Weights and Measures Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1605)

• 269 (1) Subject to subsection (4), the limits of error set out in the tables to subsections (2) and (3) apply to all slow-flow meters rated at 115 litres per hour or less or 25 gallons per hour or less for use in trade in pipeline systems to measure fuel oil, stove oil or kerosene supplied to furnaces and other heating equipment, or in any other system where the meter is permanently connected to a point of fuel consumption.

• (2) The limits of error set out in the following table apply to meters designed to operate at 2.25 to 22.5 litres or more per hour or 0.5 to five gallons or more per hour:

  	Column I	Column II	Column III
  Item	Known Test Quantity	Acceptance Limits of Error	In-Service Limits of Error
  1	Any volume above the minimum volume set out in specifications established by the Minister for slow-flow meters or for a design of slow-flow meter	½% of known test quantity	¾% of known test quantity

• (3) The limits of error set out in the following table apply to meters designed to operate at 0.10 to 3.4 litres or more per hour or 0.02 to 0.75 gallons or more per hour:

  	Column I	Column II	Column III
  Item	Known Test Quantity	Acceptance Limits of Error	In-Service Limits of Error
  1	Any volume above the minimum volume set out in specifications established by the Minister for slow-flow meters or for a design of slow-flow meter (during tests made at 0.5 litres per hour or 0.10 gallons per hour)	3% of known test quantity	4% of known test quantity
  2	Any volume above the minimum volume set out in specifications established by the Minister for slow-flow meters or for a design of slow-flow meter (during tests made at 3.4 litres per hour or 0.75 gallons per hour)	½% of known test quantity	¾% of known test quantity

• (4) The limits of error set out in the tables to subsections (2) and (3) refer to the results of bench tests made in accordance with specifications established by the Minister for slow-flow meters.

• 270 (1) In this section,

  API Gravity

  API Gravity means the amount obtained using the following formula:

  API Gravity = 141.5 ÷ (relative density 60/60°F) – 131.5;

  (densité API)

  API Standard

  API Standard means the Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards, published by the American Petroleum Institute in August, 1980, with the designation “API, Standard 2540”; (norme API)

  ASTM

  ASTM means the American Society for Testing and Materials; (ASTM)

  ASTM-IP

  ASTM-IP means the American Society for Testing and Materials — Institute of Petroleum; (ASTM-IP)

  VCF

  VCF means, in respect of a mechanical or electronic automatic temperature compensator, the applicable volume correction factor

  • (a) at the temperature of the measured liquid during each test of the compensator, in the column corresponding to the density at 15°C in kilograms per cubic metre for which the compensator is marked or adjusted, or to the density corresponding to the cubical coefficient of thermal expansion, relative density or API gravity for which the compensator is marked or adjusted, that is set out

    • (i) in the case of natural crude oil, in Table 54A of the API Standard,

    • (ii) in the case of generalized liquid petroleum products, in Table 54B of the API Standard, and

    • (iii) in the case of lubricating oils, in Table 54D of the API Standard,

  • (b) at the temperature of the measured liquid during each test of the compensator, in the column corresponding to the agreed or experimentally determined cubical coefficient of thermal expansion at 15°C for that liquid and for which the compensator is marked or adjusted, that is set out, in the case of special petroleum liquids to which Tables 54A, 54B and 54D of the API Standard are not applicable, in Table 54C of the API Standard, or

  • (c) at the temperature of the measured liquid during each test of the compensator, in the column corresponding to the density at 15°C in grams per litre for which the compensator is marked or adjusted, or to the density corresponding to the cubical coefficient of thermal expansion, relative density or API gravity for which the compensator is marked or adjusted, that is set out, in the case of liquefied petroleum gases, natural gas liquids and asphalts, in Table 54 of the ASTM-IP Petroleum Measurement Tables, with designation ASTM D1250, 1953 Metric Edition. (FCV)

• (2) Subject to subsections (4) to (6), the limits of error set out in the table to this subsection apply in respect of mechanical automatic temperature compensators used in conjunction with meters in the measurement of liquids.

  	Column I	Column II	Column III
  Item	Known Test Quantity	Acceptance Limits of Error	In-Service Limits of Error
  1	Test volume shall be in accordance with specifications established pursuant to section 13 for mechanical automatic temperature compensators for use with any device or class, type or design of device	The ratio NET/GROSS shall lie in the range from (VCF-0.0010 -0.00018ΔT) to (VCF+0.0010 +0.00009ΔT)	The ratio NET/GROSS shall lie in the range from (VCF-0.0020 -0.00036ΔT) to (VCF+0.0020 +0.00018ΔT)

• (3) In the table to subsection (2) and in subsections (5) and (7),

  • (a) NET is the corrected registration of the register and GROSS is the uncorrected registration of the register; and

  • (b) ΔT is the difference in degrees Celsius

    • (i) between the test temperature and 15°C where the compensator is used with a meter designed to measure liquids at ambient temperature, or

    • (ii) between the test temperature and the mid-range temperature of the compensator, where the compensator is used with a meter designed to measure liquids at temperatures other than ambient temperature, and for the purposes of calculating the limits of error, “ΔT” shall not exceed 15°C except in the case of a compensator used with a meter designed to measure liquids at ambient temperature.

• (4) The acceptance limits of error set out in Column II of the table to subsection (2) apply only to tests made under controlled conditions, and for tests made under other conditions the limits of error set out in Column III of that table apply.

• (5) In addition to being within applicable limits of error, the NET/GROSS ratios shall agree within 0.001 on at least two of three consecutive tests at the same temperature under controlled conditions.

• (6) The limits of error for mechanical automatic temperature compensators submitted for approval pursuant to section 3 of the Act shall be one half the limits of error set out in the table to subsection (2).

• (7) The limits of error set out in the table to this subsection apply in respect of electronic automatic temperature compensators used in conjunction with meters in the measurement of liquids.

  	Column I	Column II	Column III
  Item	Known Test Quantity	Acceptance Limits of Error	In-Service Limits of Error
  1	Test volume shall be in accordance with specifications established pursuant to section 13 for electronic automatic temperature compensators for use with any device or class, type or design of device	The VCF applied to the gross registration shall be not more than the VCF corresponding to a temperature that is 0.5°C less than the test temperature, and not less than the VCF corresponding to a temperature that is 0.5°C more than the test temperature	The VCF applied to the gross registration shall be not more than the VCF corresponding to a temperature that is 1°C less than the test temperature, and not less than the VCF corresponding to a temperature that is 1°C more than the test temperature

• (8) Where an automatic temperature compensator referred to in subsection (7) is not marked as described in the definition VCF in subsection (1), the printed ticket, card, bill of lading or other printed record of a transaction shall specify the density, relative density, API gravity or cubical coefficient of thermal expansion, as appropriate, for which the compensator is adjusted, for each delivery by the meter.

Installation and Use

271 A meter shall be properly suited to the particular installation in which it is to be used, with respect to pressure, rate of flow, temperature, compatibility with the characteristics of the liquid to be measured and method of use so that, for all normally occurring variations in operating conditions, measurement by the meter remains within the applicable limits of error.

272 The equipment and accessories installed with a meter shall be selected and installed so as to minimize their interference with the proper operation and accuracy of measurement of the meter.

273 The pump suction piping installed with a meter shall be as short and unencumbered as possible and all liquid supply systems associated with a meter shall be arranged to minimize the ingress of air, water or other foreign matter, including any liquid other than the one the meter is intended to measure.

274 A meter and all equipment and accessories associated with it in an installation shall be installed so as to minimize the evolution of dissolved air and gases and to minimize the vaporization of the liquid prior to or during measurement or in the delivery conduit.

• 275 (1) A meter shall be installed so that it can only be operated when the liquid in the meter is at or above atmospheric pressure, and in any installation where the liquid pressure could fall below atmospheric pressure, a suitable vacuum breaker shall be installed at the outlet of the meter.

• (2) A meter shall be operated only when the liquid in the meter is at or above atmospheric pressure.

276 When a meter is installed in a measuring system, the system shall be equipped with effective automatic means to minimize the passage of air or vapour through the meter.

277 A meter shall have installed immediately upstream therefrom a screen, strainer, filter, integral filter or such other approved means as will prevent foreign matter from passing through the meter.

278 For the purposes of sections 276 and 277, a close-coupled strainer and automatic air release valve is sufficient in meter installations where only free air or vapour is to be removed from the liquid.

279 The air or vapour eliminator installed with a meter shall minimize the passage of air or vapour through the measuring element of the meter when the supply of liquid is exhausted or appropriate means shall be provided to automatically stop the flow of liquid or to indicate to the person using the meter that air or vapour is passing through the meter.

280 Sealed flow control valves or other means shall be installed with a meter to limit the flow through the meter to its rated maximum flow.

281 Unless a meter is equipped with a reversing register and totalizer in accordance with section 250, it shall be installed so as to minimize any reverse flow through it or the piping or equipment upstream or downstream from it that could affect the accuracy of its measurement.

• 282 (1) In this section, transfer point means the fixed point in a measuring assembly where transfer of possession of a quantity of liquid contained in the measuring assembly takes place.

• (2) A meter shall be installed so that the piping between the meter and the transfer point remains full of liquid during and after a transaction unless the liquid, because of its nature, cannot remain in the meter, and

  • (a) in the case of a meter installed to deliver a quantity of liquid, so that the piping downstream of the transfer point shall empty at the completion of the transaction; and

  • (b) in the case of a meter installed to receive a quantity of liquid, so that the piping upstream of the transfer point shall empty at the completion of the transaction.

• (3) Subject to section 289 and except as otherwise allowed by any additional specifications established pursuant to section 27, a meter shall be installed

  • (a) so that all piping downstream of the meter, where the meter is installed to deliver a quantity of liquid, or all piping upstream of the meter, where the meter is installed to receive a quantity of liquid, may be readily examined; and

  • (b) with only one delivery outlet unless the meter is installed

    • (i) so that diversion of flow is readily apparent to the purchaser or the purchaser’s agent or mandatary by automatic means such as visible valves or lights with explanatory signs that indicate which outlets are in operation,

    • (ii) to fuel or defuel aircraft, or

    • (iii) to be used exclusively to load vehicle-mounted propane tanks with a capacity greater than 5 000 L.

283 A meter, other than a slow-flow meter, slow-flow dispenser, dispenser of the service station type for motor fuel or a meter equipped with a preset valve, shall have a quick-acting valve installed near its outlet for examination purposes.

284 A meter, other than a slow-flow meter, shall be installed so that it has a convenient means for delivering the measured product when the meter installation is examined.

285 Any automatic valve that can have a throttling effect on the flow of liquid shall be installed downstream from the meter.

• 286 (1) Unless otherwise authorized by specifications established by the Minister, the outlet end of the delivery hose of a pump-supplied meter shall be equipped with a spring-loaded anti-drain valve or its equivalent.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a meter with collapsible hoses used on aircraft refuellers or to a meter designed for defuelling aircraft.

287 The discharge hose installed with a meter supplied by gravity head may be of the dry hose type without a shut-off valve at the discharge end, but it shall be of such length, size and stiffness as to ensure complete drainage and there shall be means provided in the meter system to show the empty condition of the hose and to prevent the meter from draining.