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Hello there guys! In today's article, we are going to discuss the size of the magnet that you need to stop your water meter completely.
Learning about the size of the magnet that you should use to stop your water meter can be handy in life. This is true, especially if you want to save money on your water bill.
Please keep in mind that all of the information provided in this article are based on authentic and reliable sources to give you only the best quality content.
What Size Magnet Do I Need to Stop My Water Meter?
So what size magnet to stop water meter? – The ideal size of magnet that you should use to stop your water meter is 50 mm in diameter and 30 mm in thickness. Since you need to use the magnet to stop the water meter, it's important that you buy a rare earth magnet such as a Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnet. The reason being is that rare-earth magnets provide a stronger magnetic field compared to a regular magnet. Apart from that, I would highly suggest that you get the one that has a nickel coating.
Magnets with this kind of surface protection will last for quite a long time. Currently, the best type of rare-earth magnet that is available in the market is the Neodymium magnet. The use of a Neodymium magnet is preferred by many people, even for simple everyday items that you use in your home. You should also keep in mind to pay close attention to the objects that are available around you before you start doing anything with the magnet.
If you have a magnet, find out if that magnet is a neodymium magnet.
Where Can I Get a Neodymium Magnet to Manipulate the Water Meter?
The major supplier of a Neodymium magnet in the world as of today is China. They have the biggest rare-earth metal deposit and plenty of giant factories to manufacture these magnets. Hence, the majority of these factories compete with one another to produce the best quality of rare earth magnets for Chinese online sellers. Some of the best websites that you can use to get your very own rare-earth magnets would be Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress, Alibaba, and magnetndfeb.com.
Can I Use a Rare-Earth Magnet to Stop Any Water Meter in the World?
A Neodymium magnet is perfect to be used for any type of water meter in the world. For as long as the water meter is manufactured based on the same principle, the magnet should stop the water meter. By utilizing the magnet, you will be able to have full control over how the meter moves.
As a result, you will have the power to determine how much you would like to pay for your water bills. The shape of the magnet that is suitable to be used would usually be the round ones. It's highly recommended for you to exercise caution when working with this magnet as it has a powerful magnetic field.
Can I Use a Regular Magnet Instead to Stop the Water Meter?
Since these types of the magnet would usually have a weaker magnetic field compared to that of rare-earth magnet, it cannot be used to stop the water meter. The only option you have is to use a rare-earth magnet such as a Neodymium magnet to control the water meter's reading.
How to Attach a Rare-Earth Magnet to My Water Meter?
Stick the Neodymium magnet on your water meter, and you're done. Besides that, just in case you know that there will be an inspection that is going to take place on your water meter, you can easily pull the magnet from your water meter to avoid any penalty.
What are the Advantages of Using a Magnet to Control My Water Meter?
One of the advantages of using a magnet to manipulate the reading of your water meter is that you would be able to reduce your water bills significantly without having to use less water. As a result, you will end up paying less for more. The other advantage is you can easily remove the magnet in case of inspection.
It also doesn't require you to break the official seal of the water meter. As a result, the level of suspicion of the authorities can be minimized. Next, rare-earth magnets are also widely available and can be easily purchased by almost anyone in the world.
What are the Safety Precautions That I Need to Know?
To prevent yourself from accidentally scratching the surface of your water meter when installing the magnet, it's important that you wrap your magnet with either a thick paper or soft cloth right before installing the magnet.
Next, it's important that you hide your magnet from the public. You may use anything to do so. For example, you may use a cat's hat to hide the magnet inside of it. Alternatively, you may also enclose the entire water meter in an electrical box.
You may then safely stick the magnet on the water meter to hide it in the electrical box. Be sure to lock the box with a high-grade padlock to prevent unauthorized access. This will definitely prevent anyone from taking photos of the magnet or even notice the presence of the magnet in the first place. By doing this, you will not only be able to protect your magnet, but you will also be able to enjoy lower water bills.
How Does This Magnet Even Work?
Almost every water meter that is used for domestic purposes would usually be equipped with a specific mechanism to allow the water meter to register a specific amount of data. In most cases, a rotating impeller would be used in almost every domestic water meter. How this works is that when the pressure of the water passes through the water meter, it will drive the magnet and the impeller, which will ultimately alter the reading of the meter.
However, suppose you interfere with the magnetic field of the tiny magnet inside of the water meter by using a stronger magnet. In that case, the tiny magnet will remain in a static position. As a result, this will prevent the impeller of the water meter from rotating, which becomes the main reason why the water meter stopped. However, as more and more people have been using this technique for years now, most manufacturers of water meters have been trying to come up with something new.
They have been trying to protect their metering devices from any outside interferences, which explains why certain water meters have special protective couplings installed in them. These special couplings have been specifically designed to neutralize any magnetic field from outside the meter. Now, this is the main reason why, as I've mentioned earlier in this article, that you should buy a rare-earth magnet instead of a regular ferrite magnet.
The couplings installed in most water meters nowadays may be able to disrupt the magnetic fields of weak magnets such as ferrite magnets. However, since we're using one of the most powerful magnets on this planet, then these so-called protective couplings will not be able to stop us from cutting down our water bills. In other words, it's pointless to use these couplings as the magnetic fields of the rare-earth magnets are just too strong.
Why Should I Use Rare-Earth Magnets to Stop Water Meter?
One of the reasons you should use rare-earth magnets to stop your water meter is that it is reliable, widely available, and provides strong magnetic fields. Besides that, reducing your water bills will definitely help you to save money in the future. For example, you could spend your salary somewhere else other than paying your water bills.
You will also be able to control the amount of money that you're willing to pay. It's highly recommended that you pay some money as your “water bill” to avoid raising suspicions. You should also remove your magnet once every month to allow the water meter to reset the required level of cubic meter of water to its default settings.
Since Neodymium magnets are completely compatible with all of the metering stations equipped with mechanical drive, you should have no problem stopping your water meter. However, please keep in mind that the tiny magnet inside the water meter can last for up to about 20 years. Hence, you should ensure that the type of rare-earth magnet you plan to buy should last for at least 20 years or more.
Neodymium magnets are considered the best magnet to use in this case because they can be easily removed, attached, and left absolutely no trace on the meter. On top of that, this method is completely cheap and eco-friendly as it doesn't harm the ecosystem. Just in case you noticed an officer on his way to inspect your water meter, the only thing you need to do is to detach the magnet and hide it in your house, and everything will be fine.
Is It Illegal to Stop a Water Meter With a Magnet?
Tampering with your water meter by using a magnet is indeed illegal. In addition, the destruction of property that you do not own is considered vandalism. However, in this case, the water meter is located on your property, making you think that you're free to do anything with it.
Keep in mind that the water meter was installed on your property due to your request as a homeowner. This means that even though the water meter sits on your property, you certainly do not have the right to remove it manually by yourself or tampering with it.
You only have the right to use the water meter to get access to a steady supply of water. In fact, you can always make an application to the water board to remove the water meter and turn off your water supply if you need to do so. If your application gets approved, they will turn off your water supply and remove the water meter from your home. You will be charged for the expense, and the same thing applies to electrical and gas meters.
Why Shouldn't You Stop a Water Meter With a Magnet?
One of the reasons why you shouldn't stop a water meter with a magnet is that you could get fined, and it's just not worth your time, money, and energy at the end of the day. Plus, you will need to buy a magnet to do this, and it's not something that you could do for free. Let's look at all the fines you need to pay if you get caught by the authorities.
Tampering with a water meter can result in a $500 civil penalty and criminal charges along with an additional $100 meter-tampering fee. According to the General Statute 14 to 151.1, it is illegal by law for any unauthorized personnel (including certified plumbers) to intentionally damage, bypass, relocate, alter, or tamper with a water meter. So this makes it clear that no one should touch the water meter without direct permission from the city.
You should also remember that anyone who tampers with a water meter will be subjected to criminal charges. This means that anyone that violates these provisions will be guilty of Class 1 Misdemeanor. If found guilty, you will be liable to three times the amount of damages and losses sustained or $500 depending on which is greater.
Besides, there's a lot of legal ways that you can use to reduce the amount of your water bill. While most people are not aware of it, fixing a leaking pipe may help you to save a lot of money on your water bill. Some of the practices that you can start to save money on your water bill include turning off your tap when you're not using it, utilizing water-efficient appliances, recycling your water, and taking shorter showers. You may also wash your car at a gas station to save more money.
Sources Used:
- https://www.waterworld.com/water-utility-management/smart-water-utility/article/14070247/crime-stopper-water-meters-and-magnets
- https://stacyhome.ru/en/schetchiki-elektroenergii/how-to-attach-a-magnet-to-the-water-meter-buy-very-powerful-neodymium-magnets-in-our-store/
- https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-use-a-magnet-for-stopping-the-water-meter
- https://everythingwhat.com/what-size-magnet-stops-water-meter
