Whether you’re having trouble with your utility company or want to keep track of your energy consumption, learning how to read your electric meter is essential. The base unit that most meters track is kilowatt-hours (kWh), equivalent to 1,000 watts of energy used.
A mechanical electric meter can have four or more dials that track your kWh use. This must be clarified, but reading a digital meter is very straightforward.
Digits
The digits on an electric meter show energy usage, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A typical meter displays both a day rate and a night rate reading. When you read your meter, check which number is the current reading – the numbers will change from morning to evening. If there is an ‘N’ on the label, this will stand for ‘night,’ while an ‘H’ stands for ‘high.’
The utility company will usually read your meter monthly and send you an electricity bill based on the meter reading. This is done either by visiting your home and reading the meter on-site or, for digital meters, collecting the data electronically in one go.
Learning how to read an electric meter is essential because it gives you better insight into how much and when you use energy, especially during peak times. It’s also a great way to identify where to decrease energy usage and save money.
Most dial electric meters are plastic and have several small dials that turn. The arrows on the dials point to different numbers. Start at the far left and work towards the right to read a dial meter. Please write down the number for each dial as it passes by. Record the lower number if a dial is in between two numbers.
Dials
Some electric meters have multiple dials, each with a pointer and numerals 0 to 9. Stand directly in front of the meter so you can see the location of each dial. Read each dial from right to left, and write down the numbers as you go. When a pointer appears to land precisely on a number, look at the dial to its right. If it is between two numbers, record the lower number — if the dial to its right is between 9 and 0, record 9.
Each of the five dials on your electric meter represents one digit. You’ll use this reading to determine how much energy you have consumed that billing cycle – and how much you should pay on your next bill.
Dial meters are trickier to read than digital display meters. The reason is that each dial spins opposite to the dials on either side. If you’re unsure how your dials turn, consult a meter manually or ask a utility company representative for help.
If you have a digital display meter, copy down the numbers from left to right (except for any numbers in red or surrounded by a red box). You should subtract the first reading from the most recent one on your bill to determine how much energy you have used.
Directions
Most meters are mechanical analog meters that must be read monthly by a power company service person who visits the property or newer digital meters that send information directly to your energy supplier for reading and billing purposes.
Regardless of the type of electric meter, the essential information you need to know is that each dial has ten numbers (0-9), and each number has a pointer, similar to a clock hand, that advances as electricity flows through the meter. Read the meter from left to right, counting each dial’s pointer as it passes each number if the pointer lands on a number, record that number.
If the arrow on the last dial points to a number other than 0, subtract one from that number (since 0 represents zero). You should only read one of the digits on a digital meter, but if you need to do more, subtract your previous reading from your new reading and write down that total. This will provide your REP with an updated estimate of your usage for the billing cycle. Consider taking a picture of your meter each time you read it, as this will help identify any discrepancies on your next bill.
Recording
If your meter has two rows of numbers, the top row shows your low or night rate, and the bottom row is your normal or day rate. Some meters also have a label showing the difference between the rates, or an ‘N’ stands for the night, and an ‘H’ is for normal.
The number on the meter is your energy usage, but it isn’t your final bill. To get the final bill, subtract the previous meter reading from the current one to find the total amount of kWh used in that billing cycle. To keep your energy bills down, learn to read your meter and use less electricity. It may seem like a hassle, but saving money and preventing high electricity rates is worth it.
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