Analog meters, also known as mechanical meters, use a series of rotating dials to display your electricity usage. Each dial represents a different digit in a multi-digit number that indicates the total amount of electricity used.

If you still don’t have solar installed, you may have an analog meter. While this type of meter is less advanced than digital or smart meters, it still allows you to monitor your current electricity consumption. Understanding how to read your analog meter can help you track your energy usage and identify patterns in your electricity consumption.

Here’s how to read an analog meter correctly:

1. Understanding the Dials:

   • Analog meters typically have four or five dials. Each dial moves in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, with the direction alternating from one dial to the next.
   • The dials are labeled with numbers from 0 to 9.

2. Reading the Dials:

   • Start with the leftmost dial and move to the right.
   • Note the number that the pointer is pointing to. If the pointer is between two numbers, always record the lower number. For example, if the pointer is between 4 and 5, record 4.
   • If the pointer is exactly on a number, look at the next dial to the right. If the next dial is past zero, use the number the pointer is directly on; if it has not reached zero, use the lower number.

3. Recording the Reading:

   • Write down the numbers in the order you read them, from left to right. This sequence of numbers represents your current meter reading.

4. Example:

   • If the dials read from left to right as 3, 9, 4, and 2, then your meter reading is 3942 kWh. This number represents the total amount of electricity that has passed through the meter since it was installed or last reset.

5. Tracking Usage Over Time:
   • Initial Reading: Note down your meter reading, such as 3942 kWh.
   • Subsequent Reading: At the end of a billing period (e.g., a quarter), take another reading. Suppose the new reading is 4120 kWh.
   • Calculating Usage: Subtract the initial reading from the subsequent reading. In this example, the difference is 4120 kWh – 3942 kWh = 178 kWh. This number represents the total electricity usage for that period
6. Considerations for Solar Users
   • Analog meters typically do not differentiate between the electricity consumed from the grid and the electricity sent back to the grid from your solar system. In a net metering setup, the meter may simply run backward when exporting energy, reducing the overall recorded consumption. However, this can make it challenging to precisely track the amount of solar energy generated versus the energy consumed from the grid.