on which there is a capsule with a black ball inside. The magnetic field instantly destroys the capsule without the possibility of itrecovery. As a result, the first check will reveal a violation of integrity. After all, in fact, what is a counter? This is a tool by which the supplier company controls its profits, which means that in the future, an adequate response will be thought out for each action of violators.
Video on accuracy classes of water meters
Water meters have not a digital, but an alphabetic designation. It is the letters that mark their accuracy class. You can learn a little new about this from the following video.
Consequences of detecting interference with the metering device
If the controller who came with the check noticed a violation, he draws up an act indicating all the details. After the approval of this document by the head of the housing and communal services or the director of the management company, the owner is charged for payment the amount corresponding to the average calculated tariff for the inter-check time interval. Usually it is 6 months. The amount will depend on the number of people registered in the apartment at the rate of 12 m3 per person. In the absence of documented residents, the amount per person is taken for payment.
Meter replacement: is it always necessary to turn to professionals
Each meter has a certain calibration interval, after which a new one must be installed. Of course, you can dismantle the meter and hand it over to a specialized institution. A verification will be carried out there, according to the results of which the owner will be issued a document according to which the device can be used further. However, thisit is not a quick matter, and hardly anyone wants to sit at home without water or electricity. Therefore, in 99% of cases, people simply change the old meter to a new one.
If we talk about gas metering devices, then here you can’t do without the services of specialists. The owner has no right to replace such a device on his own. But regarding the rest of the counters, the legislation provides for dismantling and installation on their own. The only thing you have to do is to call after the independent replacement of the controller, who will check the correct connection and seal the device.
Firing meter readings: what is the "average"
Almost everyone is used to the fact that on certain dates of each month it is necessary to transfer data on metering devices in person, by phone, via PO boxes or on the Internet. However, this is not always possible. It happens that a person living in an apartment went on a business trip, vacation. What does the management company do if the meter readings are not transferred? Everything is pretty simple. To begin with, the expense for the last 3 months is added up, after which the amount received is divided by 3. The result is an average indicator that does not deviate much from the real one, which fits into the payment. Figures will be correct again when submitting data next month.
Many believe that if you do not file a statement, then there will be no charges, and next month you can pay more. Such profligacy managerscompanies cannot afford it - they also need to pay off suppliers of water, electricity, gas. Therefore, such a "feint" will not work - accruals will be in any case.
Conclusion
From the information presented in today's article, it probably became clear to the reader what a counter is, what types of devices there are and what are the rules for replacing or verifying them. The main thing to remember is that even if the owner managed to bypass the modern ingenious mechanism, the savings will be insignificant, but fines when such actions are detected can hit the pocket hard.
