Acquisitions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions On November 1, 2017, the Company acquired certain assets of Utility Metering Services, Inc.'s business Carolina Meter & Supply ("Carolina Meter") of Wilmington, North Carolina, which was one of the Company's distributors serving North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The total purchase consideration for the Carolina Meter assets was $6.2 million, which included $2.0 million in cash and settlement of $4.2 million of pre-existing Company receivables. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2017 included $0.6 million of receivables, $0.3 million of inventory, $3.3 million of intangibles and $2.0 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had not completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired. The Carolina Meter acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. On May 1, 2017, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of D-Flow Technology AB ("D-Flow") of Luleå, Sweden. The D-Flow acquisition facilitates the continued advancement of the existing E-Series® ultrasonic product line while also adding a technology center for the Company. The purchase price was approximately $23.2 million in cash, plus a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included $5.4 million in payments that are anticipated to be made in 2018 which are recorded in payables and other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2017. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price included approximately $0.3 million of receivables, $0.6 million of inventory, $0.2 million of property, plant and equipment, $10.9 million of intangibles and $11.8 million of goodwill. The majority of the intangible assets acquired related to ultrasonic technology. The Company also assumed $0.6 million of liabilities as part of the acquisition. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had not completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired. The D-Flow acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated condensed financial statements or the notes thereto. On October 20, 2016, the Company acquired certain assets of Precision Flow Measurement, Inc., doing business as Nice Instrumentation, of Manalapan Township, New Jersey. The acquisition adds a new technology for the measurement of steam to the Company's HVAC line of products. The total purchase consideration for the Nice Instrumentation assets was $2.0 million, which included a $0.2 million payment after the first production run that occurred in January 2017. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2016 included approximately $15,000 of inventory and equipment, $0.7 million of intangibles and $1.3 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer technology with an estimated average useful life of 15 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. In 2017, the Company completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired with no additional adjustments. The Nice Instrumentation acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto. On August 17, 2015, the Company acquired certain assets of United Utilities, Inc. of Smyrna, Tennessee, which was one of the Company's distributors serving Tennessee and Georgia. The total purchase consideration for the United Utilities assets was $3.3 million, which included $0.4 million in cash and settlement of $2.9 million of pre-existing Company receivables. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2015 included $0.8 million of receivables, $0.4 million of inventory, $0.1 million of property, plant and equipment, $1.7 million of intangibles and $0.3 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. In 2016, the Company completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired with no additional adjustments. The United Utilities acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

Acquisitions

On November 1, 2017, the Company acquired certain assets of Utility Metering Services, Inc.'s business Carolina Meter & Supply ("Carolina Meter") of Wilmington, North Carolina, which was one of the Company's distributors serving North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

The total purchase consideration for the Carolina Meter assets was $6.2 million, which included $2.0 million in cash and settlement of $4.2 million of pre-existing Company receivables. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2017 included $0.6 million of receivables, $0.3 million of inventory, $3.3 million of intangibles and $2.0 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had not completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired.

The Carolina Meter acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

On May 1, 2017, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common stock of D-Flow Technology AB ("D-Flow") of Luleå, Sweden. The D-Flow acquisition facilitates the continued advancement of the existing E-Series® ultrasonic product line while also adding a technology center for the Company.

The purchase price was approximately $23.2 million in cash, plus a small working capital adjustment. The purchase price included $5.4 million in payments that are anticipated to be made in 2018 which are recorded in payables and other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2017. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price included approximately $0.3 million of receivables, $0.6 million of inventory, $0.2 million of property, plant and equipment, $10.9 million of intangibles and $11.8 million of goodwill. The majority of the intangible assets acquired related to ultrasonic technology. The Company also assumed $0.6 million of liabilities as part of the acquisition. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had not completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets and liabilities acquired.

The D-Flow acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated condensed financial statements or the notes thereto.

On October 20, 2016, the Company acquired certain assets of Precision Flow Measurement, Inc., doing business as Nice Instrumentation, of Manalapan Township, New Jersey. The acquisition adds a new technology for the measurement of steam to the Company's HVAC line of products.

The total purchase consideration for the Nice Instrumentation assets was $2.0 million, which included a $0.2 million payment after the first production run that occurred in January 2017. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2016 included approximately $15,000 of inventory and equipment, $0.7 million of intangibles and $1.3 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer technology with an estimated average useful life of 15 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. In 2017, the Company completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired with no additional adjustments.

The Nice Instrumentation acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.

On August 17, 2015, the Company acquired certain assets of United Utilities, Inc. of Smyrna, Tennessee, which was one of the Company's distributors serving Tennessee and Georgia.

The total purchase consideration for the United Utilities assets was $3.3 million, which included $0.4 million in cash and settlement of $2.9 million of pre-existing Company receivables. The Company's preliminary allocation of the purchase price at December 31, 2015 included $0.8 million of receivables, $0.4 million of inventory, $0.1 million of property, plant and equipment, $1.7 million of intangibles and $0.3 million of goodwill. The intangible assets acquired are primarily customer relationships with an estimated average useful life of 12 years. The preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the assets acquired was based upon the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. In 2016, the Company completed its analysis for estimating the fair value of the assets acquired with no additional adjustments.

The United Utilities acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method, and accordingly, the results of operations were included in the Company's financial statements from the date of acquisition. The acquisition did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.