Ever wondered how a water metre works? Well,a water meter is mechanical devices that measures the flow of water entering your house.
A meter is read monthly. By the way, different types of water metres exist. Read about the 4 common water metres used today.
The meter only records the water used. The meter can not distinguish how the water is used. Example: If you have a leak, the meter records the water in the same way that it would if you were washing dishes, washing clothes or watering your plants.
Water meters are very accurate and each meter is factory tested and comes with certification of the accurately measured at low, medium, and high flow. New meters are 99% to 101% accurate from the factory and meet industry standards.
How a water metre works
A Water metre works on the principle of Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction.Water enters a precision-machined chamber containing a disc which nutates (wobbles). The position of the disc divides the chamber into compartments containing an exact volume. Liquid pressure drives the disc to wobble and a roller cam causes the nutating disc to make a complete cycle.
The movements of the disc are transmitted by gear train to an indicator/totalizer or pulse transmitter. Close clearances between the disc and chamber ensure minimum leakage for accurate and repeatable measurement of each volume cycle.
The nutating disc shown above rotates counter clockwise as water passes through the meter. The disc is carried on a ball and socket that allows it to freely rotate. The cycles are converted to rotary motion by the measuring spindle.
In turn the meter and register gears perform the turn and the result is shown on the meter in cubic feet.
Your water consumption is read and billed in 100 cubic feet similar to how your natural gas is read and billed. And that is how a water metre works.
Also Read
4 common water metres used in Kenya
Installation of water meters: Instructions and Guidelines