How to Read Your Meter

Those little dials aren't at all complicated once you know how to look at them. And, keeping tabs on your meter helps you keep track of your costs.

Your meter is basically a measuring device that calculates and records the total amount of electricity used in your home. Usage is measured in kWh or kilowatt hours. 1 kWh is the amount of electricity (1000 watts) it takes to keep a 100 watt light bulb burning for 10 hours.

DIAL 4	DIAL 3	DIAL 2	DIAL 1

Meters usually have 4 or 5 main dials. If yours has 5, it records tens of thousands of kWh. Some meters record only 1/10 of the energy used. This is identified by a "X10" on the face and means the reading is multiplied by 10. You'll also notice that some of the pointers rotate clockwise, others counter-clockwise. The very small dial on your meter is a test dial to verify the correct reading of dial #1.

The Reading

Dials are always read from left to right. Numbers should be recorded in the same order.

• When a dial pointer is between two numbers, read the smaller number
• When the dial pointer rests almost right on a number (as on dial #4), the dial to the immediate right will determine which number you read.
• On dial #3, the pointer is between 9 and 0. This means the pointer has not yet made a full revolution. So, the correct reading for dial #4 is 8. [If dial #3 had passed 0 to complete a revolution, the reading for dial #4 would have been 9.]
• Reading the dials from right to left, the first number to record is 5, followed by 2, then 9, then 8 for a total reading of 8,925.

Meter Accuracy

When electric usage is higher than usual, for instance during a heat wave where air conditioning is required "round-the-clock", your bill can seem surprisingly high. For many people the first thought is, "My meter must be wrong!" Although the meter may have been read incorrectly, it is unlikely that the actual meter is malfunctioning. Our meters are put through rigorous testing procedures to ensure absolute accuracy. They're calibrated, tested, adjusted and re-tested... as many times as it takes ''til they're 100% accurate. After all, we rely on the precision of our meters as much as you do!

There's even a built-in double-check. The very small dial on your meter is a test dial to verify the correct reading of Dial #1.

Access our handy online meter reading form

Any questions? Feel free to e-mail us and let us help.