Energy resources for the population are constantly getting more expensive. Given the high cost of natural gas, property owners try to spend it efficiently and economically, so as not to overpay for errors in accounting or at the rates established by the management company. A correctly selected household gas meter will help to solve this problem. On sale are many models of controllers that vary in device and technical specifications. To make the right decision, you should study the criteria that should be guided when choosing a meter.
The need for a gas meter
Not all residential facilities have a gas meter. This concerns old houses and apartments, when the Government’s decree on the mandatory installation of controllers in private and commercial new buildings was not yet in force.
The need for a gas meter is determined by such factors:
- Overstated standards. They are designed for maximum fuel consumption, but in reality this practically does not happen.
- The presence of a raising coefficient when paying according to the standards. Here, an adjustment is made that a lot more people can live in an apartment than is prescribed in the house book.
- The ability to control fuel consumption, plan costs and save when necessary.
Today, the state requires that a gas meter be installed in each apartment and private house, regardless of the commissioning of the facility. It is better to do this in advance than to execute the order in a hurry, without being able to choose the product model.
Varieties of gas meters
The choice of controllers for gas is quite wide, they differ in device and principle of operation.
Metering devices are divided into the following types:
- Rotational. The actuator is a rotor that converts the movement of gas into rotation of gears connected to a counting mechanism.
- Membrane A chamber type product, where individual parts expand and contract, generating a pulse that rotates the metering board for the missed gas.
- Electronic. Inside is one of the mechanical devices that displays readings on a display that, depending on the model, displays a particular amount of information.
- Volumetric. A turbine is installed inside the casing, which gives indications to a computing device that transmits them directly to the data center.
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- Rotary
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- Turbine
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- Membrane
Each type of device has its pros and cons, scope, cost and scope of use.
Specifications
Gas meters for an apartment vary in size, shape and technical characteristics.
The main ones are:
- appointment - industrial, municipal, household;
- options - thermocompressor, scoreboard;
- degree of filtration of the passed material;
- backstop lock;
- throughput - small, medium, high (m³ / h);
- thread diameter of fittings - for apartments 1/2 inch, for houses - 1 inch or 3/4 inch;
- service life - varies between 20-30 years;
- Intertesting period - 5-12 years.
Information about the characteristics is recorded in the product passport and is one of the conditions for choosing a meter.
Selection rules
Before installing the gas controller, you should familiarize yourself with the scope of its application, depending on the operating conditions and type of premises.
Apartments in a multi-storey building do not have technical rooms, such as a basement, an attic or an extension in the courtyard, so the apartment meter should be small, but have a high degree of reliability, as it is installed in an enclosed space. At the same time, the accuracy of the readings does not matter much if the gas is consumed only for cooking.
In a private house, size is not important, since in most cases appliances are taken out onto the street. Measurement accuracy comes first. Fuel consumption is large, and the error leads to additional costs. It will require the presence of a temperature corrector in the device, which will ensure the accuracy of readings during temperature fluctuations. In addition, the throughput of the device for the home should be at least 15 m³ / h to guarantee the heating of housing and farm buildings in extreme cold.
Pay attention to the date of manufacture of the device. Its service life does not begin to count from the time of commissioning, but from the stamp of the production date, which is placed in the technical passport of the goods.
Permissible temperature range
For apartment and house gas metering devices, different requirements are presented with regard to the temperature range of operation.
For devices that are inside heated rooms, a range from + 5ºС to + 40ºС is set. Such meters do not have options for protection against extreme heat and frost. This affects their cost, since any addition is associated with its increase.
The temperature range of operation of products for installation in a private house is much wider. It varies within ± 50ºС, as the controllers are mounted on the street, where they are not protected from the effects of weather conditions. Even if the meter is installed in the house, there is no guarantee that the autonomous heating will not fail or the building will not be abandoned for the winter.
Gas meter installation
Installation and replacement of the meter is the prerogative of the gas service. Gas is a toxic and explosive fuel; it can only be installed by high-class specialists with the appropriate approval.
There are such rules for the installation of gas meters:
- the ceiling height of the room is at least 220 cm;
- the availability of effective and working ventilation;
- free access for inspection and maintenance;
- correspondence of the diameter of the fitting to the pipes and the orientation of the device to the eyeliner;
- a distance of at least 140 cm from the floor, 50 cm from the heating devices of the sink and bath.
The installation location of the controller is indicated in the technical specifications. It is forbidden to carry out an independent transfer of the device to a new place.
Advantages and disadvantages
Even the most modern and compact counter has its pros and cons.
The advantages of commercially available products:
- modern design;
- reliability;
- safety;
- wide selection of models;
- accuracy of measurements;
- ease of installation;
- long term of operation.
Disadvantages of metering devices:
- fairly high cost;
- obtaining permission to install;
- replacement only by agreement;
- loud noise of some models;
- error with temperature change;
- the need for periodic calibration and verification.
Initial investments in the controller will quickly pay off and save you from problems when communicating with control authorities.
