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Flow Meter Badger Recordall Series: Sizing and Maintaining Nutating Disc Water Meters
Quick Answer: For most potable water and raw water lines from DN15 to DN50, size a Badger Recordall nutating disc meter by normal flow rate and pipe size together. Keep normal flow between 10 and 90 percent of the rated continuous flow. Clean the strainer every 6 months and check the register for fogging or wear.
Silver Automation Instruments works with industrial water users and distributors in Southeast Asia, Oceania, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. This guide covers field sizing and maintenance for the Badger Recordall Series of nutating disc water meters. We also explain where other meter types fit better.
How a Nutating Disc Water Meter Works
A nutating disc meter has a disc that moves in a circular nutating motion inside a measuring chamber. Each cycle moves a fixed volume of water. The register counts the cycles. This design works well for clean cold water below 50 degrees Celsius with low solids. It is common in municipal billing, commercial buildings and industrial water make-up lines.
Badger Recordall Series meters use this principle. They are available in sizes from DN15 to DN50. The register can be mechanical or electronic. Some models have pulse output or 4-20 mA output for remote totalizing or building management systems.
Sizing the Badger Recordall Series in the Field
Most engineers size a nutating disc water meter by pipe diameter first. That approach works for short runs but not for low flow or high peak flow. You need to check three values: normal flow, maximum flow and minimum flow. Pressure loss also matters.
For a DN25 line, normal flow often sits between 1 and 6 m3/h. A DN40 meter may handle 3 to 15 m3/h. A DN50 meter may handle 5 to 30 m3/h. Check the exact flow curve for your Recordall model. If normal flow is below 10 percent of rated continuous flow, the meter may under-register. If maximum flow exceeds rated continuous flow by more than 2 times, the disc and chamber wear faster.
In practice, most engineers skip minimum flow and then wonder why the meter under-registers at night. Low flow accuracy drops below 10 percent of rated flow. That matters in hotels, apartments and cooling towers with low night demand.
Pressure loss counts. At maximum flow, nutating disc meters usually add 0.2 to 0.7 bar pressure drop. If your process cannot afford that loss, consider an electromagnetic flow meter for conductive water. We see this in packaged plants in Malaysia and the Philippines where feed pump head is limited.
Use a strainer upstream of the meter. Debris can score the chamber and disc. A 40 to 60 mesh strainer works for most potable water. For river water or bore water, use a coarser pre-filter followed by a finer strainer. Without a strainer, field accuracy drops within months.
Maintaining Nutating Disc Water Meters
Maintenance starts with a visual check. Look at the register for fogging, cracks or a stuck needle. Listen for irregular noise. A worn disc often makes a chattering sound. If the register totalizer does not advance at low flow, remove the meter and inspect the chamber.
Clean the strainer every 6 months in clean water service. For raw water with high silt, clean every 1 to 3 months. Flush the strainer basket and check for holes. A damaged strainer lets particles into the measuring chamber and scratches the disc.
Do not blow compressed air through a nutating disc meter. Air spins the disc too fast and can crack plastic internal parts. If you mus
Recalibrate or replace the meter if readings drift by more than 2 percent against a master meter. A test bench with a calibrated reference meter or a known volume tank works. Keep records of serial number, flow rate, pressure and date. That history helps you decide whether to repair or replace.
Badger Recordall meters have replaceable measuring chambers in some models. If the disc and chamber are worn, replace the chamber insert rather than the whole meter body. This saves money and keeps the piping unchanged.
Where Nutating Disc Meters Fit and Where They Do Not
Nutating disc meters work well for clean potable water, cooling tower makeup water and process water with no solids. They are not the best choice for slurries, wastewater with fibers or aggressive chemicals. For those applications, an electromagnetic flow meter from Silver Automation Instruments gives better life. Our electromagnetic meters handle conductive liquids, need conductivity above 5 µS/cm, have no moving parts and work from DN6 to DN2000.
For high viscosity fluids like diesel, crude oil or syrup, a nutating disc water meter is the wrong tool. Use an oval gear flow meter instead. Silver Automation Instruments supplies oval gear flow meters for oils, fuels, solvents and chemical batching in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
If you need a drop-in replacement for a Badger Recordall meter, send us the model code, flange or thread size, flow range and output type. We can match the process connection and signal.
FAQ Sizing and Maintaining Badger Recordall Meters
Question: How do I size a Badger Recordall nutating disc water meter?
Answer: Use normal flow as the main input. Normal flow should fall between 10 and 90 percent of rated continuous flow. Pipe diameter is a starting point but not the final word. Check maximum flow and pressure loss.
Question: What is the typical maintenance interval for a nutating disc water meter?
Answer: Inspect the strainer and register every 6 months in clean water. Clean the strainer every 1 to 3 months in raw water. Check calibration once per year or when billing disputes appear.
Question: Can a nutating disc meter handle reverse flow?
Answer: Most Badger Recordall disc meters measure forward flow only. Reverse flow can damage the register or produce false totals. Install a check valve if reverse flow is possible.
Question: What is the accuracy of a nutating disc water meter?
Answer: In good condition, accuracy is typically plus or minus 1.5 percent of reading over the normal flow range. Low flow accuracy drops below 10 percent of rated flow.
Question: When should I choose an electromagnetic flow meter instead of a nutating disc meter?
Answer: Choose an electromagnetic flow meter when water has solids, fibers, high conductivity or when the line size is above DN50. Electromagnetic meters have no moving parts and handle bidirectional flow.
Send us your water type, pipe size DN, normal and maximum flow rate in m3/h, pressure in bar and output signal such as pulse or 4-20 mA. Silver Automation Instruments will recommend a suitable meter and send a quote within 24 hours. Tel: +86-25-68650347. WhatsApp: +86-25-52155837. WeChat: +86 15365082610. Website: flow-meter.com.au.
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