Flow meters

[penman]

Any suggestions for a decent priced flowmeter for our rural dept. It would be nice to get our gpm and pressures in real world figures. It would make it much easier and safer for our volunteer pump operators. Many thanks in advance.

[CaptOldTimer]

Check this. You will have to call them for a list price.

http://www.akronbrass.com/uploadedFi...ing-Gauges.pdf


http://www.akronbrass.com/uploadedFi...-Flow-Test.pdf

[KirkEAllen]

The best FL on the market is made by Fire Research and it is a field calibratable digital flow meter. They make the same one with a standard analog gauge for Elkhart to sell under the Elkhart name. I prefer the digital.

Although the flow meter can read flow and pressure, the pressure realy doesnt tell you anything other than the pressure at the flow tube, which is not going to be the same as either the nozzle or the EDP.
http://www.fireresearch.com/product.php?id=fta400

You will need an inline pressure gague, a handheld pitot (used to calibrate the flowmeter), a smooth bore (15/16ths preference for handline flows), and the flow meter.

Dont get snookered into the sales pitch from some companies that their meter doesnt need calibrated. THEY DO!

I use a flow meter on average 3 times a week and each and every time we calibrate it for accuracy. I have seen and used the so called, precalibrated flow meters and 99% of the time they are off by as much as 30gpm.

If you go with the Fire Research flowmeter I would suggest getting the large "4" or 5" flow tube as that way you can test LDH flows as well.

[Marmoraguy]

TFT makes a digital flow meter.....I'm not posting a link to it as they will have a new web site up soon and the link may be broken by then.

[penman]

The best FL on the market is made by Fire Research and it is a field calibratable digital flow meter. They make the same one with a standard analog gauge for Elkhart to sell under the Elkhart name. I prefer the digital.

Although the flow meter can read flow and pressure, the pressure realy doesnt tell you anything other than the pressure at the flow tube, which is not going to be the same as either the nozzle or the EDP.
http://www.fireresearch.com/product.php?id=fta400

You will need an inline pressure gague, a handheld pitot (used to calibrate the flowmeter), a smooth bore (15/16ths preference for handline flows), and the flow meter.

Dont get snookered into the sales pitch from some companies that their meter doesnt need calibrated. THEY DO!

I use a flow meter on average 3 times a week and each and every time we calibrate it for accuracy. I have seen and used the so called, precalibrated flow meters and 99% of the time they are off by as much as 30gpm.

If you go with the Fire Research flowmeter I would suggest getting the large "4" or 5" flow tube as that way you can test LDH flows as well.

Just wondering Kirk, can I save $$ and get real world figures using just a handheld pitot and a pressure gauge before the nozzle? $$ is always scarce in rural depts.

[KirkEAllen]

Just wondering Kirk, can I save $$ and get real world figures using just a handheld pitot and a pressure gauge before the nozzle? $$ is always scarce in rural depts.
Yesterday 07:30 PM

Penman,
You can get real figures for the smooth bores with a handheld pitot and using the SB flow formula.

The challeng with using "just" a pressure gauge at the nozzle inlet is that it wont tell you what your flowing. Yes, most of the constant gallonage nozzles will flow there rated flow at a given pressure but if your using automatics, forget it. The only way to flow test an automatic properly is with a flow meter and a pressure gauge. The pressure must be within the limits at the nozzles rated minimum and maximum flow. No way to tell that without the flow meter and I have seen brand new out of the box automatic nozzles not function properly.

If I was going to reccomend one tool that every department have, its a complete flow test kit like those I mentioned. You could raffle off a gun and make enough to buy everything. We raffle one gun a year with little effort and normally profit over $1000. If we worked at it I am sure we could double the profit, thus being able to buy all of the tools we need to ensure our flows are known.

As far as the digital show flow, it may get you close but from what I have been told you cant calibrate it in the field, but its better than nothing.