How to read your meter
How to read your meter
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Electricity and gas meters are used to calculate how much energy is being used at your property. 1st Energy may be able to accept a self read if you have received an estimated bill and certain conditions are met. The following guide will help you identify which type of electricity/gas meter you have; reading it and submitting it to us.
Where to find your meter?
House
If your meter is outside, you should find it attached to one of the walls, or on the front or rear porch of your home.
Not there?
Typical locations inside your home include your hallway, laundry or garage.
Gas meters are ideally placed at the front of your house, quite close to the street-front. Look near your letterbox or driveway. If you are in NSW your meter could be under your kitchen sink.
Apartment
If you live in an apartment, duplex or other multi-dwelling building, your meters should be together in one place, either in the basement, carpark or in a cabinet on your floor.
Your meter should be labelled with your unit number, so make sure you’re reading the correct meter. If you’re not sure, check the meter number with the number on your 1st Energy invoice.
How to read your meter?
Electricity
There are various types of electricity meters. But all electricity meters are unique to the installed premises and has a unique meter number. Every establishment also has a unique NMI (National Meter Identifier, which is used by the meter service provider to identify the meter). You can find your NMI on the front page of your bill in all states except in Victoria where it’s on page 2 of your bill.
If your meter looks like this, then it is a Clock dial electricity meter. Check whether the meter number is the same as the one on your latest 1st Energy invoice. A clock dial meter has several small clock faces. To conduct a reading, note the numbers from each clock, from left to right. If a pointer is between 2 numbers, note the lower number. When the pointer is between 0 and 9, read 9.
For example, the meter number of the attached image is 52459155 and the reading is 83736.
If your meter looks like this, it is the Cyclonic dial meter. Confirm that the serial number on the meter is same as the number mentioned in your latest 1st Energy invoice. Note down your meter read by typing in each number from left to right, including all leading zeroes.
If the dial has two readings as L and H. Note down both of them in the form given below. These record your usage for different periods including the Peak and Off-peak.
For example, the Meter number of the above image is 03137923 and the reading is 00003.
There are different types of Digital meters. Most of them look alike with numerical reading on their screen. If yours look like the one above, check whether the serial number on the meter is same as the one on your latest 1st Energy invoice. Then record the usage for Peak and Off-peak, including all the leading zeroes.
If your meter has a ‘Display’ button, press it multiple times to reveal different readings on the screen. Note them all down on the form below. Also, do not press the ‘Boost’ button.
For example, the meter number on the above image is 12345678 and the reading is 123456.
Gas
The gas pressure available in your area and the type of regulator located on your gas meter are used to identify your gas meter type. All gas meters have a unique meter number which corresponds to the meter in your premises. Each gas meter has a unique MIRN (Meter Installation Registration Number) or a unique DPI (Delivery Point Identifier). You can find your MIRN or DPI on the front page of your bill in all states except in Victoria where it’s on page 2 of your bill.
If your meter looks like this, then it is a Imperial gas meter. Check whether the meter number is the same as the one on your latest 1st Energy invoice. These meters measure usage in ‘cubic feet’ which will appear on the meter’s clock face, which is then converted to cubic meters.
The reading is noted from each clock, left to right. If the pointer sits between two numbers, note the lower number. Except when it sits between 0 and 9, note 9.
If your meter has any additional dials labelled as 1/2 or 2, ignore these as these are not used for meter read calculation.
For example, the reading is 1695.
Metric gas meters measure usage in cubic meters. The meters usually have ‘Cubic meters’ or ‘M3‘ labelled on them.
Only note those digits in black and white from left to right, ignore the red digits (if any) as these are only for testing purpose.
For example, the reading is 16622.
Can I submit a meter read?
*Tasnetworks does not accept photo reads. – Though a special read can be raised to rectify an estimated bill.
Can I submit a meter read?
1st Energy generally accepts self reads, if:
- The last bill was an estimate
- The read is not for a smart meter (electricity only)
- The reading is within an acceptable range, based on historical consumption records
- The read supplied corresponds to the format of the meter on the property
- A photo is provided where there is a clear image of the correct meter for the property.
- The photo is timestamped. You can include a newspaper/magazine in the photo displaying the date - please ensure that both the date and the meter reading are clearly visible in all photos. Alternatively, you can place a separate device in the photo where the date is visible. You can also take a photo on your phone and access the file information in your camera roll (on an iPhone, simply swipe up on the photo to display the date/time the photo was taken).