Water flow meter?

I am thinking about making a brew stand, but I just happened to have an idea. I want to be able to hookup a water hose, that flows through a water filter and then through a "water flow meter" into my HLT. So I can just hookup and watch the meter until it's where I need it. I need something resettable, for each batch. I looked at grainger's website, and they had them, but upwards of $200. Does anyone understand what I mean, or have seen these in a version more affordable, or am I just thinking too much?

Something along the lines of: http://www.gemplers.com/product/G54707/Standard-Flow-Meter

--matt--

Look on Ebay, search term "neptune water meter" or "badger water meter", these units usually run under $50.00 and measure in gallon increments. Typical connection size of the small units is 3/4" male pipe, you will need a couple of fittings to adapt to your stand plumbing.

I was already looking at those on ebay, but my problem with those is that they are not resettable and would really like it to go down to the 1/10 of a gallon.

http://www.jerman.com/hosemeter.html

Found this one? Anything cheaper?

Batching meters are usually spendy and not built for water as they have steel and aluminum internals meant for petrolium products. Good luck on your search for a displcement type resettable batch meter with water compatible internals. Look in the george fisher signet product line for an electronic flow meter with totalizer, you might luck out and find one on ebay if you are patient.

http://www.h2owatch.net/specs.html

Found it....The shower model is perfect.....

It's not perfect for the small amounts of water you're working with. 0-50 gallons in a 360 degree dial. No way. What you're looking for is a sight glass.

The shower model is a turbine type meter, low flow rates might not produce any change in readings, Here is a neptune meter on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/Neptune-T-10-5-8-X-3-4-water-meter-gallon-read_W0QQitemZ300247643663QQihZ020QQcategoryZ57117QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem scale is in 1/10 gallon tick marks, 10 gallon dial rotation, fairly accurate over wide flow range.

I going a different route since I usually do the same size batch. I'm rigging a float control into my HLT. That way I can turn the water on at a slow flow rate through the filter the night before and it will stop when the float is triggered. I went this route because carbon water filters don't really filter the water, the carbon absorbs impurities. In order for this to happen it takes time for the absorption to happen, it wont happen in a 10 min fill but will overnight at a trickle. you could go as simple as a toliet bowl float but I found a mag float switch on ebay for $10, now I just need the solenoid valve for control.

I usually do the same batch size too, but other things change, which change my volume of water. Sometimes I want a thick mash sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want higher gravities sometimes I don't. You get the idea, the volume of water in my HLT will change often, and I don't want to be stuck with the same amount of water each time, but brilliant idea though.

Any way there only $10 bobby. I think I am going to at least try it. Can't hurt. I would break a sight glass. I am kinda clumsy.

MattMann said:

http://www.jerman.com/hosemeter.html

Found this one? Anything cheaper?

Click to expand...

That one looks great. Down to a 1/10th of a gallon accuracy. Not resettable, but possibly it could be modified. A call to the company might reveal.

But a sight gauge or a marked measuring stick would be a simpler and lower-cost approach.

MattMann said:

I usually do the same batch size too, but other things change, which change my volume of water. Sometimes I want a thick mash sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want higher gravities sometimes I don't. You get the idea, the volume of water in my HLT will change often, and I don't want to be stuck with the same amount of water each time, but brilliant idea though.

Click to expand...

Thank you. The float will be mounted on and adjustable rod with a thumbscrew for easy height adjustment. The rod will could be calibrated with volume markings, but I don't have a problem heating to much water in the HLT(I have sight glass on all three tuns). The main point of this setup is so I don't have to monitor the slow fill it takes to get proper filtration. I go to bed and wake up with the perfect amount of pure water ready for brewing. I say perfect because any amount not used during the brew will be used during cleanup. Once I get to the PID and auto spark stage, the water will even be hot when I wake up cutting another 1/2-3/4 hour off the brewday.

As long as you're OK with refilling the HLT with each discrete water use I guess it will be fine. I like to be able to do measured "drains" out of vessels too so that I can put a larger amount of water into my HLT than I need for any given operation. I guess it works either way.

Hell, I was looking for "Wasserzähler (flow meter)" and I found this products:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIGITALER-W...2?pt=Wasserinstallationen&hash=item5d3a207246

Wasserzähler 1/2" Wasseruhr QN 1,5m³ 90°C - geeicht
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Wasserzahler...allationen&hash=item35a5e3a16f#ht_1590wt_1037


How about them???

thanks!!

Any update on that product, cant seem to get it to translate so cant see the specs on it

probiopc said:

Hell, I was looking for "Wasserzähler (flow meter)" and I found this products:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DIGITALER-W...2?pt=Wasserinstallationen&hash=item5d3a207246

Wasserzähler 1/2" Wasseruhr QN 1,5m³ 90°C - geeicht
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Wasserzahler...allationen&hash=item35a5e3a16f#ht_1590wt_1037


How about them???

thanks!!

Click to expand...

Old picture of the one I have been using for years.



Cheers,
ClaudiusB

what about this one?

Nice venture to build something new and hope you build it somehow.