Antimagnetic seal on a water meter: types, mechanism of action + nuances of application and installation

Antimagnetic seals for the electric meter principle of operation

An antimagnetic seal is a sticker designed to be installed on the meter body. The name suggests that such a seal was created specifically to combat the magnets used to change the readings of the electricity meter in favor of the owner of the apartment. Upon contact with a magnetic field, the suspension reacts and changes color, which will indicate an attempt to change the readings of the reading mechanism, followed by a fine.

What do they look like

The protection consists of a sealing tape, a sealed capsule and a magnetically sensitive suspension. The first look is a sticker. There are many types of indicators on the market. But due to their class of use, two types of anti-magnetic seals for electricity meters have become popular:

1. Rectangular stripe.
2. Antimagnetic seal IMP 27 63, can often be found on antimagnetic electricity meters.

Each sticker has an indicator element. It will fill the entire free area if it gets under the influence of a magnetic field.

Parameters and features of seals

During operation, it is necessary to take into account the usual conditions for its use and the reasons why the indicator may work. The main rule is to avoid exposing them to a magnetic field.

• household chemicals do not affect the suspension;
• household appliances at a certain distance do not affect;
• can be used outdoors and indoors;
• the indicator works when exposed to a magnet of 16 Am in one second;
• temperature fluctuations are not a problem.

These features must be voiced by a specialist who installs a seal on an electric meter. Due to the peculiarities of the sticker, it will be difficult to prove its accidental operation.

What do the markings numbers and text mean?

The sticker contains information about the manufacturer. Some of the models are equipped with anti-peel protection, when you try to do this, the inscription “Opened” or similar appears. It will be impossible to remove it. The numbers on the sticker are the serial number, which is recorded when the security seal is installed. Because of this, a simple replacement of the protection device will be impossible due to the registration of the indicator in the system.Also on the anti-magnet there is information regarding the date of issue and the contract phone number of the manufacturer.

Rules and procedure for gluing an antimagnetic sticker

The installation procedure can only be carried out by an inspector from the service provider. During gluing, the following conditions must be met:

• drawing up an installation act, which must be signed by the owner of the apartment;
• instructing the owner about the rules for using the sticker and possible triggering situations;
• notify the amount of the fine in case of violations.

Before sticking the sticker, the surface must be degreased so that the protective agent adheres to the counter as much as possible.

1. Inspection of the integrity of the sticker.
2. Degreasing the surface with a suitable solution.
3. Waiting for the surface to dry.
4. Removing the backing.
5. Installation of a seal without damaging the adhesive composition.

Fake

The rules for installing anti-magnetic seals allow property owners to stick them on their own. But for this it is necessary to call a specialist who will carry out the procedure in accordance with the procedure.

Some of the residents get dummies instead of real fillings. In appearance, they are identical to the original protection methods, but do not interact in any way in the presence of a magnetic field. At first glance, it does not differ from a real filling, but there is no identification information on it.

Design, main purpose

Given the constant growth of tariffs for utilities, protecting water meters from unauthorized interference in their work by consumers is an important task for energy supply companies to ensure the reliability of instrument readings.

Installing anti-magnetic seals allows you to achieve the following results:

1. Increase the efficiency of the counter;
2. Reliably establish the fact of impact on the device by a magnet;
3. Minimize the volume of unaccounted for water intake.

The antimagnetic seal is distinguished by a very simple device. It is made in the form of a conventional sticker based on adhesive tape, with a hermetically sealed miniature capsule attached to it, containing an indicator element that is sensitive to the effects of a magnet.

The sticker is marked with an individual number, under which this protective equipment is registered with the municipal organization. A standard issued seal is accompanied by the following information:

• serial number and production date;
• name and contact details of the manufacturer;
• usage rules.

The listed data are indicated in the passport documentation, which is attached to the product by the manufacturer.

Even in the case of a short exposure to the sticker with a magnet, the characters printed on it are distorted, the black dot increases in size, becoming a blurry spot. Some stickers provide for a color change and the appearance of an appropriate warning label.

Types of magnetic stickers

The entire range of antimagnetic devices can be classified according to several parameters:

• scope;
• color;
• design features.

By appointment, seals are for water meters, gas metering controllers and electric meters. The appearance and principle of operation of indicator devices for power grids and gas facilities are not much different from each other.

The type of device execution determines the shape of the indicator and its reaction to the approach of a magnet.

The most popular solutions:

1. Capsule filling. On a special adhesive tape there is a small plastic cone with black powder.Around the dot is a ring made of components susceptible to a magnetic field. When you try to influence the counter, the areola darkens and merges with black powder.
2. Metallized plates. The role of the indicator is assigned to the figure. A clear pattern is traced with metal powder. Under the influence of a magnet, the particles move - the picture is irrevocably distorted or completely disappears.

It is unrealistic to restore the drawing or the original composition of the flask at home. Antimagnetic stickers have multi-stage protection against consumer interference in the operation of meters.

Which is represented by the following elements:

• indicator directly - an element that reacts to fluctuations of magnetic waves;
• outer coating - a barrier against mechanical, water, thermal effects;
• an adhesive that can change the color of the sticker when it is removed from the counter.

Some seals are equipped with a thermal indicator. Under the influence of critically low or high temperatures, a colored spot will appear on the plate.

Some enterprising consumers are trying to get around magnetic tape by using a freeze and heat indicator.

Causes of a broken seal

An anti-magnetic seal is an adhesive-based plastic strip that is glued to the meter. And often a cabinet with a meter or the meter itself is fixed on the wall of a house or garage. Therefore, even if the seal is glued in the summer, but the direct sunlight affects the glue year after year, then there are situations when the glue dries up and the seal comes off.It seems that here the consumer should think about this, since creating conditions - for example, a "shadow" for a meter - is easier than trying to convince a judge to appoint an examination to determine the quality of the adhesive on the seal.

The most frequent in the practice of fixing a violation of an antimagnetic seal is a capsule that has been triggered by a magnet. The response threshold in mT should be specified in the manufacturer's passport (instruction).

Accordingly, this must be understood when working with a tool that may contain magnetic inserts (screwdrivers with a magnetic tip). The consumer may accidentally allow the seal to work, for example, the consumer often illuminates the device or photographs the readings, and meanwhile this “conditionally safe” device near the antimagnetic seal can cause it to “work”, because. the magnetic field from the cell phone speaker is quite enough for this if the latter is in close contact with the seal. And the magnetic field from the magnetic holder on the phone case is even greater.

Features of gas connections

When connecting gas stoves, columns and other types of equipment, flexible connections are also used. Unlike models for water, they are yellow and are not tested for environmental safety. For fixing, end steel or aluminum fittings are used. There are the following types of devices for connecting gas appliances:

• PVC hoses reinforced with polyester thread;
• synthetic rubber with stainless steel braid;
• bellows, made in the form of a corrugated stainless steel tube.

Holding "Santekhkomplekt" offers engineering equipment, fittings, plumbing and fixtures for its connection to communications.The assortment is represented by products and materials of well-known foreign and domestic manufacturers. Discounts apply for bulk purchases, and product quality is confirmed by standard certificates. For information support and assistance, a personal manager is assigned to each client. The ability to arrange delivery within Moscow and other regions of the Russian Federation allows you to quickly receive the purchased goods without any hassle.

Installing an anti-magnetic seal

Before using additional means to protect metering devices, it is necessary to determine the legality of this method and the procedure for sealing.

The legality of additional protection of metering devices

According to Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of 05/06/2011 No. 354 (the last amendment and addition is dated 09/15/2018), the Rules for the provision of public services came into force. Clause 32.g.1 states that utilities have the right to protect electricity meters with anti-magnetic seals.

Clause 81.10 of the same Rules states that:

• when sealing, it is necessary to notify the consumer of the consequences that he will incur if the integrity of the protection is violated or if an indicator is triggered showing an attempt to unauthorized access to the meter (in this case, exposure to a magnetic field);
• when checking the state of the meter, if it was sealed, then it is imperative to make sure that the protection has not been damaged;
• in case of violation of the integrity of the seal or its “operation”, they draw up an act of unauthorized interference;
• the installation takes place at the expense of the resource-supplying organization, therefore, the consumer does not have to pay for either the seal or the work.

If violations of antimagnetic protection are detected, the same sanctions will follow as in the event of a failure of an ordinary seal.

Previously, sealing an electric meter to identify physical access to it was an effective protection against theft of electricity. Now it's not enough

If citizens do not allow inspectors to enter the territory where the meter is installed for a long time, the resource supply organization will have the right to determine consumption by average indicators.

The rules and options for transferring meter data to Energosbyt are described in detail here. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with extremely useful information from a practical point of view.

Controllers come to periodically check the seals and verify the meter readings. By law, they are required to notify the owners of the premises in advance

The procedure for sealing the meter

Regardless of whether there is a meter in the apartment or in the street box, to install anti-magnetic protection, you must perform the following sequence of actions:

• Applying isopropyl alcohol to degrease the surface for better adhesion of the device. This should always be done, as it is possible that the meter will be specially treated with polish or silicone, which will reduce the strength of the connection and may allow the protection to be removed neatly and without damage.
• While the alcohol is evaporating the surface of the meter body (2-3 minutes), inspect the sticker for integrity and write down its number in the log book. Verify that the bulb indicator or test pattern is not damaged.
• Pull the tab to remove the protective backing. Install the sticker and gently smooth the surface of the filling with your fingers.

When manipulating the seal, do not touch the adhesive layer with your fingers or any objects. When peeled off, the sticker immediately gets damaged - this is one of its protective properties.

The installation of protection itself is not difficult, but it often happens that the location of the counter complicates actions with it. Therefore, before filling it is necessary to conveniently organize the workplace

After installing anti-magnetic protection, it is necessary to familiarize the consumer with its properties and precautions. They are indicated in the Act, which is signed by a representative of the resource supplying organization and the owner of the premises.

It is important to know that such a seal can only work from a sufficiently strong magnetic field, which can also be caused by the work in the immediate vicinity of powerful electrical appliances such as an inverter welding machine. Damage to the material from water, household chemicals, slight heating is impossible

Also, the anti-magnetic component will not be affected by ordinary household appliances, radio equipment, Wi-Fi router or mobile phone. Background radiation and solar storms, all the more so, will not have any effect.

Damage to the material from water, household chemicals, slight heating is impossible. Also, the anti-magnetic component will not be affected by ordinary household appliances, radio equipment, Wi-Fi router or mobile phone. Background radiation and solar storms, all the more so, will not have any effect.

Bypassing the seal on the water meter

Before making a decision such as bypassing an anti-magnetic seal, consider that companies spend a lot of money on manufacturing and testing such installations.

Despite the common tips on how to remove a filling, it is not recommended to use them.

Tools for bypassing the filling are sold in specialized stores

Examples:

1. Exposure to hot air. Manufacturers first of all provided for this option and immediately ruled it out. During the heating process, the protection of the seal is broken, and this will be noticeable. It will be possible to correct this situation only by calling a specialist and paying a fine.
2. Manufacturers also provided for cold exposure. Many believe that the adhesiveness of the filling will subside from the influence of cold and it can be removed, however, as in the previous version, the protection will be broken, and you will become an intruder.
3. Alas, the impact of a mechanical nature on the seal will be determined from the first inspection.

Experts say that breaking the seal or trying to bypass its protection is not worth it. Such savings will result in big expenses.

Consequences of trying to deceive

For the breakdown of the sticker from the flow meter, the recalculation of payments for water is often provided. The consumer is usually charged according to the standard. But if the representatives of the Criminal Code establish the fact of the seal being deceived, then the violator may be fined.

For deliberate damage to the seal and breaking the seal from it, the consumer may be fined in the range of 100-300 rubles. The citizen can get off with a warning. This is stated in Art. 19.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

If the court establishes that the consumer tried to deceive the Criminal Code by his action, then he may be charged with petty theft. For him, a fine of 5 times can already be established.

Art. 7.27 Administrative Code

Timing and cost of sealing

The timing of sealing is usually indicated in the technical passport of the water meter and depends on the model.For a long-released device, the terms are shorter than for a new-type counter. But most often the specialist comes within 3-5 days. The owner of the living space must have a registration certificate and an installation certificate. The inspector is only interested in the correct installation and integrity of the devices.

The inspector must write an instrument commissioning report and seal the entire assembly. It is advisable to read the contract carefully. It happens that excessively high subscription fees, insurances or fees for inspections fit into it.

The accrual of expenses on the meter begins from the moment the contract is signed. The contract is drawn up in two copies, one of which remains with the owner of the living space. The inspector must copy the registration certificate for the meters, return the original to the owner. To save yourself from unnecessary walking, it is best to make copies in advance.

The legislation determines that the sealing of meters should be free of charge during the initial installation of devices, after verification or repair (paragraph 5 of Article 20 of the Federal Law "On Water Supply and Sanitation" dated January 1, 2013). The fee is charged only in cases where the meters are out of order due to the fault of the user. Each company has its own prices for this service (500 - 2,000 rubles).

There is a practice of challenging these payments in court and deciding that they are illegal. If someone wants to return the money spent for filling, then you should apply to the court at the place of residence. You can complain about the service company to Rospotrebnadzor.

Ways to stop the counter

To figure out how to stop the anti-magnetic water meter, you need to take into account all the "surprises" prepared by the developers.If a high-quality anti-magnetic tape is installed, and not its economical version, then it will be very difficult to bypass it. The most difficult thing is the presence of a sealed capsule with a black dot in the center, when you try to stop the movement of the counter with a magnet, it diverges over the entire area. The same thing happens with the seal, on the surface of which the pattern is located. It is no longer possible to return to the original state, and this immediately indicates a malfunction of the indicator. If you try to break the integrity of the seal, remove the sticker yourself, this can lead to the following:

• the original color will change;
• the control pattern on the surface will change;
• the warning message "OPEN VOID" or "OPEN" will appear and will not be removed.

These signals will give representatives of regulatory authorities the right to bring the homeowner to administrative responsibility. It should also be taken into account that they worked hard on the manufacture of such seals and reliably protected them from penetration. We foresaw various factors that can affect the health of the device and deduced a number of necessary characteristics:

• Shockproof. Even when falling on a concrete surface, nothing will happen to the indicator. This means that the excuses that the water meter fell and damaged the seal will not affect the controller.
• A long stay of the meter under water cannot spoil the anti-magnetic seal, it has passed the appropriate tests, so it will not be possible to attribute everything to pipe leakage.
• The indicator instantly works even on a magnet for home use, the interval is from 1 to 10 seconds. Therefore, imperceptibly slowing down the movement of the device will not work.

And yet there are several ways to bypass the anti-magnetic seal installed on the water meter.The methods are rather complicated, energy-consuming and at the same time not always effective, the result often depends on skill and dexterity. Here is a list of the most popular ways:

• Freeze the liquid in the capsule using the freeze dry method with ice. Then carefully remove the anti-magnetic seal with a blade. After that, you can safely install a magnet and save on payment.
• Cover the filling with gel and leave for a couple of hours. Try to pry off the sticker with a razor, if the gel has penetrated deeply, then it will not be difficult to remove it. It is best to store the removed seal in a special anti-magnetic box so as not to damage it.
• The last method is the most difficult and most effective - to put on a special ring on the meter, which weakly transmits a magnetic field. The ring consists of five layers, each is responsible for its function. The ferromagnetic layer weakly transmits magnetic pulses. Insulating material is essential for smooth operation. They alternate with each other, providing reliable protection against the impact of the magnet on the seal. Thus, it is not necessary to remove the seal, it remains intact, while the magnet is quietly installed on the meter.

By law, anti-magnetic seals on water meters have been installed since 2013 without fail. Their main goal is to protect against deliberate interference with the device in order to reduce the actual water consumption. If the fact of unauthorized access to the operation of the device is detected and proven, then the violator faces the recalculation of the consumed water, according to the general consumption standards for the entire time of use with the preparation of the corresponding act.Penalties are also possible due to the shortfall in the receipt of funds by the enterprise.

Please note that any actions with the counter aimed at stopping it entail fines at the legal level!

Antimagnetic seal: is it legal to install it

3. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 No. N 354 "On the provision of public services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings" states that representatives of public utilities have the right to install anti-magnetic seals if they deem it necessary.

2. Federal Law "On Water Supply and Sanitation" No. 416-FZ dated December 7, 2011 does not prohibit hot and cold water suppliers from installing seals on water meters in the volume and type required for accounting and control of water consumed by the population, as well as for revealing the facts of hiding such consumption.

Mandatory application

Mandatory use of antimagnetic seals is not regulated by law. But the possibility of installing such protective equipment is confirmed by the following regulations:

1. Government Decree No. 354, adopted in May 2011, which refers to the right of resource providers to resort to this measure.
2. Law No. 416-FZ, approved in December 2011, allowing utility companies to install any type of seals on water meters.

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The consumer is required by law to provide access to representatives of utility organizations for inspection and sealing of meters.

Recommendations

The meter has been sealed, what should be done with the seal so that it is preserved?

1. Climb or do something in the switchboard as little as possible.
2. Better to lock it up.
3. Do not allow children to enter it, especially for those devices that are installed inside apartments or private houses.
4. Check device integrity when taking meter readings. This is usually done once a month.
5. And remember that the switchboard is not your area of ​​responsibility. But it is better to play it safe and keep an eye on the seals than to prove that you are not a thief.

Practice shows that damage to seals does occur. What are your actions?

• First of all, you need to inform the management company and call its representative.
• Take a photo of the broken seal on your phone. The date of the picture will also be recorded here.
• It will be necessary to write two applications to the power supply company. Be sure to indicate in the application how the breakdown was discovered. The meter readings at the time the broken device was discovered are indicated. Have your application signed by a representative of the management company. One copy of the application remains with the energy supply organization, the second, signed by its representative, is with you.

If the switchboard is located outside the apartment, then there should not be any serious consequences. And yet, the first suspect will be the consumer, so the ideal situation is if the damage to the seal is discovered by the owner of the apartment, and not by the controller during a routine inspection.

Usually, a commission is created for the investigation, which puts the final verdict. If there are no changes in the connection diagram, if the commission did not find additional devices, then a secondary sealing is performed, which is fixed by an act.The photo you took beforehand will come in handy, this is your kind of alibi.

Operating principle

The first type of object for controlling the accounting of water resources entering the residential or non-residential the room looks like a small hermetic chamber, on the side of which there is a transparent window with a black ring inside. There is a white circle in the center of the black ring. When a magnet is brought to the camera, the white spot dissolves, the ring becomes a uniform black color. If an unauthorized connection to the water meter was made in order to circumvent the law, then the black surface of the inside of the device without white blotches will betray the violator red-handed.

The principle of operation of such devices is as follows:

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• The anti-magnetic sticker destroys the internal structure of the glued tape under the influence of a magnet, the surface color turns black;
• The threshold for triggering the influence on the magnet is within a radius of 0.02 Tesla, or equal to 16 Amps;
• The indicator is always triggered by the directed action of the magnetic field from 1 second to 10 minutes. Therefore, even such a minor intrusion into the operation of the counter in order to deceive the system will leave a trace;
• Magnetic field pulses shorter than 0.1 second are usually not recorded, since they do not significantly affect the operation of the device;
• When falling from a height, even on a concrete floor, the blackening of the magnetic inside of the apparatus does not occur. Therefore, to refer to the fact that he fell and was damaged in this way will not work with all desire;
• The minus temperature does not affect the quality of the magnetic seal in any way, as well as overheating over 50 degrees Celsius, therefore it does not make sense to direct the hot air stream of the hair dryer at the device or freeze it in the freezer;
• Prolonged exposure under water does not lead to blackening of the sticker, therefore, to assert that the color change was due to a leak in the pipe and the indicator being in a humid environment is also a hopeless task;
• The insensitivity of the antimagnetic structure to the operation of mobile phones, magnetic storms and radio interference was noted.