It's a good idea to know how to read your electricity meter as this allows you to remain aware of how much energy your household is using.
This way it's easy to determine how much energy you have used in a billing period, which can give you a better idea of how much it costs.
Simply record the number on your meter at the start of your billing period, then subtract that from the number you see at the end of the billing period in order to find out how much energy (in kilowatt hours) you have used.
Unless you have a smart meter, a meter reader will need to visit your home to physically read the meter.
If the meter reader is unable to access the meter, you may receive an estimated bill based off of your previous usage.
Reading your Electricity Meter
It's best to ensure that your meter is always accessible in order to achieve an accurate reading. See below for instructions on how to read different types of meter displays:
Dial Display
A dial display meter will have four to six dials that resemble clock faces. Each dial indicates a range of 0 through 9.
Moving from left to right, record the number on each dial in order to obtain your total usage.
If the indicator is between numbers, record the lower of the two numbers.
The exception is when the dial is between 0 and 9, in which case you should write down 9.
Cyclometer (Odometer) Display
The number displayed represents your energy usage in kilowatt hours.
Simply read the digits from left to right and record the number.
Electronic Display
A flat-rate electronic display will typically have one setting that shows total kilowatt hours used.
Smart meters and interval meters have a range of display options that could include total kilowatt hours, off peak usage, hot water usage, or solar energy.
You can usually scroll through these manually by pushing the display button, though some meters are set to cycle through the displays automatically.
Our service is free to use and takes the legwork out of having to compare plans yourself.
Give it a go and save today. Click here to compare energy prices.
If you need to talk to your electricity supplier for any reason, such as changing your plan or paying your bill, here's where you find all the key details you need to get in touch.
COMPARE & SAVEThis guide is opinion only and should not be taken as financial advice. Check with a financial professional before making any decisions.
Things You Should Know
CompareClub.com.au is an online energy comparison service and is owned and operated by Compare Club Australia Pty Ltd (ACN: 634 600 007).
Compare Club doesn’t compare all products from all retailers and not all products are available to all customers. Please consider the individual product terms and conditions carefully to ensure the product is right for you.
Compare Club's comparison service is completely free for our customers. We are paid a one-off fee from our panel of providers if you switch providers or plans with us.
We have partnered with Zembl Pty Ltd to provide Business Customers access to their expert staff to assist in selecting the most appropriate energy packages from their panel of providers.