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Thread: Meter reading please

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    Default Meter reading please



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    Back on the 12th of December I asked how to read your electricity meter (Meter Readings for Dummies)
    Today 30/12, I read the meter again and this time I have posted a pic of the dial to see if I have got the reading correct.
    IF I have read this correctly, it reads 38709.
    IF this is correct, there is one HUGE difference to what they recorded and billed me for to what I am reading now.
    The last account reading was 37185 and if this reading taken today is correct, I have used 1524 kwh since the 15 Nov, this is a bit hard to swallow when the last account was for 100 days previous and showed 550 kwh used.
    literaly 3 times the units consumed in 1/3 of the time !!!
    I hope someone can tell me I am reading this incorrectly otherwise the bill will be skyhigh.
    Natualy I wont be able to dispute the amount because I didnt record the meter when it was read last and they will say I have used it, so PAYUP !!
    The kwh unit rate is $0.189300 for anyone whose better at maths than me to work out.
    And I dont think the bill is due to be read before the end of January either.

    NO electric HWS, a Gas Stove,Gas Heater or the Wood burner, NO A/Con,dont use an electric jug, NO welder etc and no major appliances added since the last reading.
    Witht the info I posted before on the 12 Dec, the reading appeared to be 38583 so add 126 to that over some 19 days? = the current reading of 38709?
    If over a 100 days I used 550, that = 5.5 per day, this 128 = about 6.5 a day perhaps?
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 30-12-10 at 03:02 PM.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!



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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post


    uploaded with
    48810
    38810
    Last edited by beer4life; 30-12-10 at 03:08 PM. Reason: oops.

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    10000 units too much

    38810





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    Default

    Gordon, this is pretty serious stuff, as sounds like you may have a possibility of a crook meter if you aren't using it elsewhere. Unless an appliance has gone rogue, the meter is the first logical thing to eliminate.

    A great test is to turn everything off - literaly - and see if the meter still moves, although downside will be brief inconvenience of no electrickery!

    Also get onto your power provider to see what actions can be taken - as no point in waiting for the bill. Imagine they would deal with this problem all the time, so get onto someone with some valuable knowledge as to what is going on and possible things to do to fix/problem solve where the problem enlies.
    We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them - Albert Einstein

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    10000 units too much

    38810
    that looks more like it, 625 used since the 37185 reading

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    Quote Originally Posted by freakee1 View Post
    10000 units too much

    38810

    f

    G'Day Cobber,
    Yes, you are correct. That makes it 1625 units in that time.

    Gordon, you did not mention Fridges or Freezers.
    My Fridge has a 4 star rating and quoted average 515 units/year.
    They almost certainly work harder in the Summer.
    There are 45 days from 15/11/10 to 30/12/10.

    This has become so confusing that I went back to the original thread.
    Quote Originally Posted by gordon
    on 1 the pointer is just above the 4, the next (10) is between the 8 & 9, next (100) is ON the 5,the (1000)is between the 8 & 9, the (10000) is ON the 4.
    So, would you read it 38584 if its read Right to left?
    May I suggest that this should have been 38484. on 12/12/10.

    This puts a whole new complexion on this.
    Units used 15/11/10 to 12/12/10 = 27 Days. 38484-37185 = 1299 units.
    Units used 12/12/10 to 30/12/10 = 18 Days. 38810-38484 = 326 units.
    I admit it still does not make sense unless you have confused the start and end readings of the last bill up to 15/11/10. eg 37185?

    Kindest Regards, " The Druid ".

    edit: @ anyone 38810 - 37185 is 1625 not 625.

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    In a previous life, I used to go and help people understand where the power has gone, so my advice - read the meter every 24 hours and record it - if something starts going astray then you will see the trend when you record it

    now how to read the meter - as you have worked out - read the meter backwards, say it, write it down as you say it - if it hasn't reached the number then it it the previous number - if it is touching the number, check the previous number and you will probably find that number is a 8 or 9, then it hasn't reached the number - if it is a 0 or 1 then it has passed the number

    hope this makes sense

    or just post a photo up and we can help

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    OK, Firstly I am not doubting the meter reading because I suspect it has been UNDER READ.
    Now on 06/8/10 the bill shows the start was 36635 and 100 days later on the 15/11/10 the bill was read and it showed 37185 which means a total of 550 kwh used
    Now when you look at my poor pic, the first pointer is ON the 4 so read 3,
    The second is NOT on 9 so read 8,
    3rd is ON the 8 so read 7,
    4th is ON 1 so read 0,
    5th is NOT on the 0 so read 9 which to me reads 38709
    Deduct 37185 from 38709 = 1524 kwh used since the 15/11/10.
    The same freezer has been in use for the last 20 years and we have had cool to cold weather, so cold we lit the woodburner 4 days running.
    The last bill was rather low I thought and now I suspect it was misread based on the previous quarter to that.
    Reading any meter with these clock dials is always open to interpretation based on how the numbers are read regarding the pointers location.
    Can you follow my reasoning now?
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    i recon you are right with 38709


    hmm with my glasses on 38810 looks better
    Last edited by problem child; 30-12-10 at 10:09 PM. Reason: second look

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    01883

    or 38810

    dial 5 is bloody close to 0
    dial 4 is as good as you get to a 1
    dial 3 is an 8 due to the one before being a 1
    dial 2 is an 8 due the previous being an 8
    and dial 1 is a 3 due to the previous being a 8

    guys - did this for farking years, even taught people how to read them

    trust me



    f
    Last edited by freakee1; 30-12-10 at 10:36 PM.
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    Freakee1, assuming your correct and I dont see why not, this means that I have used 1725 kwh since the last reading which if you can believe what I am saying about my useage of electricty means I have used almost 3 times (550 to 1725) what I used in the previous quarter in between a 3rd or half the time !!!
    I should have been suspicious of the low reading as my average was always around the 1000/1500 kwh per quarter.

    I dont object to paying for what I use but this inaccuracy is bloody ridiculous and being on a limited income puts a lot of pressure on us both.
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 31-12-10 at 09:13 AM.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    freakee is correct
    there must have been an error in the last reading unless you have something using more power now

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    mickc, even if I was a 'Green Grass at Home Grower' I doubt I could burn that much power in that time, Anyway I would have bypassed the meter like they all do.

    Thanks to all for you replies and all I can do is suggest that you too check your meter soon after it has been read and then record the reading at regular intervals untill the next reading.
    Power is going up again and with this recent 'Sell Off' in NSW and the suppliers being devoured, we neeed to be aware of our usage to prevent reading errors occuring and landing us with massive 'Catch Up' bills.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Hey Gordon

    unfortunately kw/h meters are cumulative and if the meter reader stuffs up the quarterly reading it can come back to bite you when it is read correctly.

    As you said - read the meter when you get your bill - it should of increased from the bill reading, and most bills have an average consumption per day (or you can calculate it).

    Dont just agree with the bill if it is obviously incorrect - take a photo of your meters and keep them, call your retailer and complain - most will give you the blurb that they will charge you - but I would say the ombudsman wouldn't be happy if they charged you for correcting an incorrect meter reading.......

    cheers




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    Quote Originally Posted by gordon_s1942 View Post
    The same freezer has been in use for the last 20 years

    This could be a possible cause of increased usage , at that age it may have suddenly "had enough".

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    URL=http://img221.imageshack.us/i/meter1.jpg/][/URL]







    the picture was too big (1.2mb) to load before.

    I read the meter today as we maybe due for a reading very soon


    This is how the dials read today from left to right.
    1st pointer is ON the 4 as before
    2nd pointer is ON the 9 as before.
    3rd pointer is past the 0, the full width of the pointer. before it was ON the 8. How do you read this being past the '0' ?
    4th is off the 4, again the full width of the pointer. before it was ON the 1.
    5th is ON the 7, before was ON the 9.

    Ok, a wild guess its 38 ? 46.

    Freakie read the last posting as 38810, what is this one and whats the difference, ie units used please and why cant I upload image shack ??
    Last edited by gordon_s1942; 14-01-11 at 01:52 PM.
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    39047 -38810 = 237 units in that time.

    30/12/10 to 14/01/11 = 15 days.
    Last edited by beer4life; 14-01-11 at 02:00 PM. Reason: Added info.

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    Thanks B4L, based on this if my maths are correct it means I have used some 1862 kwh since the 15 th of November at $0.189300, providing it hasnt gone up (FAT CHANCE) = $352.4766 plus a daily fee of $0.520000, neat scam eh??

    But when you look at my previous postings there is a glaring disparity in the amount used in the first part to what I have shown which to me means that the meter was under read in November by several hundred kwh's.

    I have changed NOTHING electrical since November but I would have expected some extra usage as the weather warmed up from the previous Winter/Spring period although it aint been much of a Summer so far by any means.

    I intend to check the meter every month to keep an eye on what we use and where possible try to turn off items not in use if possible.

    Thanks everyone.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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    Hey Gordon

    B4L is spot on, average is 15.8 units per day

    also my experience with meter readings, they (meter readers) typically are very accurate but as you are aware they can make a 3 into a 4 and if that happens on the units dial then no problem, but if it is the 10000 units dial then you have a jaw dropping bill that most electric retailer call centre people can see, and will fix.

    but if you get the thousands dial miss read - and thats where you end up not so sure bill.........



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    Last edited by freakee1; 14-01-11 at 07:28 PM.
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    Thanks again to all.
    As you can see I have gone from 5.5kwh per day as per the last quarter to 15.8 kwh by B4L's reckoning, a fraction over 3 times the useage !!!!
    The disk in the meter would be sprinning like a top and its not.
    When bills were manualy checked maybe this would have been spotted but today all that happens is the figures are entered,calculated and Bill sent for payment.
    Now to wait for the 'Official' reading.
    I stand unequivicably behind everything I say , I just dont ever remember saying it !!

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