How to Read Your Meter Accurately

Bangor Hydro reads your meter once a month and calculates a bill
based upon the kWh measured by the meter.

You can read the meter whenever you want to, as often as you want to, and can calculate how many kWh you used.

Knowing how to read the meter is a skill you need as the Energy Manager of your home. By reading your meter occasionally, and keeping track of the electric energy used, you can understand what causes your bill to change. You can also monitor conservation
efforts that reduce your bill.

How to Read Your Meter the “Right” Way

The illustration below represents a five-dial meter. Each pointer moves from the smaller number to the larger. Notice, however, that some pointers move clockwise while others move counter-clockwise. In order to read your meter the “right” way, begin by reading the dial at the far right and proceed to the left. Record your reading in the same manner, from right to left. (Note: Meters used by some Bangor Hydro customers have a digital read out, and no visible dials. KWh can be read directly from the digital screen.)

When the pointer is between two numbers, the smaller number is recorded (see dials 5, 3, and 1). When a pointer is directly on a number, as it is on the second dial, you must look back to the pointer on the dial to the immediate right to see if that pointer has passed 0.

In this instance it has; therefore, the correct reading is 5. However, note that the pointer on the fourth dial appears to be directly on 7, but because the pointer on the third dial has not yet passed 0, the correct reading is 6.

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