Electricity and gas meters are used by your energy provider to charge you for the energy that you use in your home.
Knowing how to read a meter allows you to keep track of your home's energy usage and also check the meter reading on your bill is correct.
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Reading your electricity meterReading your gas meter Reading your electricity meter
Digital electricity meters
Dial or clock face electricity meters
Using the electricity meter reading
Digital electricity meters
Digital electricity meters display the meter readings as a row of numbers, like the kilometre indicator in a car. You simply read the number from left to right.
There may be a number of screens to scroll through before you reach the electricity meter readings - eg date and time.
The screens containing the meter readings are numbered, look for:
- 03 or 003 - for the peak electricity meter reading
- 07 or 007 - for off-peak electricity meter reading
- 09 or 009 - the reading for the power generated by solar panels and exported back into the grid.
Most homes with a solar installation will have an import/export meter installed. Refer to the manufacturer's instruction manual or contact ETSA Utilities to find out how to read this type of meter.
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Dial or clock face electricity meters
If your electricity meter has dials follow these steps to determine your current electricity reading:
- Always read the dials from left to right, ignoring the dial marked 1/10 as it is only for testing.
- Each dial revolves in a different direction from the one next to it.
- Always note the number the pointer has just passed - eg it if is between 7 and 8, write down 7.
- If the pointer is directly over a number underline that number when you write it down.
- If any of the underlined numbers are followed by an 8 or 9 reduce the underlined number by one.
The above example results in a meter reading of 73958 kWh.
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Using the electricity meter reading
The electricity meter reading shows you the total amount of electricity used over the life of the meter.
You can determine how much electricity has been used over a period of time by subtracting a previous meter reading from the current meter reading.
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Reading your gas meter
Digital gas meters
Dial or clock face gas meters
Using the gas meter reading
Digital gas meters
Digital meters, also known as metric meters, are read from left to right. You only need to read the black and white digits, ignore any red numbers - these are used for testing purposes.
Digital meters record the amount of gas used in cubic metres.
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Dial or clock face gas meters
Imperial or clock face meters comprise of a number of dials. The hands rotate in different directions. Standing directly in front of the meter:
- Only read the four dials closest to the left.
- Read the dials from left to right and record the number the clock hand is pointing to.
- If a hand is between two numbers, note the lower number except when the hand is between 0 and 9, in which case read 9.
The reading given by the clock face meter is the amount of gas used in cubic feet.
The above example gives a reading for 1394 cubic feet.
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Using the gas meter reading
A gas meter can be used to calculate the energy used over a period of time by subtracting a previous reading from the current reading.
To convert this figure to megajoules (MJ), which is the measure shown on your bill, multiply the value by the gas's heating value. A typical heating value used for natural gas in South Australia is 38.61 MJ/cubic metre or 1.09 MJ/cubic feet.
Convert cubic meters to megajoules:
- Previous digital gas meter reading = 0786 cubic metres.
- Current digital gas meter reading = 0800 cubic metres.
- Energy used = 0800 - 0786 = 14 cubic metres.
- Convert to megajoules = 14 cubic metres x 38.61 MJ/cubic metre = 540.54 MJ.
- 540.54 MJ of gas has been used between the time of the previous meter reading and the current reading.
Convert cubic feet to megajoules:
- Previous dial or clock face meter reading = 1074 cubic feet.
- Current dial or clock face meter reading = 1394 cubic feet.
- Energy used = 1394 - 1074 = 320 cubic feet.
- Convert to megajoules = 320 cubic feet x 1.09 MJ/cubic feet = 348.8 MJ.
- 348.8 MJ of gas has been used between the time of the previous meter reading and the current reading.
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More information
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Understanding your energy use