Contents:
- Devices for accounting for consumed gas
- Electricity meters
- Hot and cold water meters
Elements of electricity, hot and cold water, gas meters operate in a constant mode, which leads to their rapid deterioration or complete failure. The efficiency of the components has a direct effect on the values obtained, as well as the figures in the payment receipts. Sooner or later, each owner asks a question - through how many to change counters, what regulatory documents regulate this process? Terms can vary significantly depending on the technical characteristics and purpose of the meter.
Devices for accounting for consumed gas
The gas meter belongs to complex technical devices. Over time, wear occurs, some details are deformed. As a result, the device gives incorrect readings - the values can be either significantly underestimated or overestimated. The first verification of the device is carried out at the time specified in the technical passport.
advice The lack of periodic verification leads to undesirable consequences for the homeowner. Indications of such a gas meter will not be taken into account, and charges for used natural resources are made in accordance with regulatory documents.
Usually a meter in an apartment or house is used for 10 years. The gas meter has its own service life, and it is counted from the moment of its manufacture, and not the purchase or installation. The throughput of the device is important.
What are the devices?
- Industrial.
- Municipal and household.
- Household.
Devices differ from each other in technical parameters, service life and design features. One of their main characteristics is the volume of gas that passes through the device per unit of time. At some devices installed in private houses or apartments, the service life is 20 years or more. Gas is passed through the device according to the parameters specified in the technical passport. This allows you to determine the type of system on which the device can be installed.
The homeowner himself is sometimes able to determine when to change the gas meter. If, with the saved heating or operating mode, the plates obtained during the month are seriously different, it is in the interests of the owner of the room to carry out an unscheduled verification.
There are several factors affecting the service life and helping to understand how many times to change instruments:
- there is no dust filter or its cells do not comply with the established standards;
- low bandwidth;
- high humidity in the room;
- incorrect installation of the meter.
It is necessary to change the gas meter after 8-10 years. This is the date specified in the technical passport of most household appliances.
But if the owner does not want to buy a new meter, he can send the old meter to the lab. If its ability to correctly determine the throughput is confirmed, then its further use is allowed. How much the check takes depends on the employment of the services and the technical specifications of the device, the approximate period is 20 days. While the meter is in the laboratory, the amount of payment will be calculated in accordance with the heated area.
Electricity meters
An electricity meter is a device whose indications are taken into account when paying for light at the end of each month. Most consumers only know about its location in the room and few people - about the technical characteristics. If the apartment recently did not have new appliances, and the old ones are in the usual mode, then there should not be any significant digital changes in the receipts for electricity.
When you need to change the counters, you can tell about it such signs:
- poor-quality rotation of the induction-counter disk or its complete absence;
- the indicator of the electronic counter does not show the parameters to be determined;
- lack of tightness of the meter body, the presence of through holes, chips or cracks;
- breakdown of the sight glass;
- incorrect display of the amount of energy spent in receipts for electricity.
Often there are situations when the device works when all devices in the apartment are disconnected from the power source. In everyday life, this phenomenon is called "self-propelled".You can solve the problem with a simple experiment - you just have to turn off all the switches on the panel, leaving the input one on. Electric meters are subject to immediate replacement if the disk on the meter continues to rotate. Otherwise, the device will continue to wind up unrealistic indications, and the landlord regularly pays for receipts for electricity.
Council
Each meter in the apartment must comply with the requirements of regulatory documents. One of them is the accuracy class. The parameters of only those devices are taken into account, the value of this standard is 2.5 or more. All other electricity meters are subject to immediate replacement.
The normal parameters of the accuracy class do not exclude errors in receipts for electricity. The corresponding organization may unexpectedly present to the owner of the premises the requirements for verification due to unreliability of the received data.
It is necessary to carry out a preliminary survey of the meter:
- to disconnect all devices from electricity sources in the apartment;
- values of electricity meters must be recorded;
- connect one device whose power consumption is well known( excellent option - a conventional light bulb);
- check the meter reading in an hour.
Increasing the device's digital parameters by the expected value indicates that the device is fully operational. A small deviation in either direction is permissible if it falls within the specified error limits.
How often it is necessary to change the counters, you can find out in the subscriber department of the power supply organization. An important defining parameter is the calibration interval. During this time period the manufacturer guarantees the uninterrupted operation of the meter. The service life varies from 6 to 16 years. At the end, the landlord changes the device to a new one or checks its serviceability in the power supply organization.
Hot and cold water meters
The consumption of hot and cold water is also monitored by counters. After how many years the device is to be replaced, you can find out when buying the device. Its service life is indicated in the technical passport and depends on the model of the device.
For household needs, counters are used:
- electronic;
- mechanical.
Each water measuring device has a definite period of use, during which the calibration services and the manufacturer guarantee the efficiency of its operation. Water meters are installed by the law on the appropriate water supply line. The fault that occurs during operation becomes a frequent cause of incorrect data transfer. Before the release of metering devices, each manufacturer conducts tests, establishing an experienced warranty period. A quality water meter works without breakdowns for 20 years or more.
Monitoring services force the meter to be changed if it is misused. The effective operation of the recording devices can be influenced by:
- impurities and foreign objects in the water;
- pressure drops.
To determine the resulting damage, an inter-calibration interval is established - the time interval between the next inspections of devices and their manufacture. With its help, the controlling consumption of the service determines how often it is necessary to change the water meters in a given room.
The test period depends on the purpose of the device:
- cold water meter - 6 years;
- hot water meter - 4 years.
If, after research, it turns out that the device is not working properly, the homeowners are changing the device to a new one. Hot water has a more negative effect on the components, which explains the difference in the timing of the tests.
Sometimes you have to change the water meters before the next inspection period. In what cases is this happening?
- If there are no objective reasons for the significant difference in monthly indications.
- If the correct operation of the dial or motion indicator is questionable.
The cause of the malfunction can only be clarified by an authorized organization specialist. He also tells you whether you need to change the counters or they are subject to repair. If a malfunction is found in the device, do not delay the purchase of a new one for a long time. The controlling authority quickly discovers damage to the meter. It is still necessary to change the water meters, otherwise a full recalculation will be made, which will result in a substantial amount.
Through how many to change counters, it is possible to specify in the organizations which are responsible for correct operation of metering devices. The owner of the premises, which correctly approaches the questions of regular checks, similarly avoids the penalty sanctions. Do you need to change the meters in the near future, will prompt the technical passport attached to the device. Periods of periodic inspections should be specified in the documents issued by the supervising authorities.