Validity period of calibration of measuring instruments
In the German Measurement and Verification Act of 11.12. 2014, amended by the Second Regulation to Amend the Measurement and Verification Act (MessEV) of 16.08.2017, §35 describes the prerequisites for extensions of the verification period on the basis of sampling procedures.
Qualification required for sampling procedure
In order to obtain more than two years' extension of the calibration period within the scope of the sampling procedure and to apply the sampling instruction according to Annex 2 of the sampling procedure for the extension of the calibration period (GM-VA SPV), new electronic measuring instruments must be successfully subjected to a qualification procedure.
A prerequisite for the application of the qualification procedure is that the measuring instruments which are considered within the scope of the control phase are installed in Germany.
An essential point of the qualification procedure is the monitoring of premature technical failures during the control phase. For this purpose, the qualification procedure must be registered after the installation of the meters and monitored by the authorities.
The qualification procedure begins in the year in which the measuring instruments for which a qualification procedure was indicated were put into operation.
The sampling procedure may be carried out for the following measuring instruments, sub-assemblies and ancillary equipment:
- Measuring instruments for electricity (electricity meters),
- Measuring instruments for gas (gas meters),
- Measuring instruments for water (cold and hot water meters as well as measuring instruments that are assigned to water temperature classes, also available as measuring cell meters),
- Measuring instruments and sub-assemblies for heat quantity (cooling, heat meters and their combination as well as their sub-assemblies),
- Electronic accessories for measuring instruments for electricity, gas, water or heat.
Common minimum requirements for all measuring instruments
The Forum Network Technology/Network Operation Forum at VDE (VDE|FNN) has taken on the lead task of developing common, objectively justified and non-discriminatory minimum requirements for demonstrating the linear failure behaviour of electronic measuring instruments and the normal distribution of the measurement deviations of a specific type of measuring instrument in accordance with Chapter 4.3 of the GM-VA SPV.
The associations grzi e.V. and VDDW e.V. support this project by providing technical support for gas meters, cold and hot water meters and cold and heat meters.