get on top of your energy bills - how to read a gas or electricity meter 17-04-2013
DESCRIPTION
Knowing how much energy you are using is the first step to getting on top of your energy consumption and bills. This quick guide explains how to take accurate readings from gas, and electricity meters including dial meters. Non-domestic meters and tools and tips for monitoring oil consumption will be covered in other presentations.TRANSCRIPT
making sense of energy & climate change
Get on top of your energy bills: taking meter readings
making sense of energy & climate change
3 types of domestic meters
Digital meter Dial meter Smart meter
Image courtesy of Franky242, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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Here we look at digital & dial
Digital meter Dial meter
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Single tariff Dual tariffE.g Economy 7
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Reading = electricity consumed (kWh)Im
age courtesy of Franky242, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Single tariff
Energy consumed measured in kWh
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For dual meters e.g. Economy 7
Dual tariff
Total consumption is these two numbersadded together
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1 8 3 9 7 2
10,000 1,000 100 10 1 0.1
To take a reading
Write down these numbers
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1 8 3 9 7 2
10,000 1,000 100 10 1 0.1
To take a reading
Ignore the number(s) in red
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0 8 3 9 7 2
10,000 1,000 100 10 1 0.1
To take a reading
Ignore the number(s) in redIgnore if zero
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1 8 3 9 7 2
10,000 1,000 100 10 1 0.1
So this meter reads
18,397 kWh
Eighteen thousand, three hundred and ninety seven units (kWh)
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Reading a dial meter
Image: courtesy ecotricity.co.uk
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Image: courtesy ecotricity.co.uk
Ignore the red dial
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Clockwise
Anti-clockwise
Each pointer moves in opposite direction
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Where needle is between two numbers
take the lowest number as the reading
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8 5 1
So the first three dials read......
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8 5 1 ? 9
And dial “E” reads “9”
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8 5 1 ? 9
What is dial “D” reading?
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To work out dial “D” look at dial “E”
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If needle on the dial “E” has just passed zero (i.e. is between 0 and 1) then dial “D” is reading “1”
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If the needle on dial “E” is just before zero (i.e. between 9 and 0) then the reading for dial “D” is “0”
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8 5 1 0 9
So in this case “D” reads “0”
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Converting meter readings into electricity consumption
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The reading on the meter is total consumption
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Image courtesy of Franky242, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Here: 70,992 kWh electricity used since meter
installed
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To work out usage
70,992 - 68,341 = 2651kWh
Current reading Previous reading Energy used- =
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Take readings in same waywww.climate-works.co.uk
But the reading shows...
gas used in cubic feet or meterswww.climate-works.co.uk
So reading needs to be converted
into units of energy (kWh)www.climate-works.co.uk
Step one check if your meter
measures gas in cubic feet or meters
Shows this meterreads in m3
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If it says “Cubic feet” or “ft”
then it is an Imperial meter
Cubic feet“Cubic feet”
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Step two convert......
Meter reading ➜ energy use
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You will need....
i. Metric conversion factor (Imperial meters only)
ii. The volume correction factor
iii. The calorific value of the gas
All shown on your bill
Varies by region and over timewww.climate-works.co.uk
If your meter reads in cubic feet the sum is
Energy used (kWh) = (Meter reading x metric conversion
factor x Volume correction factor x The calorific value) ÷ 3.6
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If your meter reads in cubic meters
Energy used (kWh) = (Meter reading x Volume correction
factor x The calorific value) ÷ 3.6
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Remember to work out usage
70,992 - 68,341 = 2651kWh
Current usage (kWh)
Previous usage(kWh)
Energy used(kWh)- =
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Get on top of your energy bills: taking meter readings
making sense of energy & climate change
www.climate-works.co.uk
making sense of energy & climate change
www.climate-works.co.uk
www.climate-works.co.uk