Heat meters for heating economically and profitably

The principle of operation of the counter on the battery

Let us consider in more detail the heating meter how it works, and what factors can affect its functioning.

A heat meter is installed in order to determine the volume of coolant in the radiator, as well as to measure the water temperature level.

If the wiring in the house is horizontal, the unit is mounted on a horizontal pipe. At the same time, one device per apartment is enough. But with vertical pipe routing, a separate meter will have to be installed for each battery.

It should be noted that the heating meter in the apartment is quite accurate. But there are a number of factors that can have a strong influence on the device and cause some error. For instance:

The circulation of the coolant is disturbed, a low flow rate is observed.
There is a thermal difference, which is less than +30 degrees.
The installation of the meter is illiterate. For example, temperature sensors are installed incorrectly.
The quality of the pipeline, the water is poor. For example, water is too hard and has various impurities like sand, rust.

What are the types of heating meters?

Depending on the installation method, the heating meter can be common and individual. In the case of a common building option, a metering device is purchased one for the entire high-rise building. Despite the fact that the meter is expensive, it will be quite affordable for the owner of each apartment. After all, the total price will be divided among all tenants. Despite the availability of purchasing a heat metering unit, the savings may not be high due to the fact that some apartments may be poorly insulated. As a result, everyone will have to pay.

Therefore, many people prefer to install an individual meter on the heating battery. to pay only for the heat actually received by the apartment. True, such a device is not suitable for every room. For example, installing a meter in an old house with a vertical type of wiring can be quite problematic. After all, the device is installed on the riser. And in such houses there are several of them. Putting a counter on each riser is very expensive. In this case, distributors are used.

Also, all heating meters for an apartment according to the principle of operation can be classified into:

Ultrasonic. Most often used. They are considered the most accurate, durable and reliable. The error can be caused by particles of debris getting on the signal receiver, the formation of air bubbles.
Mechanical. Suitable for use in polluted or saline circulating fluids.
Electromagnetic. Pretty accurate. Differ in stable work.
Vortex. The principle of operation is that data on the strength of the resulting vortices are compared after the passage of the circulating fluid.

Features of installing a heating meter

It should be noted that self-installation of heating meters in an apartment is unacceptable. This may result in refusal of registration, and the personal account will not be reissued.

It is also important to remember that every four years the unit should be given for inspection

To install the device, you need to carry out a number of actions:

get permission;
study the technical conditions;
create a project, it must be agreed with the heat supply company;
install the unit.

How much will it cost to install a heating meter?

For those who want to spend money wisely, a heat meter is the best investment option. Of course, the price of the device is considerable. But if you consider that the acquisition pays off quickly enough, then the counter is not so expensive.For a heating meter, the general house price is more affordable than for a unit installed individually for one apartment.

The cost of devices depends on the type and manufacturer. It must be remembered that in addition to buying the device itself, you will have to spend money on its installation. After all, installation should only be carried out by a professional. I must say that the price of heating meters includes, in addition to the equipment itself, some components: shut-off valves, control valve, filter. On average, the cost is from 9000 rubles. If we add to this the cost of installation, the amount can rise to 20,000 rubles.

It is very profitable to buy meters in bulk: at the same time, the price for a heating meter will be slightly lower. This is possible, for example, if other residents plan to install this unit in the entrance for their apartments.

Communal meters for heating in an apartment building

The owners of apartments living in MKD have the right to resolve the situation with high heat consumption by installing an IPU instead of a common house meter. However, this is not the most economical way, because the price of equipment is high. The total cost should be divided by all owners and then the amount will be acceptable.

Readings are taken from a common meter on a monthly basis by employees of the management company or HOA. Payment is made in accordance with the footage of each residential area. Additionally, the rule of subsidies and recalculation applies. The latter option implies a refund if the temperature of the batteries and the ambient air in the apartment does not meet the standards.

Who installs

A heat meter is installed based on the decision of the residents of the apartment building. To do this, a meeting is initiated where the installation is discussed. Additionally, they determine who will inspect the ODI element, take readings, and also generate invoices for payment.

The decision is recorded in the protocol, then a statement of consent to install the equipment is sent to the Criminal Code. The main purpose of installing a common house appliance is a low price. But as a result, economic feasibility may not have the expected effect. For example, in old houses there is insufficient thermal insulation, which leads to increased resource consumption.

The formula for calculating heating according to a common house meter

P_i = ( V_i + (S_i x (Vd - ∑V_i)) / Sb) x Tm,

where:

P_i- the volume of payment for heating for one real estate object, received according to the results of the calculation (rubles);
S_i - footage of the apartment or non-residential premises;
Sob - total m2 of MKD;
Vd is an indicator of energy consumption based on the FLL, if calculated within a season or from an average volume over 12 months;
Тт is the current tariff in the region for the resource;
V_i – individual heat consumption;
∑V_i - the total volume of the house.

How to present evidence correctly

An apartment heat meter is functionally much simpler than a modern mobile phone, but users periodically have misunderstandings about the process of taking and sending display readings.

To prevent such situations, before starting the procedure for taking and transferring readings, it is recommended to carefully study his passport, which provides answers to most questions related to the characteristics and maintenance of the device.

Depending on the design features of the device, data collection is carried out in the following ways:

From the liquid crystal display by visual fixation of readings from various sections of the menu, which are switched by the button.
ORTO transmitter, which is included in the basic package of European devices. The method allows you to display on a PC and print extended information about the operation of the device.
The M-Bus module is included in the delivery of individual meters in order to connect the device to the network of centralized data collection by heat supply organizations.So, a group of devices is combined into a low-current network with a twisted pair cable and connected to a hub that periodically polls them. After that, a report is generated and delivered to the heat supply organization, or displayed on a computer display.
The radio module supplied with some meters transmits data wirelessly over distances of up to several hundred meters. When the receiver enters the range of the signal, the readings are recorded and delivered to the heat supply organization. So, the receiver is sometimes attached to a garbage truck, which, when following the route, collects data from nearby counters.

Archiving readings

All electronic heat meters store in the archive data on the accumulated indicators of thermal energy consumption, operating and idle time, coolant temperature in the forward and return pipelines, total operating time and error codes.

By default, the device is configured for various archiving modes:

hourly;
daily;
monthly;
annual.

Some of the data, such as total operating time and error codes, can only be read using a PC and special software installed on it.

Transfer of readings via the Internet

One of the most convenient ways to transfer readings of consumed heat energy to institutions for its accounting is transmission via the Internet. Its convenience and practicality lies in the ability to independently control payments and debts, as well as track heat consumption in different periods without staying in queues and spending a small amount of time.

To do this, you must have a personal computer connected to the network and the address of the website of the controlling organization, as well as the login and password of your personal account, after entering which a form for entering readings will open. To prevent the occurrence of disagreements in the event of a possible failure or malfunction on the site, it is advisable to take “screenshots” of the screen after entering information.

Features of calculating the cost of payment for heating

The heating standard is calculated based on the amount of heat energy that was consumed by an apartment building in one heating period. At the same time, the volume of heat consumed is divided by 12 months and by the total area of residential apartments. So throughout the year, heating services are paid evenly. And how you can regulate the temperature of the heating battery, you can find out here.

By installing the meter on the battery, the payment for heating in the summer will not be charged.

The owner of the apartment will pay according to the received heat. If there is a device that measures heating, its data must be taken monthly and submitted to the appropriate services.

Is it profitable to install individual heat meters

After you go through all the vicissitudes of paperwork, installation of a heat meter and its commissioning, you will receive the following benefits:

payment for the heat used by you, and not some average costs throughout the building;
it will be possible to save thermal energy when it is not required;
investing in the insulation of the walls of the apartment, you will not only protect your home from the cold, but will also pay less for heating in fact.

The payback of the project depends on many factors, ranging from how much the meter costs for heating and installation services. Practice shows that payment for the device is reduced by an average of 25-30% compared to the tariffs applied in the absence of heat meters.

Advice. There is a simple way to make sure of the benefits of organizing individual heat energy metering. Analyze how much you paid for centralized heating 2-5 years ago and follow the trend of rising tariffs. Note that the increase in energy prices will not stop in the future.

Such a thermal head allows not only to regulate the temperature, but also to change it according to the time of day.

Controlling the actual heat consumption is the first step to saving it. The second is the installation of valves with thermal heads on the batteries, which limit the heating of the air in the rooms, which is described in detail in this article. If you buy programmable thermal heads, then during your absence the temperature in the premises can be reduced by 3-4 °C. The third step is thermal insulation of walls and ceilings with floors (if necessary).

Types of thermal heating devices

The main types of heat meters include:

Tachometric or mechanical;
Ultrasonic;
Electromagnetic;
Vortex.

And there is also a classification by scope. For example, industrial or individual.

An industrial heat meter for heating is a common house (in apartment buildings) device, it is also installed at production facilities. This unit has a large diameter from 2.5 cm to 30 cm. The range of coolant quantity is from 0.6 to 2.5 m3 per hour.

An individual heating device is the unit that is installed inside the apartment. It differs in that its channels have a small diameter, namely no more than 2 cm. And also the range of the amount of coolant becomes from 0.6 to 2.5 m3 per hour. This meter is equipped with 2 devices, namely, a heat meter and a meter for hot water.

Electromagnetic heating meter

This is an expensive model of thermal devices, and is one of the most accurate devices. The principle of operation of an electromagnetic meter is to pass the coolant through the device, while the electromagnetic field conducts a weak current. This device needs to be maintained, that is, periodically cleaned.

Rice. 4 Electromagnetic heat meters

The electromagnetic device consists of 3 main parts:

primary converter;
An electronic unit that can operate both from batteries and from the mains;
temperature sensors.

In this case, the electromagnetic thermal device can be installed in any position (horizontal, vertical, or at an angle), but this is only in the case when the area where the meter is installed is constantly filled with coolant.

If the diameter of the pipe does not match the diameter of the device flange, then adapters can be used.

Installation of an individual heat meter

Before you install a heating meter in a separate apartment of a multi-storey building, you will need to perform a number of activities and actions, otherwise connecting the device will not be appropriate and legal.

Step one . It is necessary to eliminate the existing sources of heat loss, including cracks in the windows, insufficiently insulated entrance doors, and freezing corners. Only after this, the installation of a heat meter will result in significant savings in money.

step two . The management company (ZHEK, HOA) must provide the owner of the apartment with technical conditions (TU) - they attribute the requirements that must be met in order to connect the apartment heat meter. Usually the text of the conditions takes up an A4 sheet. It certainly indicates information about the temperature and pressure of the coolant entering the pipeline of a particular house.

Step Three . Knowing these parameters, you can start buying a heat meter without fail in a company that works legally. When purchasing the device, you must require a sales receipt and cash receipt, a certificate confirming the quality, rules and instructions for use.

Step Four . In the design organization, on the basis of the technical specifications provided by the management company, you should order a design solution for installing a heat meter in an apartment. The design company must have a license for this type of work.

Step Five . A measuring thermal device is being installed by employees of a licensed organization specializing in this type of service.

When choosing a company, it is advisable to pay attention to a number of nuances:

for the availability of information about the organization in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities;
for the presence of a package of necessary documentation, including certificates, certificates, permits of SROs;
availability of qualified specialists;
availability of special equipment;
to perform a full list of installation works;
availability of a free visit of a specialist to the client’s apartment in order to inspect communications;
availability of warranties for the work performed.

Step Six . When the installation of the heat meter is completed, the representative of the management company (ZHEK, HOA) must seal it and sign the acceptance certificate for the device.

Selecting a heat meter

There are several types of accounting units according to the principle of operation, but 3 of them are most suitable for installation in an apartment:

mechanical (otherwise - tachometric);
ultrasonic;
overhead sensors for batteries.

Mechanical meters for heating are called so because the water flow in them is determined using an impeller immersed in the coolant. By means of 2 sensors mounted in the supply and return pipelines of the heaters, the temperature difference is calculated. Based on these data, the electronic unit calculates the consumption of thermal energy. Tachometric heat meters are characterized by the lowest cost, but at the same time they are sensitive to the quality of the coolant.

For reference. Heat supply organizations do not favor mechanical metering units, not only because of incorrect work with a bad coolant. According to experts, the design of the device does not protect it from external interference in order to underestimate the readings.

Ultrasonic heat meters are good in every way. They do not care what the quality of the liquid medium in the pipe will be, since its flow rate is determined by the ultrasound passing through the working section. The temperature difference is shown by the same sensors on the supply and return. The cost of such a device is at least 15% higher than that of a mechanical one, but the management company recommends them for installation. The reason is clear - it will not be possible to intervene in the operation of an ultrasonic apartment meter.

Heat meters installed on the battery measure the temperature of its surface and indoor air. After that, the electronic unit calculates the amount of heat consumed, based on the data on the nameplate power of the radiator, entered manually. Such devices are unlikely to be put into operation by a service provider, but if there is a common house metering station, they will help to calculate the share of each apartment in the total energy consumption. But for this it is necessary that heat meters be installed in all rooms.

How to choose the right heat meter for heating

Installation of a common house meter by employees of the housing and communal services.

Ultrasonic heat meters are able to measure the time that the liquid in the heat exchanger passes from the source to the signal receiver. This type of device is durable and reliable. Works exclusively in clean water, without impurities and precipitation. If scales, bubbles and scale appear in the coolant, then there is a distortion in the measurements. That is, its benefit is equated to zero. Such counters need to be checked as often as possible, so you will extend their service life. Ultrasonic counters are frequency, time, correlation and Doppler.

The vortex type heat meter is a device that can be installed on a horizontal and vertical radiator (its pipelines). Vortices serve as an evaluating device. They are formed due to an obstacle on the way to the coolant. Such devices are sensitive to air, welding and the presence of impurities in the water. Therefore, a filter is required. However, various deposits in pipelines do not interfere with the performance of the meter, which is one of the advantages of such devices.Vortex meters are demanding on the size of the pipeline, so the devices are purchased in accordance with the parameters of the pipes.

An electromagnetic meter installed in an apartment works on the principle of the appearance of current at the moment when water passes through a magnetic field. The devices have metrological stability, that is, they are safe in operation. The readings become inaccurate if the radiator is filled with liquid with impurities or the wires are poorly connected during installation.

How to choose a company to install a heat meter for heating?

The company to which you can apply for the installation of such devices must meet the following requirements:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5C7r-yEelDE

Departure of employees should be free, with the necessary recommendations.
Specialists are only qualified, with work experience. There is a specific scheme of work and equipment for installation.
The firm must have documentation that confirms their activities. They may also provide certificates, certificates or SRO approvals.
Registration in the Unified State Register of Legal Entities.
Providing guarantees for work.
It is desirable to have benefits for pensioners and the disabled.
Form of payment for their services. Possibility of installment.
Implementation of the subsequent dismantling of meters.

Now you know what the counters are for, what they consist of, the principle of operation of these devices. You also got acquainted with the types of heat meters and their technical characteristics, methods of installation and payment for heating. Therefore, you can purchase such a device in an apartment, it will bring you considerable benefits.

What does the user get from installing a heat meter

The cost of heating increases every year. Some people are trying to solve this problem through a more economical attitude to heat: they put up new windows, insulate their home. Modern double-glazed windows are energy efficient and allow you to save about 30% of heat.

Very often, the owner of the house has to pay a lot of money during the heating season. At the same time, batteries do not always heat the room at the proper level. As a result, a person pays for what he does not receive. In this case, heating meters are a great option to save money. By installing a meter in an apartment, you can save about 40% of the total payment for heating services. The installation of a measuring device pays off within 3 to 6 months of the heating season.

Sometimes poor heating is associated with the negligence of service workers, with the operator's unwillingness to lose money to achieve the required parameters of the coolant. If the apartment has a heating meter, this can be a weighty argument in the event of a lawsuit with utilities.

How a heat meter works, types and characteristics of these devices

Today, a heating meter is very profitable, since such a device saves money. This happens because after its establishment, payment for heat will be carried out according to tariffs. This means that the meter will only count the amount of heat energy that comes in, and there will be no need to overpay. As prices rise, people are more and more concerned about how to save money.

An important item of expenditure in every family is payment for heat energy. To save money in this direction, there is a heat meter for heating.

When buying a meter for heating, it includes (Fig. 1):

Directly counter, that is, a device that counts the amount of coolant.
Temperature sensors. There should be 2 of them. They give readings about the temperature of water heating, which enter the main electronic module.
As well as other components that are included individually, depending on the type of device.

Rice. 1 Package contents of the device

How to install a heat meter in an apartment

The easiest way is to install an overhead device, for this you do not need to hire anyone or cut pipes. It is enough to attach it to the battery. Another thing is mechanical heat meters, here you will have to block the risers, drain the water and dismantle the pipe section. The same applies to ultrasonic devices that are cut directly into the pipeline. As mentioned above, in order to carry out such work, it is necessary to have permission and a finished project in hand. And for successful acceptance into operation, the installation must be carried out by a licensed company, which will be confirmed by the relevant act of work performed.

In the event that you decide to get to work on your own, first carefully study the instructions for the heat meter. There are recommendations for installation and operation, which must be followed strictly. By the way, for tachometric and ultrasonic devices, it is necessary to provide a measured section of a certain length. That is, before and after the apparatus there should be a straight pipe without turns and bends.

For reference. The length of the measuring section for a mechanical meter is 3 pipe diameters before the flowmeter and 1 diameter after it. The requirements for ultrasonic flow meters are higher, where a straight section of at least 5 diameters is needed before the meter and 3 after (depending on the manufacturer).

Now about whether it is possible to put an apartment heat meter on the return pipeline. Most manufacturers offer models that are installed on any highway, the main thing is to correctly install the resistance thermal converters (temperature sensors). Usually they are screwed into a tee or a special tap that has a separate pipe for this purpose.