Product Overview
The Dynasonics FC-215 is a thermal-energy (BTU) calculator from Badger Meter — it has no flow sensor of its own. It takes a scalable pulse signal from an external flow meter (1 to 2500 litres per pulse) together with a matched Pt500 RTD pair, and computes heating or cooling energy to EN 1434 — accuracy to EN 1434-2 Class IB — under MID approval, with Measurement Canada on approved builds. Energy reads out in kWh, MWh or GJ, with one of M-Bus, Modbus RTU or pulse output and a 10-year-battery or AC-powered build, and an integral 15-month data logger. It is the way to add custody-grade EN 1434 energy billing to a flow meter you already have or are specifying separately, rather than replacing the meter with an integrated energy meter.
Flow meters to pair with the FC-215
TFX-5000 — clamp-on ultrasonic flow input — no-cut retrofit
U500W — inline / insertion ultrasonic flow input
ModMAG M-Series — electromagnetic flow input for conductive loops
RecordALL — mechanical water-meter flow input for small loops
Key Features & Benefits
- Adds energy to a meter you already have — it reads the pulse output of any flow meter, so an existing or third-party flow point becomes an EN 1434 energy point without replacing the meter
- Custody-grade for billing — MID approval to EN 1434 — with Measurement Canada on approved builds — so the energy total stands up for tenant and district-energy billing
- Scaled to the meter’s pulse weight — the pulse input is configurable across 1 to 2500 litres per pulse, so it matches small sub-metered loops through large mains
- Matched Pt500 pair, your way to mount it — order the matched 2-wire Pt500 pair for direct-immersion or thermowell mounting, in 3 m or 10 m cable
- Battery or AC, on the bus you run — a 10-year battery build for unpowered locations, or AC power with wired M-Bus or Modbus RTU for an integrated metering network — one option supplied per meter
- Reports in the units the bill is in — energy reads out in kWh, MWh or GJ — the figure goes straight onto the invoice without conversion
Specifications
- Function
- A thermal-energy (BTU) calculator — it has no flow sensor of its own. It takes a pulse flow signal from any external flow meter and a matched temperature-sensor pair, and computes heating or cooling energy. Use it to put EN 1434 energy billing on a flow point that already exists or is being specified on its own.
- Energy-metering standard
- EN 1434 via MID approval. Calculator types are ordered to the duty: Heat/Cooling (Water, MID), Cooling (Water, MID), Heat (Water, MID), and Heat/Cooling (Water, US/Canada).
- Flow input
- Scalable volume-pulse input from your flow meter (reed or open-collector, EN 1434-2, to 10 Hz), configured to the meter’s pulse weight — 1 / 2.5 / 10 / 25 / 100 / 250 / 1000 / 2500 litres per pulse. The pulse weight and units lock once measurement begins, so they cannot be altered after billing starts.
- Temperature inputs
- A matched Pt500 RTD pair, 2-wire (IEC 60751 class B or better), in 3 m or 10 m cable, for direct-immersion or thermowell mounting.
- Energy computation
- Energy is computed from the metered volume (external pulses) × the supply-return temperature difference read by the matched RTD pair, to the selected EN 1434 calculator type. Medium water or water/glycol (20–50% propylene or ethylene glycol, an unapproved option); medium temperature 0–150 °C heating/cooling (0–50 °C cooling); temperature-difference range 3–100 K heating, −3 to −50 K cooling.
- Accuracy class
- Accuracy to EN 1434-2 with Class IB input — the metrological accuracy class for a custody-grade BTU calculator.
- Energy units
- User-selectable energy unit — kWh, MWh or GJ.
- Outputs
- Open-collector pulse output for energy / volume totals to a building-automation or logging system.
- Communication options
- One option is supplied per meter: wired M-Bus, Modbus RTU, or pulse output. Modbus RTU (EIA-485) is powered separately from a 12–24 V DC (SELV) supply and is not offered with Measurement Canada approval.
- Display
- 8-digit LCD with an integral data logger — up to 15-month semi-monthly history with two adjustable tariff registers, retained without power, plus an optical read interface. IP54; DIN-rail or wall mount.
- Power
- 10-year battery, or external 24 V AC, or 230 V AC with battery backup.
- Billing / approvals
- MID / EN 1434 custody-grade for tenant and district-energy billing; Measurement Canada approval on the approved configurations.
Common Applications
- District heating and district cooling energy accounting at the building or plant takeover
- Tenant sub-billing of heating / cooling energy in multi-tenant and campus buildings
- Chilled-water and hot-water loop energy on chillers, boilers and heat exchangers
- Adding EN 1434 billing to an existing third-party flow meter without replacing it
- M-Bus or Modbus energy networks where the calculator reports to a central reading system
The FC-215 needs a flow meter to count — it does not measure flow itself. For an all-in-one ultrasonic energy meter that integrates the flow sensor and the RTD pair in one device, the UHC-120 is the simpler pick; choose the FC-215 when the flow point already exists or is specified separately. Use the input form to tell us the flow meter’s pulse weight and we’ll match the input.
What to Pair It With
The FC-215 needs two things to make an energy reading: a flow meter that puts out a scalable volume pulse, and the matched RTD pair. Both come from the Badger line you are already specifying — there is no need to source them on the open market.
- Dynasonics ultrasonic flow — the usual pairing for a water loop — clamp-on TFX-5000 or TFX-500W for a no-cut retrofit, or an inline / insertion U500W where a permanent wetted meter is preferred — each gives the scalable pulse the FC-215 scales to.
- ModMAG electromagnetic flow — for a conductive new-install loop — where a wetted mag meter is specified, the ModMAG M1000 or M2000 feeds the calculator a high-accuracy scaled pulse directly.
- RecordALL mechanical water meters — for small sub-metered loops — a RecordALL turbine or disc meter with a pulse register feeds the same energy point on a smaller line.
- Matched Pt500 RTD pair — ordered with the calculator, not separately — the supply / return sensors ship as part of the FC-215 order (matched 2-wire Pt500, direct-immersion or thermowell mount, 3 or 10 m cable), so the energy point arrives as one matched kit.
Design & Selection Considerations
- Match the method to the fluid — transit-time vs Doppler — transit-time meters time an ultrasonic pulse sent with and against the flow, so they want a clean to lightly-laden liquid that passes sound (the TFX-5000 clamp-on and E-Series G2 inline). A Doppler meter (the DFX) does the opposite — it needs suspended solids or aeration to reflect the signal, which is what makes it the pick for sewage, slurries and aerated fluids. Use the input form to tell us how clean the fluid is and the right principle follows; the wrong one simply will not read.
- Clamp-on or inline — non-invasive vs best low-flow accuracy — a clamp-on meter straps transducers to the outside of the pipe — no cut-in, no pressure drop, no wetted parts, and it installs on a live line (the TFX-5000 / TFX-500w, and the portable DXN-5P). An inline spool (E-Series G2) is a permanent wetted body that holds the tightest low-flow accuracy and carries potable-water approval. Retrofit and survey work favour clamp-on; a permanent metered point with tight accuracy favours inline.
- Clamp-on needs a sound-friendly pipe — a clamp-on meter sends sound through the wall, so it wants a solid, sonically-conductive pipe of known material and wall thickness — metal and most plastics read well; heavy mortar lining, fibreglass, gas pockets, or badly corroded / scaled wall scatter the signal. Use the input form to give us the pipe material, OD and wall and we confirm suitability and transducer choice. The pipe is part of the meter on a clamp-on install — spec it as carefully as the fluid.
- Give the meter a developed flow profile — ultrasonic meters tolerate less straight run than a turbine, but a swirling or distorted profile off elbows, pumps and valves still biases the reading. Allow the recommended upstream / downstream straight run, or mount on the longest available run. More straight run, steadier reading — design the location, do not just clamp where it is convenient.
- Specify potable / hygienic approval where it is required — for drinking-water service the body must be lead-free and certified — the inline E-Series G2 carries a lead-free bronze body to NSF/ANSI 61 & 372. Say up front that the line is potable and we specify an approved body, not a general-purpose one. Approval is a build choice, not a field add-on.
- For heating / cooling energy, pair flow with a matched RTD pair — thermal energy is flow × the supply-return temperature difference, so an energy meter needs a matched temperature-sensor pair as well as flow. The UHC-120 integrates ultrasonic flow with the RTD pair to EN 1434, and the FC-215 computes energy from an external flow signal and RTD pair. For BTU / tenant billing, the matched sensor pair and the standard matter as much as the flow reading.
- Open channel: non-contact level or submerged area-velocity — in an open channel, flow is derived from level over a known primary device, or from velocity × area. The IS-4000 reads level non-contact over a flume or weir — nothing in the stream to foul; the IS-6000 submerges an area-velocity Doppler sensor where there is no primary device or the channel surcharges. A flume / weir site suits non-contact level; a surcharging or primary-less channel suits area-velocity.
To size & select the right Dynasonics FC-215:
Use the input form to send your pipe size and material (or line size), the fluid and how clean it is, the flow range and accuracy target, and the fluid temperature — with whether you need clamp-on or inline, energy / BTU, or open-channel — and we’ll spec the right Dynasonics meter, transducers and outputs for your application.
Flow Meter Application Sheet ›Talk to an engineer directly — Scott Prater, Principal · 917-580-0878 · scott@pratertechnical.com
Specifications compiled by Prater Technical Partners from Badger Meter Dynasonics ultrasonic flow product literature.