My water line leaks. When checking the meter, I found the spinner running fast and slow, not at a constant speed. The high speed was about three times faster than the slow speed. The cycle is about six seconds at slow speed and two or three seconds at high speed.
I wonder what causes the fluctuation, water pressure?
Have you checked all the toilets? A leaking flapper and the toilet topping off will create a cycle, but 6 secs is fast.
I'd look for a malfunctioning device with an automatic fill valve like a toilet, water softener, swamp cooler, commercial ice machine, hot water heating system or furnace humidifier.
If a leaky flapper is the problem, the spinner should stop spinning for a short period, assuming the filling rate is faster than leaking rate. When the water tank is full and before the tank is filling again, the spinner should stop.
Among the devices you mentioned, I only have toilets.
This meter is for a multi-unit building. I have shut off valves to every unit. Yet, it still leaks. That's why I believe it is the water line that's leaking, not the devices connected to the water line.
I doubt it's the problem but will mention it anyhow. Irrigation wells will pump air at times and that can cause surging. Someone would likely notice that though.
You're assuming it's just one leak. There could be more than one, with only one, eg toilet, cycling. You said the water line is leaking, where is it leaking? You've found the leak, seen it or know for sure where it is, eg underground? Isolate the rest of the system from that and see what happens with the meter?
If you're sure that the line is totally shutoff where it enters the building, then a leak, presumably underground is what's left. I suppose that could be cycling, though it seems odd. I guess you'll find out when you fix it.
With a variable rate like that it's got to be something cycling; it's quite likely one or more of the cutoff valves to individual units has enough bypass to cumulatively have some flow for the low level; when whatever is the culprit cycles it's the higher rate.
There's no ice maker in anybody's fridge in the entire complex??? That'd be unlikely it seems. Plus whatever else tenants have installed; aquarium, who knows???
It would be a most unusual leak in physical piping itself that would have such a characteristic unless the meter itself is flaky...is it old mechanical or newer?
In a multi-unit, may need to go to location(s) where the feeds to each unit split and use some sound-detection to hear (and hopefully be able to isolate) which unit(s) are where the flow is going...
He should open a faucet on each apt line when the valves are off and see if there is any flow. I agree, it seems odd that an underground (presumably) leak would cause the cycling.
On 23-Oct-17 10:10 AM, trader_4 wrote: ...
Good point, I had intended to write that specifically to isolate any apartment that is _not_ leaking (altho I had figured given the state of mostly unused check valves likelihood was that all will show some bypass flow).
I think the likelihood of the leak being underground in piping itself is vanishingly small -- like it just ain't agonna' be. Unless, as noted, it's the meter itself has gone nuts.
Flapper is one item. Overflow is another and that could be the slow operation if the fill valve never closes completely.
You shut the vales, but did that stop the flow of water? Old valve not often use can still allow a good flow.
Multiple leaks? good point. Didn't think of that one.
Since I have isolated all buildings and the meter still shows leaking, at least the outside pipe leaks somewhere. Once that is fixed, I then can check whether there are other leaks.
I did check the faucets. I noticed that the water pressure dropped. However, I did not wait until all the water drained. That would have taken a while.
On 24-Oct-17 2:37 AM, Lenny Jacobs wrote: ...
Until you do, you can't show that isn't where the water's going...what type of isolation valves are installed?
+1
Not sure one has to wait for all the water to drain. If you open the highest faucet on each apt, there should be nothing to drain. It's when you open a first floor faucet or basement faucet when you have stories above it where there can be a lot that drains out.
...
Good point; particularly with a multi-level/multi-unit facility. Isolate; then if there's a drip at the uppermost level that doesn't stop you know the isolation valve isn't holding perfectly.
Didn't say how many units but a small bypass flow over several could add up to a measurable amount in toto at the meter; still the cycling phenomenon has to be related to some mechanical system somewhere it would seem.
I suppose there is that outside chance the OP raised of a external pressure source that is cyclic and the difference in flow be pressure related...that could be checked by inserting a pressure gauge in that line but such rapid cycling would not seem to be likely for a supply system characteristic I would think of unless there's some sort of other large industrial facility or the like that has such a demand; the overall system pressure would be more nearly constant.
Ball valves.
Good point. Didn't think of opening the highest faucet. I opened one on the first floor.
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