Handheld Ultrasonic Flow Meter
Pocket Walk-Up Reader for Quick Liquid Flow Checks
±1 % of reading at velocity above 0.2 m/s
500 g ABS body, 210 by 90 by 30 mm single-hand form
3 AAA Ni-H rechargeable, >12-hour continuous run
- Pocket transmitter for utility leak survey, basement loop verification, contractor first-look diagnostic
- 500 g ABS single-hand body, >12-hour Ni-H rechargeable, coupling gel + belt-stretcher clip onto pipe in under a minute
- RS-232 + Frequency Output + OCT outputs (no 4-20 mA loop / no BTU calorimetry; route those to Portable or Precision Handheld counterparts)
The TUF-2000H is our pocket walk-up reader in the liquid ultrasonic family; single-hand transit-time clamp-on for first-look service on 15 mm to 6000 mm clean-liquid pipe. ±1 % of reading at velocity above 0.2 m/s, 4-line LCD, 500 g ABS body, >12-hour Ni-H rechargeable, built-in 2000-line logger. Standard 110 °C transducer (high-T option to 125 °C hot water). Lighter than the suitcase portable; route BTU to portable, ISO-traceable handover to precision handheld. Ships 5–7 business days.
Benefits
- Pocket single-hand form: 500 g, 210 by 90 by 30 mm ABS body; one-handed reading while the other hand holds the transducer to the pipe.
- ±1 % of reading at velocity above 0.2 m/s on transit-time physics; linearity 0.5 %, repeatability 0.2 % across the operating window.
- 15 mm to 6000 mm pipe with V (15-400 mm reflective) / Z (above 200 mm crossover) / W (15-50 mm plastic) / N (rare) mount methods.
- 3 AAA Ni-H rechargeable battery built in, greater than 12 hours continuous run, 100-240 V AC charger ships in the kit.
- 4-line LCD with built-in 2000-line data logger; flow, totalizer, signal strength, transit-time diagnostic; download by RS-232 serial cable.
- RS-232 serial + Frequency Output 0-9999 Hz + OCT + Totalizer Pulse + Buzzer + 2 virtual alarms; FUJI-compatible serial protocol; no 4-20 mA loop.
- Lead time 5–7 business days from the factory.
Configure your build.
Pick mount method, cord length, output set, and case. The configurator returns the TUF-2000H model code and a ballpark unit price; engineering replies with a sized quote within one business day.
Your Configuration
TUF-2000H-V-B-0-F-5-S
V-method reflective default, 3 AAA Ni-H rechargeable with AC charger, Display + RS-232 serial output, FUJI-compatible protocol, 5 m × 2 transducer cord, standard carrying case.
Estimated unit price
Verified after engineering review
$800
✓ Pocket walk-up unit, 500 g ABS body
✓ Built-in 2000-line data logger
✓ Reply within 4 business hours
✓ Built-in 2000-line data logger
✓ Reply within 4 business hours
Typical applications
Four walk-up applications where the pocket form is the right pick.
🛡
Basement HVAC leak survey
Utility crew confirming a chilled-water riser is flowing. The pocket form fits behind cramped piping where the suitcase kit will not.
🔨
Contractor first-look diagnostic
Service contractor on a callout, three minutes to confirm a chiller branch has lost circulation before pulling the pump.
👨🔧
Facilities operator daily round
One tool on the daily walk; spot-check the cooling tower return, boiler make-up line, irrigation header for stuck valves.
📊
Pre-commissioning walk-down
Walk-down before the precision handheld arrives for handover; verify each loop is alive and free of obvious anomalies.
Specifications
| Measurement principle | Transit-time Δt single-channel clamp-on; external transducer pair times the upstream and downstream sound-pulse difference across the host pipe |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | ±1 % of reading at velocity above 0.2 m/s |
| Linearity | 0.5 % |
| Repeatability | 0.2 % |
| Response time | 0 to 999 seconds, user-configurable |
| Velocity range | ±32 m/s bi-directional |
| Line sizes | 15 mm to 6000 mm with selectable medium transducer pair |
| Mount methods | V (15-400 mm reflective), Z (above 200 mm crossover), W (15-50 mm plastic), N (rare-mode special) |
| Pipe materials | Carbon steel, stainless steel, cast iron, ductile iron, copper, PVC, aluminium, asbestos, fibreglass |
| Liner materials | None / tar epoxy / rubber / mortar / polypropylene / polystyrol / polystyrene / polyester / polyethylene / ebonite / Teflon |
| Liquid types | Virtually all single-phase liquids; built-in tables for water, sea water, kerosene, gasoline, fuel oil, crude oil, propane (-45 °C), butane (0 °C), diesel, castor oil, peanut oil, #90/#93 gasoline, alcohol, hot water at 125 °C (requires high-temperature transducer option; standard transducer rated to 110 °C), other |
| Totalizer | 7-digit each for net, positive, and negative flow; 7-digit manual totalizer by press key |
| Standard transducer rating | 110 °C medium temperature on the standard medium pair |
| Display | 4-line LCD; 4 by 16 English characters (or 4 by 8 Chinese characters) |
| Data logger | Built into the unit, stores greater than 2000 lines of flow, totalizer, and signal-strength records |
| Output signals | RS-232 serial + Frequency Output 0-9999 Hz configurable + OCT (Open Collector Transistor) + Totalizer Pulse + Buzzer + 2 virtual alarms |
| Communication | RS-232 serial, baud 75 to 115200, FUJI-compatible protocol |
| Power | 3 AAA Ni-H rechargeable batteries built in; greater than 12 hours continuous; 100-240 V AC charger |
| Housing | ABS plastic |
| Case size | 210 by 90 by 30 mm |
| Weight | 500 g with batteries |
| Transducer cord | Standard 5 m × 2; optional 10 m × 2 |
| Security | Setup lockout with access code |
| Packing list | Main unit × 1, medium transducer × 2, ultrasonic signal cable × 2, data line × 1, AC adapter × 1, coupling agent × 1, belt stretcher × 2, tape × 1, user manual × 1, carrying case × 1 |
| Lead time | 5–7 business days from factory |
Installation
Five field rules for clean clamp-on coupling and a stable transit-time reading.
- V-method default on most pipes V (reflective) is the standard mount for 15 mm to 400 mm pipe; the sound pulse bounces once off the far wall, both transducers sit on the same side, signal strength is highest. Use Z (crossover, transducers opposite sides) on pipe above 200 mm where V-path attenuation gets long, W (quad-traverse) on small plastic pipe 15-50 mm where the signal needs more wall reflections to build up SNR, and N (rare) only on special-case geometry.
- Coupling gel between transducer face and pipe wall A bead of ultrasonic coupling agent fills the air gap between the transducer face and the pipe outer surface. Without coupling, the sound pulse will not cross into the steel. Re-apply gel on every move; one tube ships in the kit and lasts most of a service day.
- Belt-stretcher straps hold the transducer pair on the pipe The two belt-stretcher straps in the kit clamp around the pipe and tension the transducer pair into the gel layer. Tighten until the transducer feels seated; over-tension squeezes the gel out and drops the signal. Tape backup is provided for awkward angles.
- 10D upstream / 5D downstream straight pipe Allow ten pipe diameters of straight run upstream and five downstream of any elbow, valve, tee, pump, or expander. Less straight-pipe means a swirling or asymmetric velocity profile and the transit-time math sees a biased reading. The pipe must run full of liquid at the meter location; partial fill voids the spec.
- Pipe surface clean and free of loose rust or scale Wipe the install patch with a clean rag; for old steel pipe, light wire-brush the outer surface to remove flaky rust before applying gel. Heavy scale, insulation gaps, or a void layer between coating and pipe will block the sound path and the reading will not stabilize.
Frequently asked questions
What is a handheld ultrasonic flow meter and when do I reach for one?+
A handheld ultrasonic flow meter is a pocket, single-hand transit-time instrument with a clamp-on transducer pair that times the upstream and downstream sound pulse across the host pipe. The walk-up reader is for first-look service: a utility crew confirming a basement loop is actually flowing, a contractor checking whether a chiller branch has lost circulation, a facilities operator on the daily round looking for a leak or a stuck valve. The 4-line LCD returns instantaneous flow, totalizer, and signal strength in under three minutes once the probes are coupled with gel. The unit weighs 500 g, fits a 210 by 90 by 30 mm ABS body, and runs greater than 12 hours on the built-in 3 AAA Ni-H pack. It is not an audit kit and not a commissioning citation tool; it is the pocket reader that tells you whether to escalate to a precision handheld or a permanent inline meter.
±1 % of reading vs ±1 % of rate vs ±0.5 % of reading; what is the difference?+
±1 % of reading on this handheld means the error spec scales with the live flow value; at 100 m³/h the range is ±1 m³/h, at 10 m³/h the range is ±0.1 m³/h. The spec holds at velocity above 0.2 m/s; below that the transit-time math floors out and the reading is informational. ±1 % of rate (the portable counterpart spec) means ±1 % referenced to the full operating range, so relative accuracy is similar at high flow but tighter at low flow. ±0.5 % of reading on the precision handheld is the same physics with calibrated transducers and tighter electronics. Linearity is 0.5 % and repeatability is 0.2 % across the operating window on this handheld.
Handheld vs portable vs precision handheld; which one do I buy?+
Three counterparts on the same transit-time physics, three different jobs. This handheld is the pocket walk-up reader at ±1 % of reading on 15 mm to 6000 mm pipe, 500 g single-hand body, >12-hour Ni-H rechargeable, built-in 2000-line logger, RS-232 + Frequency Output + OCT outputs; the daily-round instrument for leak survey, basement loop verification, and contractor first-look. The portable ultrasonic flow meter is the suitcase IP67 kit at ±1 % of rate with PT100 + CT-1 temperature pair for BTU calorimetry, 20-hour Ni-MH battery, 2 GB SD card, and 4-20 mA + Modbus outputs; the HVAC commissioning and energy-audit kit. The precision handheld at ±0.5 % of reading is the ISO-traceable cross-check kit for commissioning handover, audit defensibility, and disputed-billing reconciliation. Pipe-DN range is not the differentiator; form factor, BTU capability, and outputs are.
When should I route out of the handheld instead of buying it?+
Three out-routes. First, BTU calorimetry on HVAC chilled water or district heat: the handheld has no PT100 input and no temperature sensor pair. Go to the portable ultrasonic flow meter, which pairs the CT-1 clamp-on temperature sensor for kWh and BTU calorimetry on the same audit walk. Second, ISO 50001 audit work, commissioning handover citation, or disputed-billing reconciliation: the ±1 % handheld is not the instrument the inspector accepts. Go to the precision handheld at ±0.5 % of reading. Third, permanent 24/7 metering on one pipe: walk-up handhelds are not for permanent install. Go to the fixed inline ultrasonic flow meter for SCADA-integrated measurement. The handheld also does not deliver a 4-20 mA loop or HART; serial RS-232 + Frequency Output + OCT only.
How long does the battery last on a service walk, and what is the data-log story?+
The built-in 3 AAA Ni-H rechargeable pack returns greater than 12 hours of continuous service; enough for a typical service-call day or a multi-stop utility leak survey route. The 100-240 V AC charger recharges overnight on universal mains. The on-board data logger is built into the unit (no removable card) and stores greater than 2000 lines of flow, totalizer, and signal-strength records; download to the desk through the RS-232 serial cable for CSV or spreadsheet import. The handheld is designed for visit-based use; the SD-log on the portable counterpart is sized for multi-day campaigns, the handheld 2000-line internal log is sized for the visit you carry back to the office. A 7-digit manual totalizer key returns a press-and-hold reading without entering the menu.
What ships with the handheld, what is the lead time, and what does it NOT do?+
Lead time is 5 to 7 business days from the factory. The kit ships with the main unit (LCD + batteries installed), two medium clamp-on transducers, two ultrasonic signal cables (5 m standard, 10 m optional), one data line, one 100-240 V AC adapter, ultrasonic coupling agent, two belt-stretcher straps, one roll of tape, the user manual, and a carrying case. What it does not do: BTU calorimetry (no PT100 input; go to portable), ±0.5 % audit-citation accuracy (go to precision handheld), pipe-cut inline measurement (go to fixed inline), 4-20 mA loop or HART output (RS-232 + Frequency Output + OCT only), heavy oil above the standard 110 °C transducer rating, or slurry / 2-phase service (go to Coriolis or EMF). EMC compliance ships standard with each unit.
Need a pocket walk-up reader on the daily round?
Send pipe size, medium, and output need. Engineering replies in one business day; lead time 5–7 business days from the factory.