Antimagnetic seal on a water meter: types, mechanism of action + nuances of application and installation
To protect against distortion of metering indicators, utility services have begun to introduce anti-magnetic seals on water meters en masse - the device makes it possible to detect an attempt or fact of theft of resources. A simple device solves a number of problems for suppliers, but at the same time raises many questions and disputes among users.
Let's figure out how an antimagnet works and find out whether its installation is legal. The article we presented describes the installation technology and outlines the basic rules for using the protective device. Recommendations for use are presented.
The content of the article:
Purpose of anti-magnetic sticker
Prices for water supply services are constantly rising and enterprising citizens are looking for all sorts of loopholes to reduce the financial burden of utility costs.
To combat violators, anti-magnetic seals have been developed.
A simple device solves a number of problems:
- increases the efficiency of water meters;
- allows regulatory authorities to establish the fact of interference in the working process of the meter, namely, the use of a magnet;
- minimizes the possibility of using water outside of the metering device.
Water suppliers are universally installing anti-magnetic indicators on meters - making it much easier to track offenders.
The structure and principle of operation of the seal
The anti-magnetic sticker is very simple. In fact, this is an ordinary sticker on durable sealing tape, with a sealed mini-capsule located on the outside. There is a magnetically sensitive indicator inside.
All magnetic seals for installation on a water meter are produced in numbered batches. Each sticker has a unique serial number - it is taken into account in the database of the recipient and the manufacturer.
The standard package of seals includes a document containing the required information:
- serial number, date of issue;
- name, contact details of the manufacturer;
- rules for using the device.
In the standard version, the indicator is represented by a flask with a point indicator.
With short-term exposure to a magnetic field, the clarity of the image is distorted - the black dot blurs, lines and inscriptions shift. On some devices, a message appears indicating that the indicator has been opened; bright stickers may change color.
Manufacturers assure that antimagnetic modules are triggered when exposed to a magnetic field of 100 mT and a distance of no more than 3-5 cm.During the inspection of the device, the inspector examines the sticker and makes entries in a log about any modifications to the indicator and the condition of the seal.
Arguments regarding the influence of fluctuations in geomagnetic fields and electrical appliances on the antimagnetic sticker are not accepted. The violator faces subsequent proceedings and fines.
Types of Magnetic Stickers
The entire range of antimagnetic devices can be classified according to several parameters:
- scope of application;
- color;
- design features of execution.
According to their intended purpose, seals are for water meters, gas metering controllers and electricity meters. Appearance and principle of operation of indicators devices for electrical networks and gas facilities are not much different from each other.
The type of design of the device is determined by the shape of the indicator and its reaction to the approach of a magnet.
The most popular solutions:
- Capsular filling. There is a small plastic cone with black powder on a special tape. Around the point is a ring made of components susceptible to the magnetic field. When you try to influence the counter, the areola darkens and merges with black powder.
- Metallized records. The role of the indicator is given to the drawing. A clear pattern is drawn with metal powder. Under the influence of a magnet, particles move - the picture is irrevocably distorted or completely disappears.
It is impossible to restore the design or original composition of the flask at home.Anti-magnetic stickers have multi-stage protection against consumer interference in the operation of meters.
Which is represented by the following elements:
- indicator directly – an element that responds to oscillations of magnetic waves;
- outer covering – barrier from mechanical, water, thermal effects;
- adhesive composition, capable of changing the color of the sticker when it is removed from the counter.
Some fillings are equipped temperature indicator. Under the influence of critically low or high temperatures, a colored spot will appear on the plate.
Some enterprising consumers are trying to bypass magnetic tape by using a freeze and heat indicator.
Installing a seal on a water meter
Attaching the anti-magnetic sticker itself is not difficult. Consumers of water resources have more questions regarding the need and legality of introducing such a device.
Legality of utility workers' actions
Mass installation of antimagnets began in 2011. There were active debates among the population - supporters of the stickers put forward their arguments, opponents talked about the illegality of the manipulations of public utilities. Lawyers and legislative authorities undertook to resolve the dilemma by declaring the actions of housing and communal services representatives lawful.
Utilities are guided by the following regulatory documents:
- Resolution No. 354/06.05.2011. Where it is said that utility services have the right to install anti-magnetic seals at their own discretion.
- Law No. 416-FZ/07.12.2011. The document allows water suppliers to hot and cold water supply circuits to seal meters with any seals that will prevent illegal consumption.
These legislative acts indicate the legality of installing antimagnetic indicators. However, the homeowner has the right to prevent a service representative from entering his territory.
However, not all so simple. If access to a water meter is denied, utility companies have the right to file a lawsuit regarding the impossibility of checking the metering device. Referring to the documents indicated above, the court will oblige the owner of the house or apartment to open access to the meter for the controllers of the resource supplying organization.
In addition, in case of repeated refusal to check the measuring device, utility companies have the right to determine the volume of water consumed on a general basis - by the calculation method based on the number of residents.
Rules and procedure for gluing a sticker
Only an employee of the management company - utility service provider - should install the seal.
In this case, the water utility representative is obliged to fulfill the following conditions:
- Draw up a deed and submit it to the home owner for signature. The document specifies the type/condition of the sticker and the responsibilities of the owner.
- Explain to the consumer the action of the indicator – rules that the user must follow to avoid the indicator from triggering.
- Notify about the consequences of violation.
High-quality installation requires careful degreasing of the counter surface. This will prevent the filling from being removed for a time.
It is not advisable to install a magnetic seal at temperatures below +5 °C - cool air reduces the adhesion rate and increases the activation time of the adhesive layer.
Work order:
- Inspect the sticker. The control drawing and the flask with the indicator element must be free of defects.
- Degrease the surface under the filling. The optimal solution is isopropyl alcohol, which is neutral with respect to most types of plastic. When working with other solvents, you must first test their effect on the device body.
- Wait a couple of minutes. Wait until the surface of the case is completely dry.
- Remove the backing. Separate the protective backing of the seal by pulling the notch.
- Install a seal. Without touching the adhesive, attach the sticker.
Finally, smooth the surface of the sticker by applying moderate pressure on the seal with your finger. The sticker's adhesive has increasing adhesive ability.
Upon completion of work in Certificate of sealing make the appropriate mark and sign the contractor and the owner of the apartment.
Operating parameters and features of use
To avoid trouble, the user must understand what the normal operating conditions of the device are and under what circumstances the indicator is guaranteed to work. There are no special rules for using anti-magnetic stickers. There are a number of conditions that are required for the safety of the indicator and the seal as a whole.
It is important to know:
- The sticker can be used indoors and in open areas.
- The fillings are not afraid of temperature fluctuations, high humidity, or exposure to household chemicals.
- It is permissible to place household appliances, sources with radio interference, and mobile phones near the seals.
- The indicator retains its properties over a wide temperature range – from -40 °C to +60 °C.
- The triggering threshold under the influence of a magnet is 16 Am or the range of action is 0.02 Tesla. An active period of 1 second to 10 minutes is sufficient. A minor intrusion attempt will affect the indicator.
The seal is not afraid of falling from a height onto a hard surface. Impacts do not cause displacement of patterns or deformation of the point.
The specialist discusses all these points when signing the installation document. If the antimagnet is triggered, it will be difficult to prove your innocence. Excuses about leaks in the pipe, sudden cold weather or falling of the device will not work.
The only exception is welding work. In this case, the indicator can change color. Therefore, the control department must be notified in advance about the upcoming work - a written application is submitted to the water utility.
Is it possible to deceive a filling?
Along with the advent and implementation of anti-magnetic stickers, ways to bypass them also appeared. Craftsmen periodically boast about their “achievements.” It should be noted right away that the methods are very questionable and experimenting with fillings is risky - there is a chance of damaging the sticker.
Sanctions are calculated at ten times the amount of tariffs and current consumption standards - the cost of attempts to bypass is not justified by the savings obtained.
Popular methods:
- Installation of the dummy. There are copies of seals on sale - fake products allow you to create the appearance of the presence of an antimagnet. However, the first scheduled inspection will reveal violations.
- Heating. Some people use a hairdryer to try to soften the adhesive and remove the filling. Theoretically, you can tear off the sticker, but marks will remain on the body. Some devices have built-in thermal control - the sticker changes color when you try to remove it.
- Cooling. Exposure to dry ice or liquid nitrogen will sometimes cause the liquid inside the mini flask to freeze. However, the method is not always effective - the slightest mistake leads to the indicator reacting to the magnet.
- Installation on polish. Treatment of the meter body with silicone or a composition for polishing car interiors. Installers know this trick and always degrease the surface.
Particularly enterprising people manage to place two magnets of equal strength on both sides of the meter.
However, balancing is difficult to cope with - one awkward movement will lead to failure and traces of interference will appear on the filling.
Will familiarize you with the rules for performing calculations when organizing water supply and sanitation next article, which we recommend reading.
Useful video on the topic
The need for use and principle of operation of a magnetic-sensitive filling:
Companies providing utility services are interested in installing an antimagnetic seal. Water suppliers have the opportunity to reduce theft and identify unscrupulous consumers.
Responsible users do not risk anything with the introduction of indicator sticks. The main thing is to understand the mechanism of action of the seal and the conditions for its operation..
Please post your comments in the block below. Ask questions about points of interest or unclear points, publish photographs related to the topic of the article. Tell us about your own experience of using a water meter with an anti-magnetic seal attached to it.
Interestingly, our management companies are not yet in a hurry to put up such stickers, although a magnet on a water meter is a very popular topic. Even I have friends who are guilty of throwing off their meter readings. Well, since installing such seals is not against the law, then let them do it. Most people will not run through the courts because of such a trifle; it always takes a lot of time and nerves.
Against a magnet there is an antimagnet, against an antimagnet an anti-antimagnet will be invented. It will happen, no doubt about it! Our country has a huge amount of water resources and a small population. Business on meters is very profitable for resellers. I personally prefer to overpay 1000 rubles a month and have the opportunity to splash around in the shower as much as I want: at least an hour, at least a day.And bothering with magnets is just such a shame!
The filling has changed color. I didn't use any magnets. Sometimes I used a drainage pump. I pumped water from the well where the meter is located. How to get out of this situation?
Definitely don’t wait for them to come with an inspection.
I read about a similar case on the Internet. Utility workers discovered darkening of the seal during an inspection and calculated more than 100 thousand rubles. and the court sided with them. Presenting bills for housing, where the water consumption was approximately the same both before and after the seal was installed, did not help either. The utility workers let it slip - THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE OK IF YOU YOURSELF IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU NOTICED THE DARKENING OF THE SEAL, YOU COULD CONTACT US! Search through a search engine for similar cases.
Violation of the color of the antimagnetic seal is considered unauthorized interference in the operation of the control unit. If the device is installed in a place where there is no access without a consumer, then the contractor recalculates the amount of payment for utilities and sends you a request for additional charges for utilities. This will be the period from the date of installation of the specified seals, but not earlier than from the date of the last inspection and no more than 3 months preceding the date of inspection of the meter that revealed the interference, using an increasing factor of 10.
While you stall for time, the penalties tick accordingly. Urgent “confession.”
It also changed the color, but during installation no one explained anything to us, they just stupidly came in silently and stuck it on, scanned something there with their phone and threw it away, stuck it on the top, and not on the side as written, in cold water they stuck it on the side and everything is fine there.
The meter will need to be checked and sealed again. A Vodokanal employee first demanded that the metal fitting - an angle - be replaced with a polypropylene one. They didn’t give any explanation about this, just “replace and that’s it.” What to do in this situation?
And if, during the sealing, the representative of the water utility did not say a word about the installed sticker. How can this be proven?
Hello. When sealing, the owner of the apartment signs a sealing act which specifies the type of seal, its condition, compliance with standards, rules, and responsibilities of the owner. If you signed a document, you should have read the document. As for the sealing itself, the resource supply organization has a complete rule of installing antimagnets.
They came and stuck no documents. The act simply says the number and number of the seal. Everything, neither the manufacturer, nor its condition, did not explain anything, nor any rules or responsibilities. As always, we have no rights, only responsibilities before the law, as always the law is not for everyone
Having heard a lot about the unreliability of these same anti-magnetic seals, I specifically installed anti-magnetic water meters in the apartment. Do I have the right to refuse the installation of anti-magnetic seals? They assure me that no.
And one more thing: they threaten that you will have to pay according to the standard? It turns out that if they do give me this filling, and it suddenly turns dark or something else, then I still have to pay a fine??? It's nonsense. What are these special counters for then?
It turns out that their manufacturers are deceiving us? Well, if they don’t cheat, then why should I be responsible for some kind of seal if magnets don’t work on my meter and this is confirmed by its passport?
Installing an antimagnetic seal, right or wrong
Hello, today we put on anti-magnetic fillings, I just read the reviews here, but mine are already dark. So they already put on demagnetized ones? How do you know that this is not a set-up on the part of housing department employees?
What is the cost of installing an anti-magnetic filling? When checking two meters, two seals were installed, for which an additional fee of 1000 rubles was charged. It is also strange that all operations are carried out without cash receipts.