Electric meters measure electricity consumption in kilowatt hours. Utilities use them for billing, while consumers can use them to monitor usage and find ways to reduce consumption. Older meters can develop problems and should be checked or replaced.
Electric meters are devices that measure electricity consumption, usually using the kilowatt hour as the unit of measurement. The classic use of an electricity meter is in monitoring electricity usage at a given address for the purpose of generating a bill, although there are other potential applications for electricity meters. Depending on how a meter is used, it may be installed by a utility, usually for a fee, or it may be installed by a consumer.
Utilities use electricity meters for billing. A basic meter simply records the amount of energy used by the address connected to the meter. A meter reader may need to travel to the address to read the meter, or the meter may report remotely. Simple meters simply tell the utility how many kilowatt hours of electricity have been used in a given period, but more sophisticated meters also track how long the energy has been used. Time statistics can be useful for power plant management and time-of-use billing.
Consumers can also use electricity meters to monitor electricity consumption. People who want to keep their bills down can measure individual devices in the home to find out how much energy they’re using, use an electric meter to see if a device is as efficient as the manufacturer claims, or use meters to track their electricity usage and look for areas where they could reduce or adjust their electricity consumption. Many household devices are designed to be plugged into electrical outlets, with the consumer plugging in the meter and then plugging the device being measured into the electricity meter.
Utilities have a responsibility to confirm that their electricity meters are working, but are not always quick to address concerns that a meter is malfunctioning, unless a customer reports that a meter is not recording electricity use at all. People who notice dramatic changes in their electricity consumption without clear explanation should ask the utility to check the meter, or consider checking the meter yourself by turning off the power at the main switch and looking to see if the meter is still on. working.
Consumers may also want to be aware that older meters can develop problems and some utilities will replace older meters free of charge in response to consumer concerns if there is a documented problem with the meter. Consumers interested in billing for usage time may also need to request a replacement meter, as not all electricity meters are capable of tracking usage time.
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