kids encyclopedia robot

Electricity meter facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Taiwan Power electricity meters 5258-62 - 5258-65
An electric meter in Taiwan

An electricity meter is a special device that measures how much electricity a house or business uses. It's also called an energy meter. These meters usually measure electricity in units called kilowatt-hours (kWh). This helps electricity companies know how much to charge.

The Story of Electricity Meters

Electricity meters became very common in the 1880s. This was when many homes started getting connected to electricity. Before meters, people were charged based on how many electrical things they had. But using a meter to charge based on actual electricity use was much fairer and more accurate.

How Electricity Meters Work

ISKRA ME100-D1A51-V12G12
A disassembled electricity meter

There are two main types of electricity meters:

Electromechanical Meters

This older type of meter uses a spinning disk inside. When electricity flows through the meter, it creates a magnetic field. This field makes the disk spin. The faster the disk spins, the more electricity is being used. The disk then turns numbers on a display, showing how much electricity has been used.

Electronic Meters

Electronic meters are more modern. They use special computer chips, like a microprocessor, to measure electricity. An analogue-to-digital converter inside the meter changes the electricity signal into digital information. This allows the meter to get a very exact reading of how much electricity is being used.

Keeping Meters Safe

Electricity meters are important for tracking energy use. Sometimes, people try to tamper with meters to get free electricity. However, changing or messing with an electricity meter is against the law. It can lead to big fines or other legal trouble.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Vatihorímetro para niños

kids search engine
Electricity meter Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.