Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

I have a broken water main and until I get it repaired I'm evidently
going to have to turn off the water at the meter during periods when I'm
not in need of supply. Getting it repaired looks to be impossible until
after the holiday weekend. The leaked looked pretty tame a couple of
days ago but I think it's worsened considerably. A temporary clamp was
put on the pipe, but it's effect is diminishing rapidly, have no idea
why.

Anyway, I just went out to my meter and timed the advance. I have one of
the Straight-Reading meters shown he

http://www.ebmud.com/services/accoun...er/default.htm

In a minute, the clock-like hand advances 8 of the smallest shown
increments, or 0.8 of whatever that meter represents. It obviously
doesn't represent a cubic foot, because the number below (8171 in the
illustration) did not advance.

I just called EBMUD emergency (I'm in Berkeley, CA) and the guy said
he's only qualified to dispatch a repair person and doesn't know
anything about reading the meters. The information at the above URL
doesn't indicate how the dial that I'm reading corresponds to cubic
feet. Does anyone know? Thanks.

Dan

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

Dan_Musicant wrote:

I have a broken water main and until I get it repaired I'm evidently
going to have to turn off the water at the meter during periods when I'm
not in need of supply. Getting it repaired looks to be impossible until
after the holiday weekend. The leaked looked pretty tame a couple of
days ago but I think it's worsened considerably. A temporary clamp was
put on the pipe, but it's effect is diminishing rapidly, have no idea
why.

Anyway, I just went out to my meter and timed the advance. I have one of
the Straight-Reading meters shown he

http://www.ebmud.com/services/accoun...er/default.htm

In a minute, the clock-like hand advances 8 of the smallest shown
increments, or 0.8 of whatever that meter represents. It obviously
doesn't represent a cubic foot, because the number below (8171 in the
illustration) did not advance.

I just called EBMUD emergency (I'm in Berkeley, CA) and the guy said
he's only qualified to dispatch a repair person and doesn't know
anything about reading the meters. The information at the above URL
doesn't indicate how the dial that I'm reading corresponds to cubic
feet. Does anyone know? Thanks.

Dan
One complete rev of the needle should be 1 cubic foot & the little marks
are .01 cubic foot.

The 8171 may not move to 8172 until the needle is nearly at or passing zero.

MikeB

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

On Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:03:45 -0500, MikeB wrote:

:One complete rev of the needle should be 1 cubic foot & the little marks
:are .01 cubic foot.
:
:The 8171 may not move to 8172 until the needle is nearly at or passing zero.
:
:MikeB

Thanks. That means the leak when I measured it was .08 cubic
foot/minute. That's .6 gallons/minute. I'd estimated the leak at around
1 cup/minute a couple of days ago. That suggests it's increased 10 fold.
I plan to ask my next door neighbor if I can use an old trick that a
plumber told me about today over the phone: hook up a garden hose to
their hose bibb and to my own, while shutting off my own supply. I have
one good hose, but my other has problems, so I'm buying another tonight.
If my neighbors allow me to connect, I'll have constant supply until the
water main is replaced next week.

Dan

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

"Dan_Musicant" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:03:45 -0500, MikeB wrote:

:One complete rev of the needle should be 1 cubic foot & the little marks
:are .01 cubic foot.
:
:The 8171 may not move to 8172 until the needle is nearly at or passing
zero.
:
:MikeB

Thanks. That means the leak when I measured it was .08 cubic
foot/minute. That's .6 gallons/minute. I'd estimated the leak at around
1 cup/minute a couple of days ago. That suggests it's increased 10 fold.
I plan to ask my next door neighbor if I can use an old trick that a
plumber told me about today over the phone: hook up a garden hose to
their hose bibb and to my own, while shutting off my own supply. I have
one good hose, but my other has problems, so I'm buying another tonight.
If my neighbors allow me to connect, I'll have constant supply until the
water main is replaced next week.

Dan
Dan, you are going to have "male-to-female" connection problems with the
garden hose going from hose bib to hose bib. The answer is to take one of
the supply hoses off your washing machine since both ends are
"female-female". Use that hose at one of the two hose bibs.

Ivan Vegvary

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 02:42:22 GMT, "Ivan Vegvary"
wrote:

:Dan, you are going to have "male-to-female" connection problems with the
:garden hose going from hose bib to hose bib. The answer is to take one of
:the supply hoses off your washing machine since both ends are
:"female-female". Use that hose at one of the two hose bibs.
:
:Ivan Vegvary
Yes, you are correct. I actually anticipated that since the plumber told
me I'd need a female-femail coupler. He said I could buy it at the
hardware store. The funny thing is I scavenged the female end off a
discarded hose from the very next door neighbor I intend to ask the
favor for the use of some water. I did this around 2 months ago on trash
day. I simply cut off the last 4 inches of a discarded hose. Looking
around today, I saw I had a female hose end, so I attached it with a
hose clamp and had my female-female coupler. Hopefully, it will be
leakproof. I'm optimistic on that.

When I went to Home Depot tonight to get another good 50' hose (I think
I will need two to make for 100'), I went carefully over all their hose
couplers and didn't see a female-female!

Dan

PS Thanks for that tip. If my coupler doesn't work, I do have an extra
set of two washing machine hoses! I wouldn't have thought of that.

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 05:14:14 GMT, Dan_Musicant wrote:

:PS Thanks for that tip. If my coupler doesn't work, I do have an extra
:set of two washing machine hoses! I wouldn't have thought of that.

I just talked to the plumber and he says that a washing machine hose
should withstand the pressure.

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

You'll need a double female adaptor in there. Think "washing
machine hook up hose".

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Dan_Musicant" wrote in message
...
I plan to ask my next door neighbor if I can use an old trick
that a
plumber told me about today over the phone: hook up a garden
hose to
their hose bibb and to my own, while shutting off my own
supply. I have
one good hose, but my other has problems, so I'm buying another
tonight.
If my neighbors allow me to connect, I'll have constant supply
until the
water main is replaced next week.

Dan

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

Well, they are designed to be hooked up and pressurized 24/7.

--

Christopher A. Young
You can't shout down a troll.
You have to starve them.
..

"Dan_Musicant" wrote in message
...

I just talked to the plumber and he says that a washing machine
hose
should withstand the pressure.

Reading water meter for EBMUD
 

On Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:35:28 -0500, "Stormin Mormon"
wrote:

:You'll need a double female adaptor in there. Think "washing
:machine hook up hose".

Righto, I've got it hooked up already to my bibb. I'm awaiting approval
from the neighbors, who share the house (renters). Consensus is
necesarry. Having lived like that alot, I understand. If by chance they
say no, the guy behind me will probably be amenable. He owns the place
and is just that kind of guy. It's a longer run, though. However, I
think the two 50' hoses + 4' washing machine hose will make it.