Choosing the Right Flow Meter or Tank Gauge
Flow meters and tank gauges measure liquid in two different states. A flow meter counts the litres passing through a pipe (in motion). A tank gauge tells you how much liquid is sitting in a tank (at rest). Most fuel and lubricant operations need both: the meter for dispensing accountability, the gauge for stock-on-hand.
Flow meters by fluid. Diesel, petrol, lubricants, AdBlue and water each demand a different internal material. Diesel and oil run on standard cast or aluminium meters. Petrol needs an ATEX or IECEx-certified meter (PIUSI K33 ATEX, K24 ATEX, Adam by Piusi K150 ATEX). AdBlue (DEF) needs stainless internals and Viton seals (PIUSI Turbinox K24 AdBlue, Macnaught Digital UREA/DEF, PIUSI AdBlue K24 pulse). Running a diesel meter on AdBlue corrodes the brass and falsifies the reading.
Flow range and port size. PIUSI K200 HP starts at 1/8 inch BSP for fine measurement. Mid-range workshop meters (PIUSI K24, K33, K44, Adam by Piusi mechanical) cover 7-120 lpm on 1 inch ports. Higher-flow lubricant and bulk-transfer applications run on PIUSI K600/3 (1 inch BSP), K700 (2 inch BSP, 20-220 lpm), and K900 3 inch BSP. Match meter port size to the line ID at the install point: oversizing reduces accuracy, undersizing chokes flow.
Tank gauges. A tank gauge tells you how much fluid is currently in storage. Mechanical contents gauges (FOZMULA GLL28, FOZMULA Vertical Spiral, ROCHESTER 6583) use a float linked to a dial, with no power requirement and decades of service life. Electronic tank gauges with probe (PIUSI OCIO, OLE T5020/Z5020/C2020 with probes for tanks up to 3 m, FRANKLIN EVO 200 for tanks up to 2 m, GRACO Pulse Tank Level Monitor) measure level with a hydrostatic or capacitance sensor and report on a digital display, with optional 4-20 mA output to a PLC or fluid management system. Level switches (FOZMULA S285/S286, BANLAW FillSafe overfill protection) trigger an alarm or pump cut-out at high or low setpoints.
Mechanical, electronic, or pulse output. Mechanical meters (PIUSI K33, K44, Macnaught Lubemate, Fill-Rite 800/900) show the litre count on a rolling drum. They need no power, run forever with a seal kit replacement, and are the choice for stand-alone refuel points. Electronic meters (PIUSI K24 Digital, Macnaught Digital Diesel, Graco IM20) add a battery-powered LCD with batch reset, totaliser, and unit selection. Pulse-output meters (PIUSI K200/K400/K600/K700/K900 pulse, Macnaught Pulse) emit pulses to a remote PLC, fluid management system, or telemetry box for centralised reconciliation.
Approval. If the meter is being used to invoice on the litres dispensed (fiscal-grade billing or sub-metering for cost recovery), it has to be NMI pattern-approved and recalibrated annually by a certified technician. Most meters listed here are technical-grade, not NMI fiscal-grade: for fiscal use see the bowser and dispenser units that ship with NMI-approved metering.