H2flow FlowVis FV-J-R-15 User manual

Instruction Manual
English
FlowVis®
Flow Meter

1.Description .....................................................................................3
2. Concept...........................................................................................4
3. Resources .......................................................................................4
4. Service Repair Kit...........................................................................5
5. Markings, Features, Warnings & Safety .....................................5
5.1 NSF 50 ...............................................................................................5
5.2 Valve Body Feature.........................................................................6
5.3 Tygon Tubing ....................................................................................6
5.4 Warnings & Safety ...........................................................................7
5.5 Indoor / Outdoor Rating.................................................................7
6. Models & Specifications................................................................8
7. Installation Locations ....................................................................10
7.1 Systems using Salt Generator Cells ...........................................10
7.2 Systems using Erosion Chlorine Feeders.................................11
8. Installation ......................................................................................12
8.1 General Installation Guidance......................................................12
8.2 Certified NSF 50 Accuracy and Assoc. pipe Configs. ...........13
8.3 Pipe Configs. other than those used by NSF for Testing......14
8.4 NSF 50 Accuracy Levels ...............................................................14
8.5 Installation of saddle-clamp style models.................................15
8.6 Installation of Union-style models...............................................16
8.7 Tightening of Lid Screws...............................................................18
9. Operation........................................................................................19
9.1 Reading the Flow Rate...................................................................19
9.2 Reading the Velocity Rate.............................................................20
10. Head Loss Data..............................................................................21
11. Dimensions.....................................................................................22
12. Maintenance...................................................................................25
13. Technical Data................................................................................26
13.1 Material Data Sheet (MSDS) .........................................................26
13.2 Operational Data.............................................................................28
13.3 Straight Pipe Requirements..........................................................29
14. Warranty..........................................................................................30
contents

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 3
Description
1. description
Fig.1.0: FV-15; FV-2; FV-2-U; FV-25;
FV-3; FV-4; FV-6 and FV-8
Fig.1.1: FlowVis®
retro t model
FlowVis® is a revolutionary, patented
solution for accurate and reliable  ow
and velocity rate measurement in fresh
water applications such as swimming
pools, spas, fountains, water features,
irrigation systems, ground water
applications, well water and solar
systems. A FlowVis®model also exists
for Flotation Tanks and where the
Speci c Gravity has been raised to 1.25
by adding Epsom Salts.
Using a design that is based on ‘mass
 ow’ principles, FlowVis®  ow meters
provide many bene ts that include:
• Ease of installation with zero to
minimal straight pipe
• Installation  exibility that allows
orientation in any position, e.g.,
horizontal, vertical or even upside-
down
• Long life without sticking  oats or
paddle wheels
• Combined Flow Meter and Check
Valve for models FV-15, FV-2, FV-
25, FV-C, all retro t models, and
all metric and DN equivalents
• User upgradeable to include
Digital functionality (FV-D)

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
4Concept / Resources
2. concept
As  ow increases, the  apper moves forward toward its fully open position. The
 apper’s angular position is directly related to the  ow rate through the valve body /
tee / pipe. A calibrated scale on the valve’s lid provides a highly accurate reading of the
 ow rate and velocity.
3. resources
Thank you for purchasing the H2 ow FlowVis®  ow meter. If
you would like to  nd additional product resources, including
tech tip sheets, brochures, videos, and materials in other
languages, please visit our website at www.h2ow.net or scan
the QR Code on this page.


Fig.1.2

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 5
Service Repair Kit / Markings, Features...
4. service repair kit
Service repair kits are available for all models.
FV-SK for all 1.5”, 2”, and 2.5” models, comprising:
• 1 x o-ring
• 1 x spring
• 1 x  apper and indicator arm (for all models except FV-C-S, and FV-C-Saline)
• 1 x pivot pin
FV-SK-CAR for all 3”, 4”, 6”, and 8” models, comprising:
• 1 x o-ring
• 1 x spring
• 1 x spring pulley pivot pin
• 1 x spring pulley to  apper pulley wire
For all other parts, please contact H2 ow at 888-635-0296 (toll-free) or
([phone] (International).
5. markings, features, warnings & safety
5.1 NSF 50
Models certi ed to NSF 50 will display the mark as shown in Fig.1.3.
Fig.1.3

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
6Markings, Features, Warnings & Safety
This feature has no functionality relating
to the operation of the FlowVis and is
simply provided as an attribute to be
able to plumb in a drain down pipe and
valve. A typical use for this might be a
roof mounted solar system. Under no
circumstances should this hole be drilled
out when using the valve body with the
FlowVis, as doing so will invalidate the
product warranty.
5.2 Valve Body Feature
On the side of the valve body that is used for the 1.5”, 2”, and 2.5” models, you
may notice the feature shown in Fig.1.4. Note that models with valve bodies
produced a er mid-2022 as well as all models with tees and saddle clamps do
not possess this feature):
Fig.1.4
5.3 Tygon Tubing
For models FV-3, FV-3-L, FV-4, FV-4-L, FV-6, FV-6-L, FV-8 and FV-8-L, the
Tygon tubing feature (shown Fig.1.5 and Fig.1.6), is installed to assist with initial
air extraction from the FlowVis lid a er the pump is started. When installing
the lid assembly into the Tee (FV-3, FV-3-L, FV-4 or FV-4-L) or Saddle (FV-6,
FV-6-L, FV-8 or FV-8-L), care should be taken to ensure that the end of the
Tygon tubing is positioned downstream of the FlowVis, i.e., not tucked up inside
the FlowVis lid, Tee or Saddle. This feature creates a venturi e ect that will cause
a negative pressure at the end of the tubing, thereby expelling air from inside the
lid. For applications using a variable speed pump, it is advisable to initially run
the pump at the highest possible safe speed in order to extract any air in the lid.
Fig.1.5 Fig.1.6

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 7
Markings, Features, Warnings & Safety
5.4 Warnings & Safety
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Act
requires that all public swimming pools & spas
having a single main drain or multiple drains
that are 3 feet or less (center to center) from each
other be  tted with a backup anti-entrapment system. Such systems include,
but are not limited to, SVRS and Automatic Pump Shut O systems. Special
consideration must be made when installing a FlowVis® to such applications.
Several of these systems do not allow the use of Check Valves. It is the
responsibility of the installer to make sure that the requirements of the speci c
backup system in use are maintained.
For these applications, refer to model FV-C-S in the ‘Model & Speci cations’
section of this document..
VGBA WARNING
5.5 Indoor / Outdoor Rating
All FlowVis models are NSF 50 rated for indoor and outdoor use.

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
8Models & Specifications
Model
     
NSF 50
Certied

Complete
Retrot
1.5” 2” 2.5” 3” 4” 6” 8” 40 80
GPM
LPM
Safety
Saline
High Flow
Union
body
Valve
Tee
Saddle
clamp
GPM LPM
Jandy
Hay-
ward
Praher
FVJ-R-15 ● ● ● ●
N/A
10-90
N/A
FVJ-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVH-R-15 ● ● ● ●10-90
FVH-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVP-R-15 ● ● ● ●10-90
FVP-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVJ-R-15-L ● ● ● ●
N/A
40-360
FVJ-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FVH-R-15-L ● ● ● ●40-360
FVH-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FVP-R-15-L ● ● ● ●40-360
FVP-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FV-15 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-80 N/A
FV-15-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-303
FV-2 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-2-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-416
FV-25 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-25-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-416
FV-3 ● ● ● ● ● ● 70-240 N/A
FV-3-40 ● ● ● ● ● ● 70-240 N/A
FV-3-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 165-908
FV-4 ● ● ● ● ● ● 150-460 N/A
FV-4-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 568-1740
FV-6 ● ● ● ● ● ● 300-1000 N/A
FV-6-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 1136-3785
FV-8 ● ● ● ● ● ● 600-1800 N/A
FV-8-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 2271-6814
FV-15-U ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-90 N/A
FV-2-U ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-C-S ● ● ● ● ● ● 30-110 N/A
FV-C-S-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 110-400
FV-C-Saline ● ● ● ●●●20-100 N/A
FV-C-L-Saline ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 80-400
FV-C-HF-S ● ● ● ● ● ● 30-190 N/A
6. models & specifications
FlowVis® comprises several models; it is important that you check that the model you
are about to install is the correct one for your application.

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 9 Models & Specifications
Model
     
NSF 50
Certied

Complete
Retrot
1.5” 2” 2.5” 3” 4” 6” 8” 40 80
GPM
LPM
Safety
Saline
High Flow
Union
body
Valve
Tee
Saddle
clamp
GPM LPM
Jandy
Hay-
ward
Praher
FVJ-R-15 ● ● ● ●
N/A
10-90
N/A
FVJ-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVH-R-15 ● ● ● ●10-90
FVH-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVP-R-15 ● ● ● ●10-90
FVP-R ● ● ● ● ●10-110
FVJ-R-15-L ● ● ● ●
N/A
40-360
FVJ-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FVH-R-15-L ● ● ● ●40-360
FVH-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FVP-R-15-L ● ● ● ●40-360
FVP-R-L ● ● ● ● ●40-400
FV-15 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-80 N/A
FV-15-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-303
FV-2 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-2-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-416
FV-25 ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-25-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 38-416
FV-3 ● ● ● ● ● ● 70-240 N/A
FV-3-40 ● ● ● ● ● ● 70-240 N/A
FV-3-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 165-908
FV-4 ● ● ● ● ● ● 150-460 N/A
FV-4-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 568-1740
FV-6 ● ● ● ● ● ● 300-1000 N/A
FV-6-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 1136-3785
FV-8 ● ● ● ● ● ● 600-1800 N/A
FV-8-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 2271-6814
FV-15-U ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-90 N/A
FV-2-U ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10-110 N/A
FV-C-S ● ● ● ● ● ● 30-110 N/A
FV-C-S-L ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 110-400
FV-C-Saline ● ● ● ●●●20-100 N/A
FV-C-L-Saline ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N/A 80-400
FV-C-HF-S ● ● ● ● ● ● 30-190 N/A
COMPATIBILITYNOTE:When selecting a ‘retrot’ model from the table above, it is important to select
the FlowVis® model designed for your particular valve body. Each manufacturer’s design has unique hydraulic
characteristics that requires a specic FlowVis® scale.
For metric equivalents, please refer to the metric version of this manual.

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
10 Installation Locations
7. installation locations
✓
✓
✓
✓
Filter Heater Salt Cell

1 = IDEAL
2 = GOOD
3 = ACCEPTABLE
4 = AVOID
✓
✓
X
X
7.1 Systems using Salt Generator Cells
Due to the fact that Salt Generator Cells have their electrical supply turned o
under low or low  ow conditions, there is virtually no possibility of damage
being caused to the FlowVis unit by these devices. Therefore, the primary
installation consideration is where will the unit provide the greatest bene t to
the customer. For example, it is generally recommended that there is a Check
Valve installed between the Chlorine Feeder / Generator and the Heater. Given
that FlowVis models for 1.5”, 2” and 2.5” plumbing have an integrated Check
Valve, this would be an ideal location to install FlowVis.
Fig.1.7

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 11
Installation Locations
Filter Heater
✓
✓
X
X


chlorine
feeder
7.2 Systems using Erosion Chlorine Feeders (hockey puck-style)
Material selections such as corrosion resistant Viton and Hastelloy c-276 ensure
that FlowVis will provide many years of trouble-free operation in normally
treated, sanitized pool water conditions. However, certain brands and designs
of inexpensive Erosion Chlorine feeders are known to fail and release high
concentrations of chlorine or even chlorine gas into the surrounding  ltration
system. When this occurs, any equipment that comes into contact with these
abnormal levels of chemicals will experience premature failure.
When this occurs, an inspection of the components within the FlowVis will
quickly con rm the cause of the damage and, under these circumstances, the
product’s warranty will be void.
Under no circumstances should FlowVis be used as a ‘check valve’ to prevent the
e ects of these Chlorine Feeders damaging other equipment such as Heaters.

1 = IDEAL
2 = GOOD
3 = ACCEPTABLE
4 = AVOID
✓
✓
X
X
Fig.1.8

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
12 Installation
8.1 General Installation Guidance
IMPORTANT INSTALLATION NOTE: Before installing the FlowVis,
please refer to the preceding section regarding chlorine feeders.
Installation of FlowVis® should be in accordance with the following
instructions.
Normal plumbing procedures such as cleaning, priming and gluing of xtures
should be followed in order to avoid leaks. If you are not familiar with plumbing
procedures, it is recommended that you employ the skills of a qualied plumber.
Unlike other ow meters, the majority of FlowVis® models are not aected by
ow stream disturbances caused by its proximity to pumps, elbows, tees, valves,
etc. FlowVis® can be installed either horizontally or vertically. Straight pipe
requirements are addressed in the table on page 19.
Pay particular attention to the system’s direction of ow and make sure that
the arrow on the lid of the FlowVis® is pointing in the correct direction. For
the FV-3, FV-3-L, FV-4, FV-4-L, FV-6, FV-6-L, FV-8 and FV-8-L versions, the
Tee / Saddle-clamp will feature an additional arrow label. In the event that the
FlowVis® is inadvertently installed into the plumbing in the wrong direction,
simply remove the (8) screws holding the lid in place and rotate the entire lid
assembly by 180°.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
a. Forallmodels2.5”andsmaller,alwaysremovetheFlowVislidassembly
priortogluinginthevalvebody.
b. WhenselectingaphysicallocationtoinstallFlowVis,besuretoallow
accessibilitytoreadthescaleonthelid.
c. Duetothepossibilityofexcessiveturbulence,modelsFV-3,FV-3-L,FV-4,
FV-4-L,FV-6,FV-6-L,FV-8andFV-8-Lshouldnotbeinstalleddirectlyaer
thepump.
d. FlowVismodelsaredesignedforthespecicpipeSchedulestatedatthe
bottomoftheowscalelabel.Whileitisimportanttocomplywiththe
specicScheduleofpipe,theaccuracystatedwithinthismanualcanbe
maintainedifashortlength(3-6inches/75-150mm),ofthecorrectpipe
8. installation

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 13 Installation
type,isinstalledeithersideoftheFlowVis.Forexample,anFV-3/FV-3-L,
canbeinsertedtoaSCH40plumbingsystemprovidedtheatashortlength
ofSCH80pipeisinstalledintoeachendoftheFlowVisFV-3/FV-3-L.
8.2 Certied NSF 50 Accuracy and Associated Pipe Congurations
Pipe Conguration
Denitions:
A. Zero straight pipe before of
aer FlowVis. Can be installed
in any orientation - horizontal,
vertical up or vertical down.
B. Straight horizontal pipe of
≥11” before FlowVis
C. Straight horizontal pipe of
≥17” before FlowVis
D. Straight horizontal pipe of
≥33” before FlowVis
E. Straight horizontal pipe of
≥64” before FlowVis
Model NSF 50
Level
Pipe
Conguration
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
14 Installation
8.3 Pipe Congurations other than those used by NSF for Testing
Piping congurations that are more demanding than those used by NSF for
testing FlowVis, e.g., installing an FV-3 right next to another tting such as an
elbow, will result in a lower accuracy level than stated above. It is impossible to
determine the exact impact that each scenario will have, but like all ow meters
installed in larger pipe sizes, turbulence becomes an issue. The longer the run of
straight pipe before FlowVis, the better.
8.4 NSF 50 Accuracy Levels
The NSF 50 Standard for ow meters has ve levels of accuracy (L1 - L5) that
are expressed as follows:
Level1(L1) - Average of absolute values of all single point deviations must be
≤2%. Single point deviations shall not exceed ±4%.
Level2(L2) - Average of absolute values of all single point deviations must be
≤5%. Single point deviations shall not exceed ±7.5%.
Level3(L3) - Average of absolute values of all single point deviations must be
≤10%. Single point deviations shall not exceed ±12.5%.
Level4(L4) - Average of absolute values of all single point deviations must be
≤12.5%. Single point deviations shall not exceed ±15%.
Level5(L5) - Average of absolute values of all single point deviations must be
≤15%. Single point deviations shall not exceed ±20%.

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 15 Installation
8.5 Installation of Saddle-clamp style models (FV-6, FV-6-L, FV-8
and FV-8-L)
FlowVis models FV-6 and FV-8 use Schedule 80 Saddle Clamps. Dimensional
details are as follows:
FlowVis Model Saddle Size Hole to be Drilled
in Pipe
Angle for Hole /
Saddle Clamp
   °
   °
Whendrillingthehole,thefollowing
precautionsshouldbetaken:
1. Prior to drilling, make sure that the
intended hole will be at 45 degrees from the
perpendicular.
2. Ensure that the intended position
will allow the user to read the FlowVis
scale on the lid. If this is not possible, then
we recommend adding a FlowVis Digital
upgrade to enable the ow reading to be read
remotely. NOTE: Models FV-8 and FV-8-L
include FlowVis Digital as standard.
3. Do not damage the external pipe area around the drilled hole. Surface damage
will result in the Saddle’s o-ring being unable to provide a watertight seal.
4. If using a hole saw, it is advisable to run the drill in reverse, and although this
will take longer to cut through the pipe, it will be less aggressive and will cut a
cleaner hole.
5. Be sure to obtain the correct sized hole saw.
Before securing the Saddle Clamp to the pipe, apply a good quality o-ring lubricant to
the o-ring. Install the o-ring into the socket on the underside of the upper-half of the
Saddle-Clamp. Position the Clamp to the pipe so that the o-ring is centered around the
drilled hole. Evenly tighten the nuts and bolts until both halves of the Saddle Clamp
are mated together.

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
16 Installation
Section of pipe to
be removed
8.6 Installation of Union-style models (FV-15-U and FV-2-U)
Union style valve bodies are available for 1.5” and 2” FlowVis models and are
designated FV-15-U and FV-2-U, respectively. The Union style valve body oers two
main advantages:
1. Ease of installation for retrotting to existing plumbing, and where it is
dicult to ‘spread’ the pipe for the standard FlowVis valve body, and;
2. Where the user wishes to uninstall the FlowVis during cold winter months
As with all Union style ttings, it is essential that accurate measurements are
taken before cutting out the section of pipe. The ends of the cut pipe must be cut
square. Removing too much pipe will prevent the union tting from tightening up,
and leaks will occur. Cutting out insucient pipe will result in diculty inserting the
valve body in-between the unions.
Fig.2.0
Model Inches
(decimal)
Inches
(fraction) mm
   
   
Length of Pipe to be Removed

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 17
Installation
IMPORTANT NOTE: As
shown in Fig.2.1, be careful to
slide the two locking rings onto
each pipe end before gluing on
the union  anges.
The amount of pipe to be
removed is shown in Fig.2.0.
Fig.2.1
NOTE: The lid assembly from the standard valve body cannot be transferred to a
union style valve body (and visa-versa), due to the  ow reading being di erent.

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
18 Installation
1
2
3
5
4
6
7
8
8.7 Tightening Lid Screws
When installing the Retrot versions of FlowVis® or when removing and re-
installing the FlowVis® lid assembly, it is important to adhere to the following
procedure:
1. Make sure that the o-ring on the underside of the lid is undamaged,
lubricated with silicone (such as Boss 820) and is in-place without twists.
2. Ensure apper hinge pin is centered.
3. Carefully lower the lid onto its valve body, Tee, or Saddle-Clamp, making
sure that the o-ring stays in place.
4. Insert by hand the (8) stainless
steel screws but do not tighten at
this stage.
5. Using a hand Phillips-head
screwdriver, slowly tighten the
screws in a diagonal pattern, per
the sequence shown in Fig.2.2. Do
not fully tighten one screw before
proceeding to the next, i.e., pull
them down slowly multiple times
to avoid stressing and cracking the
lid. Screws should be tightened to
a nal torque of 25 inch / pounds
or 2.8 Nm.
IMPORTANTNOTE:Failuretoadheretotheabovelidassembly
installationinstructionsbytighteningtheFlowVislidscrewsusing
animpactdriver,electricscrewdriver,oranyotherpowertool,will
almostcertainlyresultinacrackingofthepolycarbonatelidassembly.
Theevidenceofsuchaninstallationwillbeclearandobviousandwill
RENDERTHEFLOWVISWARRANTYNULLANDVOID.

H2flow Controls FlowVis® 19
Operation
9.1 Reading the Flow Rate
The FlowVis® is factory-calibrated to be extremely accurate across its full
operating range. Any perceived ‘inaccuracy’ is related to the viewing angle at
which the scale is being read. To avoid so-called ‘parallax error’, it is important to
position your eye so that you are looking squarely at the tip of the indicator arm.
To achieve this, simply move your head so that you just lose sight of the vertical
leading edge of the red arm.
9. operation














Fig.2.3 Fig.2.4 Fig.2.5
NOTE:Slowly move your head in this direction (as
shown in Fig.2.6) to the point where the leading edge of
the indicating arm is not visible.
Vertical leading edge
  
Fig.2.6

H2flow Controls FlowVis®
20 Operation
9.2 Reading the Velocity Rate
FlowVis® includes a unique Velocity readout that is not found on any other
ow meter. The le-hand side of the scale has a reading of the ow rate, while
the right-hand side has a reading of the velocity rate.
In order to accurately read either the ow or velocity rate, please follow the
instructions described in the preceding section.
The color background of the velocity scale relates to the widely accepted
understanding by professionals in the Recreational Water industry, that the
velocity of water traveling through a pipe shall not exceed six feet per second on
the suction side of a pump or eight feet per second on the discharge side.
The background color shows a ‘step’ feature that dierentiates the Suction (S)
and Discharge (D) areas. Note that not all models will show the ‘S’ and ‘D’ at the
top of the velocity scale. For these models, note that suction readings are on the
le and discharge readings on the right of the right-hand side (/s) side of the
scale.
IMPORTANT:Theowrateshouldneverenterthe‘red’areaofthe
scaleforeitherconguration.
The velocity rate values are related to the specic pipe type shown at the bottom
of the scale.