# Water Meters



## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Lets just say someone flips there water meter backwards in the box, would the numbers roll backwards, or stay stationary?


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

Our meters up here would start to read backwards, But I seen tamper proof water meters in other communities.


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## waldrop (Dec 18, 2009)

yes they will run backwards . a big magnet will stop the regester from turning on small meters


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

They will run backwards. Also, you can hook them up to a good compressor and tehy will fly backwards.



Ron said:


> Lets just say someone flips there water meter backwards in the box, would the numbers roll backwards, or stay stationary?


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## AKdaplumba (Jan 12, 2010)

is there not a built in check valve with the meter>?


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Protech said:


> They will run backwards. Also, you can hook them up to a good compressor and tehy will fly backwards.


 
I've heard of people getting huge water bills cuz the meter was installed backwards


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Not in the ones they use around here.



AKdaplumba said:


> is there not a built in check valve with the meter>?


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## ILPlumber (Jun 17, 2008)

The dual check is in the loop, not the meter itself.


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

If you install a meter backwards you can cause the meter register to lose water used reading.

When a developer or property owner builds in my system I make them install a meter yoke with a built-in dual-check. The dual check is on the inlet side of where the meter would install so if the meter register reading is off we would know it was not from back-pressure. I am about 99.9% sure no one would ever do it to cheat our system.

Mark


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

Looking to fill the pool?:laughing:


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

Mine is backwards, they have been sending me checks for years......:whistling2:













J/K:jester:


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## futz (Sep 17, 2009)

AKdaplumba said:


> is there not a built in check valve with the meter>?


Here they have double checks in the downstream end of the meter setters. I always immediately remove those frickin stupid things and dispose of them where they won't be found, ever. They do nothing but cause trouble.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

They should allow you to feed water back to the grid just like electricity.


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## TheSkinnyGuy (Sep 15, 2009)

around here they've been messing with electronic meters... not sure about the details of them, but I am pretty sure they DON"T roll backwards.


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## OldSchool (Jan 30, 2010)

pauliplumber said:


> Mine is backwards, they have been sending me checks for years......:whistling2:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey it happens :laughing: 

Had a meter spacer in and forgot to take it out and yes they sent me a check


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## LEAD INGOT (Jul 15, 2009)

When I do a new house I install a 1" x 7" sch 80 nipple between the meter spuds. The builder gets a flat rate from the city during construction. Then when the home is done the water department installs the meter. I've gone back to a few of them at least a year later to finish a basement bath, and damn if that nipple isn't still there. Oops water dept.


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

house plumber said:


> I've heard of people getting huge water bills cuz the meter was installed backwards


 
I should say it was from a new meter installed. thats why the bill was large. I heard it on the news maybe 6 years ago.


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## BROOKLYN\PLUMB (May 21, 2010)

in NYC meter flanges\couplings are sealed even ports on dcda's must be plugged & drilled for seal wire. But i'm sure we could get around that:whistling2:


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## breid1903 (Feb 8, 2009)

lawn sprinkler systems. breid...................:rockon:


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## izzyduke (Sep 13, 2012)

This is why I'm fighting with the morons at my local utility ..when they do main service.. They drain down everyone's system...the meters go backwards that's fine....but when they charge it back up ..I am paying for air to the equivalent that I lost and after that I pay again for water to fill my system...times that by whole street of customers and that's a lot of loss...nevermind I'm the guy on top of the hill who gets all the air displaced from lower houses...what can you do? Can't argue with the local monopoly...


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## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

Saddle tee before meter box?


I think my grass deserves the finest.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

The new ones we have don't register.


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## plumbing ninja (Jan 15, 2012)

Local council guy said, put a crow bar thru the dial face by the time the next meter reader visits you would've got a months worth of free water! Happens a lot during summer esp where a property has a pool. Meter is owned by the city so your not billed for the replacement!


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## incarnatopnh (Feb 1, 2011)

If you zip tie a big enough magnet to the register of the water meter you can stop or slow the register to show a lower consumption.


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