How do you install a water flow meter?

By Oliver Harrison, sales engineer

With hundreds of different water flow meters to choose from, once you’ve decided which one to purchase the next question is: how do you install a water flow meter?

This is something we do almost on a daily basis. There are a number of different steps we go through when installing water flow meters for our clients and good preparation is key to any successful installation.

knowledge is power

We always aim to have as much information to hand as possible before we head to a site to install a water flow meter. It’s essential that we gather all of the details outlined below beforehand. As such, we will either complete a pre-inspection survey or directly ask the client to supply the following information:

• What is the application of the water flow meter? e.g trade effluent, CSO, surface water etc.
• What is the monitoring location? e.g is it a primary structure (v-notch/flume) or pipe (circular/ rectangular/ egg shape etc.)
• What are the monitoring objectives? Application, monitoring objective and monitoring location will all decide on what type of flow meter will be most suited
• What is the site address?
• Are there any access issues or special requirements?
• What is the manhole reference? (if applicable)
• What is the pipe size(s)?
• What is the condition of sewer? – any silt etc.
• Is there a Traffic Management requirement involved for safe installation?
• What are the invert levels?
• Assess the H&S requirements- any specific Site Risks e.g Asbestos?
• What are the site contact details?

the installation

Once we have answers to all of these questions and the relevant information at our fingertips, we can progress to the installation stage and arrange a convenient date and time to visit the site and install the water flow meter.

There are several elements that we always follow to ensure a successful installation. These include:

• Assessment of the site conditions e.g. Weather/Traffic etc.
• If safe to do so, we will sign, light and guard the working area
• We will assess chamber for confined space entry and set up any equipment required
• The ‘Bottom man’ will enter the chamber, identify sensor location and measure pipe size
• The ‘Top Man’ will record gas readings, configure the flow monitor and record details on installation record
• The ‘Bottom man’ will then exit the chamber, set up flow monitor on appropriate hardware
• The ‘Bottom man’ will install the senor and logging unit
• All tools and equipment will be removed from site
• We will make sure site is tidy before we leave

The installation of any water flow meter should always be carried out by a qualified site engineer. If a water flow meter is not installed correctly, it won’t work properly, so if you have any questions relating to installation, please don’t hesitate to contact us.