From ehow.com
By Maerie Claire, eHow Contributor
Electrical consumption is the use of power or energy by electrical devices. By monitoring electrical consumption you can begin to reduce the amount of electricity you use. This practice is known as energy conservation. Conserving energy is good for the planet and saves you money. Energy consumption is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). You pay a certain amount of money per kilowatt hour. This amount can fluctuate depending on current market trends. Monitoring your electricity consumption is easy and will only cost a few minutes of your time.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Monitoring Daily Electricity Consumption
1
Unplug all electrical devices in your home that are not used on a regular basis. For example a hair dryer is only used when necessary, whereas a refrigerator is in use at all times. You do not want any appliances kicking on without your knowledge during the monitoring process.
2
Locate your electric meter. This is generally outside, on the exterior wall of your home. Notice the wheel that is spinning around on the meter.
3
Time how many seconds it takes for the electric meter wheel to complete an entire rotation. There should be a starting point marker on the wheel which you can use to mark the start of the rotation. If it takes less than 20 seconds for the wheel to complete a rotation then time how long it takes the wheel to rotate 3 times, and then divide that number by 3 to get a more accurate measure.
4
Look for a number that is on the face of the meter. It should look something like Kh=3. Whatever the number is following the "=" sign is the number of watt hours you are consuming per rotation.
5
Calculate the number of watt hours your house is consuming each minute. For example if the meter completed a full rotation in 1 minute and your meter face states Kh=3, then you are using 3 watt hours every minute.
6
Multiply the number of watt hours per minute by 60 to calculate the watt hours used each hour. Multiple that number by 24 to determine the number of watt hours used in a day.
7
Divide the number of watt hours used per day by 1000 to determine hour many kWh or Kilowatt hours you are using each day.
8
Look at your last electric bill or contact your electric company to determine how much you pay per Kilowatt hour. Multiply that number by the number of Kilowatt hours used in a day. This is your base average daily rate you pay before turning on other devices such as a television. This is what you would expect your daily usage to be if you never turned on any of your appliances.
Monitoring Electricity Consumption Since Last Period
1
Write down the numbers that correspond with the dials on your meter. There should be 4 to 5 dials. If the arrow is pointing between one of the numbers, write down the lower number.
2
Find the last meter reading by looking at your previous period bill or by calling your electric provider.
3
Subtract the last period reading from your current reading. This is how many Kilowatt hours have been consumed this period. Multiplying that number by the amount you pay per Kilowatt hour will determine how much money you owe so far for electric consumption this period.
