# Tattle tell on water meter



## Plumbnman (Jun 24, 2011)

I have a house that the tattle tell or leak detector on the meter is moving back and forth. It doesn't actually spin forward, it moves a quarter to half turn and then rotates back to the original position. This house is in a new subdidvision that has maybe 10 out of 40 houses built with only 3 occupied. This house has 2 50 gallon electric water heaters in parallel. We have pressure tested the house all the way to the meter, with no leak. I think it is just the natural surge of water in the city's system. The builder wants me to "fix" it. He has an anal buyer who has spent hours on the internet and phone with the meter manufacturer and the city water department. He is not wanting to close on the house. Any other ideas? Sorry for the long winded post.

Plumbnman


----------



## Plumbnman (Jun 24, 2011)

i forgot to mention that when you close the valve to water heaters the rocking back and forth stops. We installed a spring check valve and "problem" went away.


----------



## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

Sounds like you solved the mystery. Sounds like back pressure/water expansion. Does the water heater have an expansion tank?


----------



## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> Sounds like you solved the mystery. Sounds like back pressure/water expansion. Does the water heater have an expansion tank?


WHAT SHOOT POSTED !
THERMAL EXPANSION, PUSHING BACK THOUGH METER WHEN WATER COOLS OR 
SMALL DRAW OF WATER :whistling 2:

sorry guys i keep my caps lock on and sometimes forget before posting 
jmac

and yes Plumbnman you need a thermal expansion tank installed on cold water at water heaters


----------



## titaniumplumbr (Jun 11, 2014)

Pinholes can cause this also

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

It was expansion releasing pressure back into the main. It will only happen when the water heater heats.Once you installed the check valve it prohibited the release of expansion back into the potable system.spot on Jerry.

They do not require back flow devices on residential there?


----------



## FRMA2Z (Mar 30, 2014)

Shows the importance of a back flow preventer ... Closes the system tight thermal expansion is a powerful condition if not dealt with correctly ..


----------



## Plumbnman (Jun 24, 2011)

Yes, we did install an expansion tank with the check valve. It was rocking back and forth constantly, not just when the heaters were heating. Normally backflow preventers are not required on houses. Irrigation or fire sprinkler systems call for RP devices, but only on that portion of the system. That would also require expansion tanks on every water heater. We only install an expansion tank on recirc systems with check valves.
Thanks for the responses!!


----------



## plumberkc (Jun 23, 2011)

He added extra maintenance with the backflow and expansion tank. Should have just left it as is, an open loop system. Water Heaters last longer when they can push that extra volume back out.


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

What is the supplied pressure?


----------



## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

Went to a house today doing the same thing water pressure was at 130 psi. They also had those crappy acorn stops and every time you shut off a sink or shower valve too quick. It would cause the acorn stops to pop to the off position. Told the lady what she needed to fix the problem. Waiting for her to talk to the hubby so she can spend the money. Told her she's flirting with a disaster!


----------



## titaniumplumbr (Jun 11, 2014)

3KP said:


> Went to a house today doing the same thing water pressure was at 130 psi. They also had those crappy acorn stops and every time you shut off a sink or shower valve too quick. It would cause the acorn stops to pop to the off position. Told the lady what she needed to fix the problem. Waiting for her to talk to the hubby so she can spend the money. Told her she's flirting with a disaster!


 130 psi wow why so high usually res. won't font go over 70

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

titaniumplumbr said:


> 130 psi wow why so high usually res. won't font go over 70
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


It would all depend on how big of a hill they have to get the water to the top of....


----------

