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Gas Meters 101

Gas Meters Diaphragm Rotary meters

A gas meter measures the volume of gas consumed, typically in SCF (standard cubic feet) or SCFH (standard cubic feet per hour).


No matter what gas meter you need Stromquist has your back. 


We stock and can source all of the major brands. 

Term of the WeekGas Meters

Industry Term of the Week


Residential vs Commercial Gas Meters 

Residential Gas Meters 

Typical homes use diaphragm( bellows) meters.
How they work :
  • Internal chambers fill and empty with gas
  • Each cycle equals a fixed volume
  • The cycles rotate a mechanical counter or pulse output

Characteristics:

  • Low pressure: usually 7 in. WC (about 0.25 psi)
  • Low capacity: typically around 250 CFH
  • High accuracy at very low flows (pilot lights)
  • Usually installed by the utility only

Most homes never exceed around 30 kW gas demand, which is why small diaphragm meters work well.

Typical capacity:

  • 200–400 CFH

Selection note: Stromquist does NOT sell Residential Utility meters

Commercial Gas Meter

Commercial and industrial users need much larger flow capacity and may use one of the following meters types.
Larger Diaphragm Meters (Used for small commercial loads)
Typical range:
  • 400–1000 CFH

Examples: 

  • small retail
  • restaurants
  • small boiler plants

Rotary Positive Displacement Meters 

Most common true commercial meter
How they work :
  • Two figure-8 impellers rotate
  • Each revolution traps a known gas volume
  • Rotations are counted to measure flow

Typical range:

  • 1,000 – 100,000 CFH

Advantages
  • Accurate for steady high flows
  • Small footprint
  • Handles higher pressures

Selection Note: Stromquist carries a few common commercial gas meters:
  • RABO
  • NDM

Turbine Meters

Typically used for very large loads
How they work:
  • Gas spins a turbine wheel
  • Rotation speed = flow rate

Used for:

  • Large industrial facilities
  • Pipeline measurement

The Big Takeaway

    Big Picture for New Techs:

A utility uses Gas Meters for billing, but the same technology is often used internally for sub-metering in buildings.

Most meters measure volume passing through a chamber or velocity of gas flow and convert it into a mechanical or electronic count.

In the market for a complete gas meter? Reach out to our Engineered solutions group!

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