How to Read Your Meter

Practicing is the only sure way to determine how well you can read your meter. The meter below reads from right to left:

0 - Dial 1 (starting at the right) is 0
2 - Dial 2 is 0 tenths past the 2
8 - Dial 3 is 2 tenths past the 8
8 - Dial 4 is 8 tenths past the 8
9 - Dial 5 is 8 tenths past the 9

Explanation of the read: 

Dial 2:   Moving to the left, the next dial must be zero tenths past a number, because the dial to its right was read as a zero. On the second dial, it is hard to tell if the dial has reached the two. To determine whether this dial should be read as a one or a two, consult the last dial you read. If the last dial was read as a nine, this dial would be read as a one since the dial would have to be nine-tenths past a number. In this instance, the last dial was a zero, so this dial is read as a two.

Dial 3:   The next dial is between the eight and the nine. It must be two-tenths past a number because the dial to its right was a two. Therefore, the third dial is read as an eight. 

Dial 4:   The fourth dial is again between the eight and nine, but closer to the nine. To determine if it should be an eight or a nine, look at the dial to its right, which reads eight. This dial is eight-tenths past the eight, so it is almost to the nine, but not quite. 

Dial 5:   The last dial appears to be pointing at the zero, but since the dial to its right has not yet passed the zero, this dial is read as a nine. This can be a little confusing, but it helps to think of the meter as a clock. When a clock reads 1:59, the hour hand appears to be pointing at the two, but since the minute hand has not passed the 12, the hour is read as one o’clock.

Try practicing a meter read now!
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