Electric meters are devices that we commonly see in houses and offices. They are used to measure the total electrical energy consumed by the appliances in a house or office. The devices are installed by the electric power company that supplies electricity.
If you take a close look at these meters, you can see a few digits. They denote the number of units of electricity that has been consumed so far. Our electricity bill depends totally on this reading.
There are different types of electric meters available in the market. One is the electro-mechanical meter, which is most commonly used in our country. It has a magnetic metallic disc attached, which rotates, depending on the power passing through it. The rate of this rotation decides the reading on the meter.
Then there are electronic meters that are popular in cities. In these, readings appear digitally on the display fixed on the meter.
The newest in this league is the smart meter. They are electronic meters, but they have an added advantage. These smart meters are connected back to the utility (which provides us electricity) through the internet. Hence, no official will have to come in person and take the readings. The readings are sent through the internet, which makes the job easier.