Corrosion Control in Flow Meter Repair and Installation

Flow meters play an important role in monitoring and measuring the movement of liquids and gases across a wide range of industrial applications. Like other equipment exposed to demanding environments, flow meters and their associated hardware can be affected by corrosion over time. When it comes time to repair, replace, or install a meter, that corrosion creates additional challenges for technicians, particularly when working with rusted or seized fasteners.

Addressing corrosion during maintenance and installation can help make these jobs more manageable while also providing an opportunity to protect components for the future. For Flow Measurement Group LLC, corrosion-control products have become a regular part of that process.

The Challenge of Corrosion During Flow Meter Maintenance

Replacing a flow meter may seem relatively straightforward, but corrosion can add considerable time and effort to the job. Fasteners that have been exposed to moisture, chemicals, outdoor conditions, or other corrosive environments become heavily rusted and difficult to remove.

In these situations, technicians may need to use penetrating products to help loosen corroded hardware. When conventional penetrants aren’t effective enough, removing rust mechanically, such as by grinding, can become necessary. This adds another step to the repair process and can make routine maintenance more labor-intensive.

Effective corrosion control can help address these challenges by making it easier to work with existing corrosion while also providing lubrication and protection for components during installation.

Flow Measurement Group Puts HinderRUST to the Test

Chuck, owner of Flow Measurement Group LLC, first learned about HinderRUST at a trade show. After speaking with Fluoramics, his team decided to test the products in the field to see how they performed in their flow meter repair and installation work.

One of the first applications was replacing flow meters where rusted bolts presented a familiar maintenance challenge. The Flow Measurement Group team found that the Bust That Rust! version of HinderRUST performed better than the penetrants they had previously used for breaking rusted bolts free.

“In our opinion, (Bust That Rust!) works better than any other penetrant we’ve used.” – Chuck Wichterman, Owner

The difference was particularly noticeable in situations where corrosion had made fasteners difficult to remove. Rather than routinely spending additional time grinding rust away from bolts, the team incorporated HinderRUST into the process by saturating the bolts and allowing several hours for the product to penetrate the corrosion before removal.

For technicians who regularly work on existing equipment, this type of application can be especially valuable. Corroded fasteners are often one of the less predictable parts of a repair, and having a corrosion-control product available simplifies the removal process and reduces some of the additional work associated with heavily rusted hardware.

Using HinderRUST as Part of a Regular Maintenance Routine

Following their initial testing, Flow Measurement Group incorporated Bust That Rust into their regular work. Today, the company uses the product on a monthly basis as they repair, replace, and install meters.

This ongoing use highlights an important aspect of corrosion control: it doesn’t have to be limited to occasional emergency repairs. For companies working with flow measurement equipment on a regular basis, corrosion-control products can become part of the standard maintenance toolkit.

Using the appropriate product when working with corroded hardware helps technicians address problems as they encounter them, rather than relying solely on mechanical methods to remove corrosion.

Corrosion Control During New Meter Installation

While Bust That Rust! is useful when dealing with existing corrosion, corrosion control can also be incorporated into the installation of new equipment.

Flow Measurement Group uses HinderRUST S4.0 when installing new meters, where it provides added lubrication and corrosion control. Incorporating lubrication during installation ensures that components are properly treated before the equipment goes into service, while corrosion control provides an additional layer of protection in environments where corrosion may be a concern.

Taking these steps during installation is also beneficial for future maintenance. Flow meters and their associated hardware need to be serviced or replaced down the road, and maintaining fasteners and components with corrosion in mind helps make those future jobs easier to manage.

A Practical Approach to Flow Meter Corrosion

Corrosion is a common consideration in industrial equipment maintenance, and flow meter applications are no exception. Whether technicians are removing an existing meter with heavily rusted hardware or installing a new meter that will be exposed to potentially corrosive conditions, addressing corrosion as part of the process can help improve the overall maintenance experience.

Flow Measurement Group’s experience demonstrates how corrosion-control products can be applied throughout the life cycle of a flow meter—from helping loosen rusted fasteners during replacement to providing lubrication and corrosion control during new installation.

What began as a product discovery at a trade show has become a regular part of Flow Measurement Group’s maintenance and installation work. Their experience is one example of how the right corrosion-control approach supports technicians in the field and helps make meter repair and installation more efficient.

For companies working with flow measurement equipment, incorporating corrosion control into routine maintenance and installation is one practical way to address the challenges that rust and corrosion create over the life of the equipment. By addressing corrosion during both repair and installation, technicians can spend less time dealing with rusted hardware and more time keeping critical flow measurement equipment operating as intended.

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