Basic oil meter for rental property

Westport_belle · 04-05-2014 10:24AM #1

all,

Hoping somebody can help. I have a rental property, mainly for short term summer rentals. The property has oil fired central heating. I'm looking for a device that will help me assess heating costs for each rental - essentially some sort of oil meter / usage monitor where I can basically gauge how many litres a tenant has used and charge accordingly.
I've seen a couple online which are fairly hi tech and probably far too sophisticated for what I need it for, so I'm wondering if there are any more basic devices out there....maybe somebody can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

Billy Bunting · 04-05-2014 10:42AM

You can buy mechanical oil meters that measure ltrs used but they cost around €200 plus fitting, the cheapest option and one i fit regulary is a electrical hour counter wired to the burner, the oil used per hr is constant so if you know the amount of time a simple calculation gives you ltrs/hr.

MicktheMan · 04-05-2014 05:41PM

Billy Bunting wrote: »

You can buy mechanical oil meters that measure ltrs used but they cost around €200 plus fitting, the cheapest option and one i fit regulary is a electrical hour counter wired to the burner, the oil used per hr is constant so if you know the amount of time a simple calculation gives you ltrs/hr.

This is what I have and works a treat.

DGOBS · 04-05-2014 06:34PM

http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/600/horn-electronic-flow-meter-fmt-ii.htm

http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/240/k33-mechanical-flowmeter.htm

Wearb · 04-05-2014 06:50PM

DGOBS wrote: »

http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/600/horn-electronic-flow-meter-fmt-ii.htm

http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/240/k33-mechanical-flowmeter.htm

First link has min flow of .5L per min. If he can afford that usage, then he doesn't need a meter. Who said "If you have to ask honey, then you can't afford it"
Btw I don't know the answer, probably someone like Joan rivers.

shane 007 · 04-05-2014 06:53PM

Wearb wrote: »

Who said "If you have to ask honey, then you can't afford it"
Btw I don't know the answer, probably someone like Joan rivers.

That was Rolls Royce when asked about the mpg of their vehicles.

DGOBS · 04-05-2014 07:02PM

Always thought it was the definition of a Yacht, sorry Werb didn't see the min flow rate..opps, was just looking for cheap meters

Wearb · 04-05-2014 07:17PM

shane 007 wrote: »

That was Rolls Royce when asked about the mpg of their vehicles.

RR sounds about right.
btw a man from a local ethnic group when selling his H-Ace answered that "shur you would get a pain in your face to the gallon"

)

www atributes it to JP Morgan.

shane 007 · 05-05-2014 12:39AM

Wearb wrote: »

First link has min flow of .5L per min. If he can afford that usage, then he doesn't need a meter.

The plot thickens..... If you re-read that one, it's 5 - 90 litres/min. Their "low flow" meter is this one http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/246/k200-low-flow-in-line-meter.htm. but even that is 0.1 - 2.5 litres per min. & generally domestic oil boilers would be in the realms of 3 litres/hour.

Wearb · 05-05-2014 01:54AM

shane 007 wrote: »

The plot thickens..... If you re-read that one, it's 5 - 90 litres/min. Their "low flow" meter is this one http://www.tanks.ie/products_id/246/k200-low-flow-in-line-meter.htm. but even that is 0.1 - 2.5 litres per min. & generally domestic oil boilers would be in the realms of 3 litres/hour.

Hard to see or miss the decimal point on a smart phone. Phone sometimes smarter than the user

It will be difficult to get a meter than can accurately read such a relatively small flow rate.

As suggested already; Hourly running rate will be far more accurate when combined with nozzle size and pump pressure.

gctest50 · 05-05-2014 02:13AM

http://www.bentley-online.ie/aqua-metro-vz04-domestic-oil-meter-296-p.asp

Minimum Flow Rate 1 lph Maximum Flow Rate 80 lph

http://www.dmsltd.com/Braun_-_Domestic_Meters/HZ3_Oil_Meter
Flow Range: 0.18 to 30l/hr Accuracy: +/- 1%

.

Basic oil meter for rental property

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