Reading your electricity meter is easy once you know how. Use our simple instructions to find out how your electricity meter works.
Reading your electricity meter - an e-guide
Meter reading at a glance, our handy interactive e-guide (approx 1.4 mb) will show you step by step what each type of meter means.
Meters with single rate only
The most common type of single rate meter is known as a Standard Meter. This comes in different variations, as follows:
Dial Meters
Your dial meter has 6 dials that read from left to right. It is essential to remember you only need to read the first 5 dials starting with the 10,000 kWh dial on the left, through to the 1 kWh dial on the right. The 6th dial is for testing purposes only; please do not read. The dials move in opposite directions as shown in the example below.
How to read your dials:
- If the pointer is between 2 numbers, always read the lower number, e.g. figure A, write down number 4
- If the pointer is directly over a number always record it, e.g. figure B, write down number 5.
- If one of your dials is between 9 and 0, you need to reduce the previous dial by 1 number. Why? Although figure B looks like the pointer is directly on the 5, in reality it is not quite there yet - shown by the 100 kWh dial reading between 9 and 0 (as it has not yet reset back to 0).
From the above instructions, the meter reading shown in the example below is 44928. Other one-rate meter types include Mechanical meters, LCD displays and Off Peak meters.
Mechanical meters, LCD displays and Off Peak meters
Mechanical Meter
This is an old style meter that looks like a car milometer. It has one row of numbers that must be read from left to right.
LCD Display Meter
This is a modern version of the above meter. To read the meter, do not press any buttons, just read and record the numbers as you see them.
Off Peak Meter
This meter has one row of numbers that must be read from left to right and can look like either A or B below.
Meters with two rates
There are two types of two rate meters; Mechanical and LCD Display meters:
Mechanical Meters
The mechanical two rate meter is an old style meter that looks like a car milometer. It has a pointer that indicates which number needs to be recorded. Usually this type of meter has two meter rates; please record both rates separately.
LCD Display Meters
When reading this type of meter, remember that it always shows the rate that is in use at the time of reading i.e. on Economy 7 meters, Rate 2 can show normal day units and Rate 1 can show low units for night rate. Depending on the time of day that you read your meter, the relevant row of numbers will be on show. Please enter both rates separately when you submit your meter reading forms.
The cycle display button is located at the top left hand side of the meter and when pressed once, a lower case 't' will be displayed. This indicates the total number of units that have been recorded by the meter on both rates. Please do not enter this total number on your meter reading forms.
The second press of the button shows the first reading you need to submit. The third press shows the second reading you need to submit, which should be written in a separate box from your 1st read. The fourth press shows a series of the number 8 e.g. 88888.88. This is a test pattern and should be ignored. The fifth press displays the word 'end' indicating the end of the reading cycle.
The meter will revert to the rate that is in use shortly after the final press of the button. In most cases only Rate 1 reading and Rate 2 reading will be required for meter reading purposes.
Please note, some electronic meters do not have a cycle button and therefore automatically scroll through the various displays.
Meters with three phases
A 3 phase meter will be clearly marked on the meter face as '3ph'. For help reading a three phase meter please call us free on 0800 096 2255†.