For almost any water management application imaginable, an excellent tool is that of weir plates. Weir plates are inexpensive, easy to install and use and are usually very durable. To maximize the durability of weir plates, many water management systems choose to use steel versions. While this may seem like a good choice, steel weir plates actually come with several risks that you might be surprised by and need to learn more about.
Understanding the dangers of a steel weir plate will allow you to decide if this is the right choice for your flow management needs. Learn about the risks of using steel weir plates for your system and discover why installing fiberglass weir plates is a much better solution.
Reasons for Choosing Steel Weir Plates
The two primary reasons that steel weir plates are used by water management systems are simplicity and pricing. Steel weir plates are often much less expensive than weir plates made out of other materials, and are extremely simple to install, especially if you’re placing your weir plate in an existing channel.
Additionally, when the steel weir plate that you purchase is brand new, you’ll be getting a truly durable product that will stand up to the typical environmental pressures that these water management tools experience. However, despite these very enticing advantages, there are some distinct drawbacks to using steel weir plates that it’s crucial you learn about before committing to this tool.
Watch-Out for Corroding Weir Plates
As with most things, the biggest risk to your weir plate is a matter of time. While new, freshly installed steel weir plates may seem like they’ll last forever, you might actually face big problems after only a couple of years of dedicated usage.
You see, weir plates are almost always used in outdoor applications, which means they are consistently exposed to elements like rain, sleet snow. After suffering these stresses for an extended period of time, your steel weir plate will undergo a tremendous amount of damage in the forms of corrosion, scrapes to your flow edge (nappe) and pit marks along your weir plate.
As these damages accumulate, your measurements will become less and less accurate, completely defeating the purpose of using a weir plate.
Factors that Speed Up the Process
Another factor to consider when using a steel weir plate is if it will be stationary or if you will need to move your plate around for tasks like portable stream measurements. The risk for damage to your weir plate only increases the more you move it around, and if you have to relocate your weir with any sort of frequency, you can expect even more rapid damage to your weir plate. Keeping your weir plate stationary should help to mitigate damage to some degree.
Choose Fiberglass Weir Plates Instead
As you can see, there are several reasons you should avoid using a steel weir plate in your water management system. If you absolutely need a weir plate but want an increased level of durability, then the better option is to use fiberglass weir plates from Tracom, FRP.
Fiberglass weir plates are the accurate and long-lasting solution to measuring your natural flows, especially when you get your flumes from Tracom. Reach out to us today to learn more about our fiberglass weir plates and find out how you can use them in your system.
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