How to take readings of the electricity meter
You cannot live in society and be free from it. Almost every adult citizen who does not live in a hut wondered how to take readings from an electricity meter? Now there is a wide variety of metering devices, so you need to carefully consider the procedure in order to avoid mistakes and overpayment.
Types of electricity meters
To decide which numbers to transmit as electricity readings, you need to understand the type of meter and the format of the data that it displays. Currently, there are two types of metering devices:
- induction;
- electronic.
The counter with a rotating disk is inductive. Its operation is based on the electromechanical principle of operation. Such devices remain operational for many years, but have a high error, especially when the voltage is low. Another disadvantage is the rather high consumption of electricity for the operation of the meter itself.
At home, you can check the correct operation of the device. There is a red mark on the spinning disc. The front panel of the meter should contain information about how many revolutions occur when using 1 kW. Then you should calculate how many revolutions per minute the disk makes, and which electrical appliances are working this time. Having calculated the theoretical power of the devices, you should compare it with the actual registration. If the data is seriously dispersed, this is a reason to contact the management campaign to call a specialist. Repairmen should be called even if the disc rotates when there is not a single working device in the apartment.
The readings of the electronic electricity meter are reflected on the monitor. Microprocessors are used for accounting. More accurate and economical. The operating time is long enough, but less than that of induction. Both devices work on an ongoing basis. The values should change upward.
If the house has a high power consumption, the meter has been in operation for many years, then the readings may "reset". After the maximum value for this device has been counted, accounting will start from the beginning.
Induction meters, as a rule, are single rate, and electronic meters can keep records of several. Taking readings of such an electricity meter is as simple as that of a single-rate one. You just need to show a little more attention. Tariffs can be divided into "day" and "night". Three-zone billing is rare.
How to take readings of an induction electricity meter
Some meters have five cells for setting the whole kilowatt hours consumed. Some have extra cells to show the fractional part. The fractional value is separated by a period, comma. In some models, the cell that reflects the fraction has a different color.
When transmitting energy readings, only integer values are taken into account.
Subscriber services can both require to take and transmit the electricity meter readings for a specific date, or transmit the already calculated amount of electricity used. If you need data from the meter itself, integer values are indicated on the payment receipt or on the energy campaign website. When the counter shows low values, for example "00152.1", then data "152" is supplied.
When an energy campaign demands to provide the actually consumed amount of electricity, then the data of the previous one should be subtracted from the value of the meter for the current month.
For example, in the current month the device showed 152, and in the previous month - 100. Then “52” should be transferred to the energy campaign. That is: 152 -100 = 52.
Sometimes, during service work, you need to know the meter number. When asked where to look at the number of the electricity meter, there are several answer options:
- On the front of the instrument. Depending on the model, it can be located below or above the main display;
- In the technical data sheet of the product. The first pages will show the device number;
- On the payment receipt. The counter number is not always printed on receipts, but sometimes it does.
Electronic meter readings
There are many models of electronic meters, but the most common are Mercury meters. Accordingly, Internet users are interested in how to take readings from a two-tariff meter "Mercury 200".
On such a counter, the scoreboard will be electronic, not mechanical. In normal mode, it sequentially displays data on all tariffs, as well as time and date. First, the time is shown, then the date appears for a few seconds, after which the data on tariff 1 and 2 are displayed sequentially.
In other models of "Mercury" alternation of indications of four tariffs is possible. It is not difficult to determine which tariff data appeared on the screen: simultaneously with the numbers on the left, the letters T1, T2, T3 appear, indicating the tariff.
After the meter has shown tariff data, the total checksum of the total consumption appears. It is used to validate the entry and does not need to be passed to the management campaign.
The division into day and night tariffs should encourage the consumer to use electrical appliances at night. During this time, electricity is cheaper and the load on the power grid is less. At the same time, the law prohibits engaging in noisy business at night. Thus, neither building tools nor washing in an automatic machine can be done without potential problems with neighbors and the law.
If you need to clarify the data on the tariff, you can also view the value in manual mode. For this, there is an "ENTER" button on the "Mercury" electric meters. Sequential pressing of it will help you find the desired parameter.
The indicators on the electricity meter may flash continuously to indicate the meter's operation and energy consumption, or light up when the consumption increases sharply (for example, a hammer drill starts working).
Another popular electronic electricity meter is the Energomera device.
The principle of operation and the logic of functioning correspond to "Mercury". The difference is that the button for viewing the meter readings is "PRSM", short for "view".
Other options for electricity meters
For forgetful or very busy citizens, electric meters have been invented that automatically transmit energy campaign data. There are certain difficulties with their initial configuration and the first data transfer. It is better to entrust this procedure to professionals. As a result, the owner does not ask himself how to take readings from the electricity meter if you are, for example, on a business trip, but simply looks at the transmitted readings in his personal account or in an e-mail.
Such counters have one more serious plus. If, when viewing the meter data on a trip, the owner discovers a large consumption of electricity and connects this, for example, with the iron left on, then he can remotely de-energize the home.Such a measure will not only avoid additional payments for electricity, but also save the house from a possible fire.
The process of taking readings electricity meter is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to be careful in the process of rewriting values and not to confuse the whole and fractional parts. It is better to collect readings on one certain day of the month. So calculations and payments will be carried out at regular intervals, there will be no overspending and going beyond the limits.
If finances and the location of real estate allow, then you can use meters that transmit information about the consumed electricity in automatic mode. Otherwise, you will have to manually rewrite the meter readings at all tariffs and send data via the Internet, a receipt or report by phone.