Electricity Metering
Why Choose Us?
We are Experienced & Professional Electrical Metering Experts!
Here at Prime Spark Electrical, our Electricity Metering services are offered to every Sydney household. Our Emergency Electrician team will perform repairs, inspections, installations and relocations on any electrical meter. Working in homes, small businesses to large commercial buildings, we are ready to work with electric meters at any time.
Sydney's Electrical Metering Services
Prime Spark Electrical will work at any time to carry out reliable and professional electric meter work. Our electricians are licensed to operate with any electrical meter type while operating with meters under any electrical retailer. We work across Sydney, from Hills District to the Sutherland Shire, to perform any needed electricity metering task.
We also offer professional Level 2 Electrician service which we will carry out more advanced electrical tasks in any place. For trusted electricity metering services in Sydney – contact Prime Spark Electrical today!
What is Electrical Metering?
An electrical meter reads the amount of electricity used within an area for billing purposes. This metering data is collected to see how much electricity retailers need to charge people for their electricity consumption. Meters measure the number of kWh used, or energy consumed, during a billing period which will be sent to the energy retailers. A meter reader might at times arrive on-site to perform quick electrical inspections on the electricity meter.
How Many Types of Electric Meters Are There?
There are three types of meters which are mainly used to gather data of a property’s electricity usage.
Accumulation Meter
These meters will measure the overall electricity consumption while having no discernment applied for when it is utilised. The electricity retailer will not charge the rates on the time of day but will charge a flat rate. Another name for this type of meter is a flat rate meter due to it charging at a flat rate.
There are three types of accumulation meters which will display the reading in different ways
- A digital display as the number electrically displayed
- The cyclometer displays the meter reading through an analogue.
- Lastly, a dial display will have 5 digits where a hand will indicate the amount of electricity used.
The billing period is every three months where a meter reader inspects the system to find the amount of electricity used. It is measured as a total of kWh to each date where the electricity retailer will charge quarterly.
Interval Meter
This meter will measure the electricity used per half an hour. This allows retailers to gather information on the amount of electricity used during the day. With it being easy to know how much electricity is consumed, retailers offer either a flat rate or tariffs to be used when being charged. The meter reader arrives quarterly then sends the information to the electrical retailers to be charged.
Smart Meter
Smart meters are similar to interval meters but does not need a meter reader to come and analyse the data. The amount of electricity used is sent electronically to the retailer and individuals can read their data electronically as well. When undergoing meter installations, it is now compulsory to have smart meters installed due to being easy to use.
Sydney Peak and Off Times
Within NSW the main electrical retailers are Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy. Each has their own peak, shoulder and off-peak times, measuring when electricity is consumed how much it will cost.
Ausgrid:
Peak: Monday – Friday, 2pm – 8pm (excluding public holidays)
Shoulder: Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays), 7am – 2pm and 8pm – 10pm. Weekends and public holidays, 7am – 10pm
Off-Peak: All other times
Endeavour Energy
Peak: Monday – Friday, 1pm – 8pm (excluding public holidays)
Shoulder: Monday – Friday (excluding public holidays), 7am – 1pm and 8pm – 10pm. Weekends and public holidays, 7am – 10pm
Off-Peak: 10pm – 7am each day
Essential Energy
Peak: Monday – Friday, 7am – 9am, 5pm – 8pm
Shoulder: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm, 8pm – 10pm
Off-Peak: All other times
How Does an Electric Meter Read Power?
A majority of meters will read power by kilowatts per hour. One watt is produced by one voltage and amperage measuring the electrical potential. The amount of electricity used will need time added into the formula to give an accurate reading. Every hour the number of kilowatts used is measured, with one kilowatt per hour equalling 1,000 watts. This means that if a light with 100 watts is used for 10 hours, then 100 watts by 10 is 1,000 watts consumed. To know the difference between volts, amps and watts, we encourage reading our article with further information.
How to Choose the Right Electrical Tariff?
Tariffs will be applied depending on how energy is utilised in the property with their being two main types:
Flat Rate or Single Rate Tariff – these will not be influenced by off-peak and peak times but will charge a single rate. This one rate will be charged no matter the time or the day electricity is used. When there is a lot of electricity used on a retry this type of tariff will be favoured one. Regular households can also benefit from a single rate especially as most people are home at one specific time.
Time of Use Tariff – the time of day will influence how much electricity was used will be charged. Peak periods are more expensive and off-peak periods are less expensive. This means that if electricity was used during peak times then it would cost more than if it was used during off-peak times. If electricity is mainly used at night or at times during usual off-peak then a person could favour this tariff. Using electrical mainly during off-peak times will cost less than a flat rate.
