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How To Read Your Electricity Meter

Electricity is a really useful form of energy and we all have lots of things in our houses that use it. Electricity is supplied to our houses by electricity companies such as EDF Energy. The first place it goes when it comes into the house is through a meter. Electricity isn’t free, we have to pay towards the costs of generating the electricity and supplying it to our houses. The electricity meter measures how much energy we use so the electricity supplier can work out how much to charge us.

Below are a few of the different types of electricity meter and how to read them.

Single rate digital meters

Write down the numbers shown in the small window at the top of the meter. Read the numbers from left to right ignoring the last number marked 0.1. When you next read your meter take the previous reading away from the new reading to find the number of units you have used.

Prepayment meters

Prepayment meters use a credit key, token or card device which is inserted into the meter allowing the consumer to pay for the electricity as and when its used.

Each time the device is inserted into the meter, a reading is taken then transferred to the electricity supplier the next time it is charged with credit. Your energy supplier will give you a list of the places you can get the card, token or key charged with credit.

Economy 7 meters

The Economy 7 meter has 2 rows of numbers.

One is labelled ‘Low’. This measures the amount of electricity you use during the ‘night rate’ time. The other is labelled ‘Normal’. This measures the amount of electricity you use during the ‘day rate’ time.

When you read this meter, always check both rows of figures. Remember to take away the previous ‘low’ reading from the new ‘low’ reading. Do the same for the ‘normal’ reading. This will give you the number of ‘low’ and ‘normal’ units you have used. For more information on the times when low rates apply, please check with your supplier.

Dial meters

When reading a dial meter, remember that dials next to each other go round in opposite directions. Look at the dials on the diagram but ignore the dial at the bottom. It is there for testing.

Read the top 5 dials from left to right and note the following points:

Always write down the number the pointer has just passed - this is not always the nearest number to the pointer.

For example:

If the pointer is anywhere between, 4 and 5, write down 4. If the pointer is directly over the number 5, write down that figure and underline it.

The meter reading example shown will be 4 5 9 2 8.

This reading now needs adjusting to remove small variations in the pointer positions. Look at the figure underlined. If one of these numbers in the sequence is followed by a 9, reduce the underlined figure by 1. So the correct meter reading of the dials shown is 4 4 9 2 8 units.

Note: Before you read your dial meter, check the direction of the dials. They may not be exactly like those shown in the picture.

When you have worked out the new reading, take away the previous reading shown on your bill or on your records from the new number, to find the number of units of electricity you have used.

The Meter Reading Game

Electricity meters measure the amount of electricity you use. Every time you
use an electric appliance, the amount of electricity used is recorded on
your electricity meter. Electricity is measured in Kilowatts per hour (KWH)
and the meter is read from left to right.

You’ll need the Flash plug-in to view the above activity. Download the Flash plug in here.

Next page: Quiz

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