How to Read an Electric Meter
Understand the parts of your analog meter (also known as a dial meter) and how it works., Read the dials on your meter., Find out how your electric company reads the last dial., Calculate the kilowatt hours you have used.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand the parts of your analog meter (also known as a dial meter) and how it works.
Your electric meter usually has between four and six dials that advance as a central disk turns.The disk is turned by the electricity passing through the meter, giving a readout of how much electricity you are using.
This readout is given in kilowatt hours.
One kilowatt hour is equal to the amount of energy it would take to power a 100 watt lightbulb for 10 hours.There may be a variety of words and numbers printed on the face of your electric meter.
While these are not important in determining your electric usage, they do give you information about the mechanical details of your meter. -
Step 2: Read the dials on your meter.
Read them from left to right, just as you would if you were reading a book or a set of numbers.
Begin on the left, writing the numbers down as you go.
After you mark a number for each dial across, you have the electric meter reading.
Do not let the direction of the numbers on each dial confuse you.
Some of the dials will be numbered clockwise and other dials may be numbered counterclockwise.
Look exactly where the arrow is pointing.
If the arrow is pointing between 2 numbers, the reading is the smaller number.
If the arrow is pointing directly on a number, verify what the number should be by referencing the dial to the right of it.
If the arrow on that dial is past zero, the reading on the dial to the left is the number the arrow is pointing to.
If the arrow on the right hand dial is not to or past the zero yet, the reading on the dial to the left is the previous number. , Some companies round up to the next highest number.
Other companies record the number that the arrow is closest to.
If you are interested in calculating your kilowatt hours on your own and getting a calculation close to what the electric company does, it is beneficial to know how the company reads this last number. , Most electric companies do not reset the meter to zero after every reading.
This means that in order to calculate the number of kilowatt hours you have used, you need to keep track of consecutive readings.
Subtract the current reading from the last reading you were billed for to get the most recent kilowatt hours used. -
Step 3: Find out how your electric company reads the last dial.
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Step 4: Calculate the kilowatt hours you have used.
Detailed Guide
Your electric meter usually has between four and six dials that advance as a central disk turns.The disk is turned by the electricity passing through the meter, giving a readout of how much electricity you are using.
This readout is given in kilowatt hours.
One kilowatt hour is equal to the amount of energy it would take to power a 100 watt lightbulb for 10 hours.There may be a variety of words and numbers printed on the face of your electric meter.
While these are not important in determining your electric usage, they do give you information about the mechanical details of your meter.
Read them from left to right, just as you would if you were reading a book or a set of numbers.
Begin on the left, writing the numbers down as you go.
After you mark a number for each dial across, you have the electric meter reading.
Do not let the direction of the numbers on each dial confuse you.
Some of the dials will be numbered clockwise and other dials may be numbered counterclockwise.
Look exactly where the arrow is pointing.
If the arrow is pointing between 2 numbers, the reading is the smaller number.
If the arrow is pointing directly on a number, verify what the number should be by referencing the dial to the right of it.
If the arrow on that dial is past zero, the reading on the dial to the left is the number the arrow is pointing to.
If the arrow on the right hand dial is not to or past the zero yet, the reading on the dial to the left is the previous number. , Some companies round up to the next highest number.
Other companies record the number that the arrow is closest to.
If you are interested in calculating your kilowatt hours on your own and getting a calculation close to what the electric company does, it is beneficial to know how the company reads this last number. , Most electric companies do not reset the meter to zero after every reading.
This means that in order to calculate the number of kilowatt hours you have used, you need to keep track of consecutive readings.
Subtract the current reading from the last reading you were billed for to get the most recent kilowatt hours used.
About the Author
Judy Roberts
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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