MANUAL

Smith Meter® Rotary Vane Meters

PRIME 4
Service Manual
MN01041 Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

Contents
Trouble Shooting ........................................................................................................................................... Page 2
Genuine Smith Meter Parts ........................................................................................................................... Page 2
Special Tools and Fixtures ............................................................................................................................. Page 2
Disassembly and Inspection .......................................................................................................................... Page 3
Reassembly ................................................................................................................................................... Page 5
Service Records ............................................................................................................................................ Page 7
General Genuine Smith Meter Parts
To insure the best performance of the PRIME Meter, the The PRIME Meter is approved by several weights
step-by-step procedures outlined in this manual should and measures authorities including NIST and CCA. In
be followed. Review the entire manual prior to disas- order to maintain these approvals, it is essential that all
sembly or repair of the meter to fully understand replacement parts are genuine Smith Meter Parts.
the requirements.

Special Tools and Fixtures

Trouble Shooting
In addition to ordinary hand tools, the following tools and
No Pulses Generated fixtures will be useful.
Preset Configuration An assortment of leaf-type Feeler Gauges soldered
Check that the AccuLoad (electronic preset counter) to a 15" extension rod
is configured for contact input.
Part Number Thickness
No Power 515252-1 0.0015"
Check to see if there is power at the sensor. To do 515252-2 0.002"
this, put the common lead of a voltmeter on the ter-
515252-3 0.003"
minal to which the black wire of the sensor is con-
515252-4 0.004"
nected. Measure the voltage on the red wire of the
sensor. If it is not plus 12 or 24 Vdc ± 10%, check 515252-5 0.005"
the power supply. 515252-6 0.006"
515252-7 0.007"
Debris on Sensor Tip
If pulse failure occurred right after having the sensor 515252-8 0.008"
out of the housing, look for debris at the tip of the 515252-9 0.009"
sensor. The sensor must be completely seated in
the housing. If it is just 0.020" away from seating, no Spider (Part No. 554109-0-01) to center the shaft
pulses will be generated. during assembly and clearance verification.
Broken Blade Ball end Allen Wrench (3/16")
Whenever the meter has been drained, there is the Platform for the rotor assembly that is at least 1.5"
danger of hydraulic shock breaking a blade during thick and 10" in diameter or square with a 7.5" diam-
the subsequent start-up. If there is flow through the eter hole through. The top surface should be smooth
meter and it is not making a light tapping sound (it (Figure 1).
may be necessary to place your ear on the meter to Internal retaining ring pliers.
hear this sound), there is probably a broken blade
and the rotor is not rotating. It will be necessary to Two 0.375-16 NC X 1.5" long eyebolts for cover
drain the meter and remove the cover to inspect for removal.
a broken blade (see instructions below). Thread locking compound (Part No. 643917-4-01)
If there is no broken blade and the rotor turns freely, for the rotor cover screws.
the lack of pulses is probably due to a faulty sensor.
Be sure to replace with the proper sensor (Part No.
646592-4-01 is for single pulse output, 646596-4-01 10"
is for dual pulse output). (253)
10"
(253)
Excessive Noise
The PRIME Meter makes very little noise when oper- 1.5"
ating, especially at flow rates under 750 gpm. If the (38)
meter is making a noticeable rapid tapping sound, the
cam following sections of the blades may be worn.
It will be necessary to drain the meter and remove 7.5" Dia.
the cover to inspect for blade wear (see instructions
below).
With the cover removed, rotate the rotor until one
blade is horizontal. Try to move the blade in and out
Figure 1 – Platform
of the rotor. If there is a noticeable amount of free play
(more than 0.020"), the blade is excessively worn
and needs to be replaced (see instructions below).

Page 2 • MN01041 Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

Disassembly and Inspection Remove the hex socket head pipe plug and retainer ring.
The socket head pipe plug can be found under the warn-
Caution: Disconnect power (12 Vdc) before working ing tag located on the sensor housing (Figures 3 and 4).
on the meter.
Caution: The sensor is magnetized and can attract
The following clearance table can be used to judge small pieces of metal at the tip. Be certain the sensor
the degree of wear on various parts of the meter. It is tip and sensor housing are absolutely clean prior
a good idea to measure and record the clearances as to reinstalling the sensor. The slightest bit of debris
the meter is disassemble. can increase the distance between the sensor and
the pulse target gear inside the meter and prevent
Clearance Table
the sensor from producing pulses.
Measurement Minimum Maximum
Blade Slot 0.003" 0.006"
Blade to Cover/Housing Bottom 0.001" 0.009"
Cam Follower Over Cam 0.001" 0.004"
Blade Tip to Housing 0.002" 0.004"
Rotor to Block 0.002" 0.007"
Rotor Axial End Play 0.005" 0.009"

Remove Meter from Line

Drain the meter thoroughly prior to disconnecting the
J-box wiring. The 1/4 NPT pipe plug on the meter cover
is used to drain the meter. Depending upon the system
piping, draining may take several minutes.
To lift the meter, use the eyebolt threaded into the boss
on the housing (vertical installation) or the hole in the Figure 3
gusset (horizontal installation).
It is possible to examine the internals of the meter while
it is installed in the line as mentioned in the Trouble
Shooting section. This is done by removing the pulse
sensor housing from the cover then removing the cover
from the meter. However, service is not recommended
without the complete removal of the meter from the
line. This is because it is difficult to test spin the rotor.

WARNING!
Do not remove the sensor housing from the meter
without first draining the meter. See warning tag
on the sensor housing.

Remove Pulse Sensor and Sensor Housing Figure 4

The pulse sensor is located in the sensor housing and Pull the sensor out by the wires (Figure 5).
can be replaced without the need of draining the meter
and removing it from the line. This is accomplished
by disconnecting all wiring connections (be sure and
mark the wire locations) and disconnecting the union
or unscrewing the conduit box from the sensor housing
(Figure 2).

Figure 5

WARNING!
Do not proceed with following steps unless meter
Figure 2
has been blocked, depressurized and drained of
product.

Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17) MN01041 • Page 3

 Lift the cover and rotate slightly to separate it from the
shaft (Figure 9). Lay the cover so that the inside faces
upward. Remove the O-ring.

Loosen Shaft
Before the rotor can be removed, it is necessary to
loosen the shaft from the socket in the meter body. This
is done by loosening the shaft locking nut until it is flush
with the end of the threaded rod. Give the nut a sharp
blow with a soft hammer. This will free the locking cone
at the other end of the shaft (Figure 10).
Figure 6

Figure 7
Figure 10 – Loosening Locking Cone
To remove the sensor housing, remove the two socket
Remove Rotor
head screws. A ball end hexagonal wrench works best.
Remove the o-ring (Figures 6 and 7). Carefully lift the rotor, shaft and blades from the meter
body. If the shaft does not come free, it may be neces-
Note: When reinstalling the sensor housing be sure
sary to jar it loose with the momentum of the rotor. Once
to install the o-ring and the socket head pipe plug.
removed from the meter body, set the rotor assembly
Be sure that the housing is installed with the socket
on the platform with a 7-1/2" diameter hole, rotor cover
head pipe plug facing out.
end up.

Disassemble Rotor
Remove the eight (8) socket head screws (Figure 11).
Use four (4) of the screws as jack screws to evenly lift
the rotor cover from the rotor. Even though the dowel
pins allow for proper orientation of the rotor cover, a
chock mark across the rotor and rotor cover will speed
the orientation during reassemble.

Figure 8 – Remove the Cover Bolts

Figure 11 – Remove Rotor Cover

With the cover removed, use a three cornered file to
file one notch in the outer blade and rotor slot (Figure
12). On reassembly, it is important that the blades be
Figure 9 – Remove Cover positioned the same way in their original slot. Remove
the outer blade.

Page 4 • MN01041 Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

Figure 12 – Notch Out Blade and Rotor Slot Figure 14 – Press Shaft into Cam

Lift the shaft and cam assemble out of the rotor. Assemble Rotor
Notch the inner blade and rotor slot with two notches Place the rotor on the platform and install the inner blade,
and remove. shaft assembly and the outer blade. If these are the origi-
Inspect the rotor for hairline cracks, particularly the slot nal blades, be sure they are located properly in their slots
bridges on the end opposite of the cover. according to the notches filed at disassembly (Figure 15).

Pressing off the Cam

Press the shaft out of the cam using an arbor press.
Note the step on the shaft and that the shaft can only
be pressed in one direction (Figure 13). Before pressing
off the cam, place a washer under the cam, so that the
cam is not supported at the edges.

Figure 15 – Locate Blades into their Respective Slots

It is essential that the contact surfaces between the

rotor and rotor cover be absolutely clean. The slightest
amount of debris trapped here will result in an increase
in the distance between the rotor bearing ends and may
not allow the rotor to rotate freely once inside the meter.
Figure 13 – Press Shaft Out of Cam
Rotate the rotor cover so that the dowel pin in the rotor
Inspection of Parts match the hole pattern in the cover. Use thread lock-
ing compound (Part No. 643917-4-01) on rotor cover
Prior to reassembly, all parts should be inspected for ex- screws and evenly tighten to 48+/- 5 in-lbs torque (Fig-
cessive wear, corrosion or damage. Generally, all parts ure 16).
that affect meter clearances, e.g., blades, rotor, etc. that
show measurable wear patterns should be replaced.

Reassembly
Shaft Assembly
Before pressing on the cam, place a washer under the
cam, so that the cam is not supported at the edges.
Place the key into the groove of the shaft and use an
arbor press to press the shaft into the cam until it seats
on the step (Figure 14).

Figure 16 – Replace Rotor Cover

Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17) MN01041 • Page 5

The shaft should rotate freely moving the blades in and Blade Tip Clearances
out of the rotor. Position the spider over the shaft and onto the body. The
spider centers the shaft so that proper measurements
Assemble Rotor to Body can be taken.
Install the cone and shaft locking key into the shaft If the blades are being replaced, it may be necessary
socket in the meter body (Figure 17). to slightly file them to obtain the proper tip clearances.
Use feeler gages to check each blade tip when it is
extended into the measuring chamber. It is necessary
to push the blade against the small radius of the cam
in order to properly measure this clearance (Figure 20).
Use chalk to mark the areas of the blade tips that are
to tight.

Figure 17 – Cone and Shaft Locking Key in Shaft Socket

Rotate the shaft so that both blades are fully extended.

Lift the rotor assembly and place it into the body so that
the extended blades are opposite the block (Figure 18).

Figure 20 – Measure Blade Tip Clearance

Remove the rotor from the body and place on a smooth

jawed vise, clamping down lightly on the opposite paddle
to the one that will be filed. Coat the end of the paddle
with bluing compound to aid in identifying the filing pat-
tern. Use care not to remove to much stock (Figure 21).

Figure 18 – Place Rotor into Body

The shaft should slide easily into the socket. Check that
the shaft is fully engaged in the socket and will not rotate.
It should be possible to rotate the rotor.
Thread the tie rod into the cone at least eight (8) turns.
Place the washer and nut on the tie rod but do not
tighten (Figure 19).

Figure 21 – File Blade to Increase Blade Tip Clearance

Repeat as necessary until all blade tip clearances are
between 0.0025" and 0.0045".
With the rotor in the body and the spider in place, check
that the blade ends are no higher than the rotor. File
down if necessary.

Figure 19 – Thread Tie Rod into the Cone

Page 6 • MN01041 Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

Tighten Shaft Locking Nut Start-Up Procedures
With the rotor in the body and the spider in place, tighten
the shaft locking nut on the end of the tie rod to 23-26 Install Meter Into Line
ft-lbs torque (Figure 22). When the meter is first installed in the line there is air
inside the rotor. The air takes some time to work out.
If the meter is subjected to hydraulic shock during this
vulnerable time, the rotor can pinch down on the blades
and cause blade breakage or cam shaft rotation. By
following the specified start-up procedure, the likelihood
of meter damage will be greatly reduced.
Note: Refer to PRIME 4 Installation/Operation Manual,
Publication No. MN01038, for Start-Up Procedures.

Service Records
It is a good idea to keep records of all proving data
on each meter. Significant shifts in accuracy between
proving is normally an indicator that the meter requires
Figure 22 – Tighten Shaft Locking Nut service. Maintaining service records on the meter is
also a good idea and may aid in trouble shooting future
Install O-Ring and Cover problems. The following Meter Clearance Record and
Use petroleum jelly or grease to lubricate the cover Meter Proving Record forms are supplied for maintaining
O-Ring and place in the grove on the body. Locate the accurate service records.
cover so that the drain hole will be at the bottom of the
meter when installed in the line. Evenly tighten the cover
bolts using a criss-cross pattern to 260 ±10 ft-lbs torque.

Install Sensor Housing, O-ring and Pulse Sensor

Use grease to lubricate the sensor housing O-Ring and
place on the sensor housing. Install the sensor housing
into the cover so that the notch in the threaded end of the
sensor faces toward the drain in the cover. Use thread
locking compound (Part Number 643917-4-01) on two
socket head screws and tighten to 48+/- 5 in-lbs torque.
Install the drain plug into the cover.

Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17) MN01041 • Page 7

 Meter Clearance Record
Meter & Model _________________________________ Serial Number _____________________________________

Page 8 • MN01041
Item Date
As Found As Assembled _ Date As Found As Assembled
_ Date As Found As Assembled _
Blade
Slot

Blade
End
Play
Blade
Tip to
Housing
Blade Cam
Followers
Over Cam
Rotor
to
Block
Rotor
Axial End
Play

Item Date
As Found As Assembled _ Date
As Found As Assembled _ Date As Found As Assembled _
Blade
Slot

Blade
End
Play
Blade
Tip to
Housing
Blade Cam
Followers
Over Cam
Rotor
to
Block
Rotor
Axial End
Play

Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

 Meter Proving Record
Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________

Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor

Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17)

Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________

Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor

Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________ Date: _______ Product ___________________

Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor Flow Rate Temp. Pressure Meter Factor

MN01041 • Page 9
 Revisions included in MN01041 Issue/Rev. 0.5 (1/17):
Page 3: Clearance table has been updated.
The specifications contained herein are subject to change without notice and any user of said specifications should verify from the manufacturer that the specifications are currently in
effect. O
 therwise, the manufacturer assumes no responsibility for the use of specifications which may have been changed and are no longer in effect.
Contact information is subject to change. For the most current contact information, visit our website at TechnipFMC.com and click on the “Contact Us” link.

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