How to add a water meter
If the building has a water meter that isn't connected to Properate automatically, you register it as a manual meter and enter the readings yourself. This is common for water, since water meters are read manually more often than energy meters.
How to add a water meter
- Open the building you want to work on. See How to switch building and search for a building.
- Go to Timeseries in the sidebar.
- Click Add or modify meter and choose Add water meter.
- In the Select water meter dialog, fill in:
- Description — required. This becomes the meter's name.
- Unit — required, normally m³.
- Click Next.
- Enter the readings.
The meter can now be picked under Water meters in the water view. See How to read a building's water consumption.
Note: The meter has to be registered before you can enter values — it's two steps, with Next between them.
How to enter readings
The quickest route is pasting from a spreadsheet:
- Create a spreadsheet with date in column A and measurements in column B.
- Copy the two columns with Ctrl+C / ⌘C.
- Paste into the dialog with the button, or with Ctrl+V / ⌘V.
Alternatively fill in Date/time and Value for each reading in the form, using Add datapoint for more rows.
Meter reading or consumption?
This is the most common mistake with manual water meters. A water meter on the wall shows a cumulative reading — a number that only grows. Properate expects consumption in the period.
If you read 1,250 m³ in January and 1,310 m³ in February, February's consumption is 60 m³ — 60 is what you enter, not 1,310. Enter the cumulative reading and it looks as though consumption has exploded.
How to record readings from your phone
If the meter has a QR code, readings can be recorded without going into Properate — see How to record a meter reading.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I enter readings?
As often as you have them. Monthly readings give you monthly follow-up, but they can't reveal a leak at night — that needs hourly values from a connected meter.
Can I fill in backwards in time?
Yes. The date determines where the point lands, so historical readings can be entered afterwards.
Could the water meter be connected automatically instead?
Often yes, depending on the meter and the setup. Contact support to find out what's possible for your building — automatic collection gives hourly values, and that's what makes leak detection possible.
Tip!
Take the readings on the same day of the month every time. Uneven intervals make monthly consumption fluctuate on its own, and then there's no telling whether a change is real.