Fleck 5810 turbine flow meter inaccuracy

[Edvs]

With information obtained primarily from this forum, my new setup consists of a 2cuft softener with Fleck 5810 valve configured with the 1.25" turbine meter (61919) , and xtr2 controller (firmware version 1.7.1812). Since install, I have noticed erratic water usage indicated by the controller. The indicated water usage is much higher than actual water usage. I have two Class 2 water flow meters connected in series prior to the softener. One measures in cubic feet with approximately 1 oz resolution (three decimal places), and the other measures in cubic meters with approximately 3.4 oz resolution (four decimal places). I have a magnetometer with which I can monitor rotation of the turbine meter. I performed some testing:

         cu ft meter                  cu m meter               Softener
    Reading     Difference       Reading   Difference     Reading   Difference
  33095.535                     11.9218                    382
Ran 5 gallons at 0.154 g/min:
  33096.248        5.33         11.9424       5.44         382           0
Ran 5 gallons at 0.44 g/min:
  33096.904        4.907        11.9607       4.83         387           5
Ran 5 gallons at 2.22 g/min:
  33097.554        4.86         11.9788       4.78         391           4
Ran 5 gallons at 1.01 g/min:
  33098.210        4.91         11.9970       4.81         398           7
Ran 5 gallons at 1.76 g/min:
  33098.860        4.86         12.0153       4.83         407           9
Ran 5+ gallons at 2.95 g/min (overflowed my bucket):
  33099.536        5.057        12.0340       4.94         416           9
Ran some at 2.03 g/min:
  33100.806        9.500        12.0693       9.325        431          15
Ran some at 4.4 g/min:
  33102.169       10.196        12.1072      10.012        441          10
Ran some at 2.03 g/min:
  33102.550        2.850        12.1177       2.774        449           8
Ran faucet on/off 10 times:
  33102.631        0.606        12.1200       0.608        453           4
Reading a few minutes ago:
  33112.219       71.72         12.3870      70.5          563         110
Start to end:    124.805                    122.893                    181

Notes: All differences are shown in gallons. Both meters read high at a low flow .154 g/min, and softener does not read at all (expected). I observed the softener reading jump from 441 to 447 almost immediately as the water flow started (definitely not expected). The cu ft meter reads about 2.3% low, and the cu m meter reads about 3.75% low. These are both outside the 2% maximum error allowed for a Class 2 meter, or maybe my 5-gallon bucket is a bit short.

From these numbers we can clearly see that the xtr2 controller miscalculates the gallon total. The two meters are within 2% of each other, but the softener is off by huge amounts. It is not consistent in the inaccuracy. In particular, I think the softener miscalculates as water flow is started, and maybe as flow is stopped.

With the magnetometer, I can see the meter rotation, 220 magnetic flux cycles to fill the 5 gallon bucket. That would be about 44 pulses per gallon, not 80 as mention elsewhere on this forum. A value of 45.2 would approximately match the meter average accuracy. While experimenting with start/stop water flow, I noticed via the magnetometer that sometimes the meter will get stuck and not rotate again until a "highish" flow exists for more than a second or so. I did not notice any other anomalies with the magnetometer.

A couple of days ago, I changed the controller meter configuration to Generic, with 45.2 pulses per gallon. Gallon usage readings taken just now:

 cu ft meter: 318.49    cu m meter: 314.07    softener: 316

Quite a difference! I do not know what the controller is doing, but the behavior is certainly different between the "1.25 Turbine" and "Generic" settings, with "Generic" appearing to be much more accurate.

Monitoring continues....

 

[Bannerman]

While this will not explain the difference in accuracy with the generic setting, suggest ensuring the softener is plumbed in the correct direction. The turbine is to measure the outlet from the softener which is the connection on the left when facing the softener from the front.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Watch the water pressure from the city, and see if that changes or pulses much. It is possible that as the pressure rises and falls, that could cause flow to and from the thermal expansion tank. The workaround is a check valve on the input to the softener.

This could be detected with your magnetometer counting pulses when you are not using water.

 

[ditttohead]

I am working with Pentair on this, it will take some time but expect a follow up within a couple weeks.

 

[Edvs]

Update: Using the Generic meter setting, I have had no issues with erratic readings. Currently set at 44.8 pulses per gallon. It is mostly matching meter water usage, but occasionally it will be a few gallons low. I suspect that is due to the occasional flow being too low to spin the turbine. Overall, it's within 2%.

Any word from Pentair on the issue with the 1.25" Turbine setting ?

 

[Bannerman]

but occasionally it will be a few gallons low. I suspect that is due to the occasional flow being too low to spin the turbine.

As the turbine is located on the softener's outlet, the meter does not count water used for regeneration.

 

[Corey Miller]

Had a very similar problem/result with my new 5810... Ended up setting the pulses per gallon to 45... Reads very accurate now. Thread is on this forum something like "5810 meter inaccurate". Have you by chance checked if all the magnets on the meter actually register a pulse? I've been meaning to do this but haven't. I wonder if this is a software issue, or they made a batch of bad meters...