Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-02
COST OF meter
MAINTENANCE IS
MOST IMPORTANT
Purchase Price Not so Vital as
Upkeep Charges, Declares
Superintendent Murray

.
water and SEVER works department
maintains that the city should use
great care in selecting the type OF
meter for general use throughout the
city, and that the operating expense of
meter should be the main issue in
selecting the type, and not the pur-
chasing price
The life of good water meter is
about 20 years and the cases in which
they need repairs before running their
natural life is generally due to some
accident or other external cause" Mr..
Murray declared.
A matter Of Importance in selecting
a meter is the ease and cheapness
with which it may be maintained.
when service is to be metered
the best result will be obtained from
meter having a capacity in proper
ton to the flow to be measured, rather
than Of a size the same as the pipe ON
which 1t is to be installed. -.
THE maximum demand of the con.
sumner should be estimated and a me-
ter selected having a greatest proper
capacity with reasonable margin in
excess of the maximum demand.
If there is a large continuous flow
for several hours each day the life of
a meter will be prolonged if operated
at say so per cent of its greatest
proper capacity that is an oversize
meter should be installed when work
ing under these conditions. -.
THE size of meier for the prem
Co fAI CT, 60, &,
usually 5s-inch meter. This size is
large enough for the average house
hold.
Large grounds, or where two or
more families are living, or tenements,
lodging houses, etc, require a y or a.
1-inch meter .....~. 49,. -. ~. i
The maximum capacity of standard
meters are as follows: 9s-inch. 22h; |
gallons per minute; %-inch, S715 gal
Ions per minute; IL Inch. 80 to 105
gallons per minute; 113-inch, $50 to
1871 gallons per minute; 2-inch, 240 |
to 300. gallons per minute. /
The relative merits of different
styles and makes or meters can be de-
termined only by a comparison of ac- |
tual service records. In order that |
this may be done card index system
should be used. On the card should |
be entered the meters size. name,
make, model, number, date it was set, |
the date removed, the amount regis |
tered, reason for removal, the repairs
or work necessary. the cost of new /
parts and the cost of labor .
The usual test required of new
meters is SO to 100 per cent on full
and intermediate flows, and from 80 |
to 100 per cent of the water passed
for sensitiveness. ....
THE test for sensitlVeness should I
be flow at the rate of l to 2 per
cent of the maximum safe capacity of
he meter. Example: A 5s-inch meter
las maximum safe capacity of 1850 [
gallons per hour; its test for sensitive-
less should therefore be on flow
between 1872 and q gallons per hour.
In the purchase of meters writ
en- guarantee should be demanded
against all defects of material or work.
for period of one year from
late of purchase, all parts broken or
'endered useless in the ordinary
curse of service during such time to
,e replaced, piece for piece, without
harge to the department This guar
lntee is not applicable to damage from
external causes, hot water or freezing, +.
Tor in cases where the quantity of wa
er registered exceeds the maximum
of the meter. III =
The cost of the standard makes Of
meters is approximately as follows:
al bronze outside case; 5s-inch, IS; +
Inch, $12;s 1-inch, SIG. -
Il have no doubt that the first or
Ter for meters may be purchased on
three months trial. At the end Oh ,
hat time the meters to be paid for If
otherwise reshipped to
he. manufacturer. -. Il
The advantage of purchasing the /
equired number of meters for the city
is that the adjustment
nay be made allowing the city to fix
n equitable rate both for water and
ewerage rather than allow affairs to
rag along for another year