Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-10-20, Page 30• n. PAGE 10A—GODERICH SIGNAL. -STAR, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1977 Think you're using too much power? Go, check the hydro meter Ever wonder what all those dials are on the hydro meter attached to your house? Ever wonder why the little disc in your meter goes so fast while your neighbor's barely moves giving the impression he is using next to no hydro? Ever wondisr how the Goderich Public Utilities can deter- mine how much hydro you used in a month just by sending a meter reader to your house for a brief moment once a month? Meter reading is no major task. If you do it correctly you can figure out how much power you are consuming on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. If you do it wrong you can he out by thousands of kilowatt hours. they measure used to sell electricity. The meter is a relatively simple yet very dependable instrument. The disc spinning in the centre of the- meter- is not used to calculate power used. It does have a major role in accurate meter readings- but its function is not to determine power used on a monthly basis. It is there primarily Io allow the PUC, and once every eight years the federal government, to check the calibrations of the meter to make sure it is running accurately. The only time the disc can he used to determine power used is on a quick- glance-, If • you know how fast your meter disc spins because you watch it often then you cain' he `sure some where in your house power is being consumed in large quantities if you see it spinning unusually fast, If ;vnu want to measure how much power is being used You must take a reading off the four. and in the case of the at: •.t:t•Lna.c tt: rs,.Ltlu:.,..five...dials ' —""—that span the face of the meter. The dials measure power consumption in, from right to left, ,tens, hundreds, This hydro meter is one of the,newer ones being used by the Goderich PUC. To take an accurate reading the dials must be read from right to left. The actual power con- sumption however is the figure calculated when the numbers on the dials are written from left to right. See if you can read this meter: (staff -photo) thousands ,and tens of thousands oTkilmvatt hours. The meter must he read from right to Left to get an acc'ura'te reading but the actual power consumption is hosed on the figures read from left to right. Confused? The meter operates from right to left, The dial at the right makes one revolution every time ten kilowatt hours is c'onsume'd. When 10 hours is used the second dial from the right goes to one. It _measures 100 kilowatt hours and every time 100 hours are used the third dial from the right moves one. The reason the meter hasto be read from right to' left is because the third dial from the right may he almost at one hut if the econ d..dial._from ..the..r..i.ght...is, at nine and -you miss thaLyou will he over by 100 kilO,Watt hours when you read the meter; Take a look at your meter. If the first dial is at three, the second at eight, the third almost to four and the fourth at six you will have used 6,383 .kilowatt hours if you read from right to left. If you read from left to right you may conte up with 6,483 kilowatt hours, 100 hours ton much. There are two advantages to reading your own meter. If ' u r- meter is in your house and you can't he home when the PUC usually reads your meter the PUC Will send you a meter card enabling. you to read your own figures. The card is a replica of a meter and all you do is draw in the dials of the meter exactly as they are on the meter in your house,. By doing this ,you won't fall a month behind on �.y 1.1t,...hydro..bil _axed, face a:n enormous hill after vacation. Another advantage is calculating your own power consumption. If you read Turn to page 12A • Greg Wilson has been checking hydro meters for accuracy for the past 23 years. He works for the federal ministry o consumer and corporate affairs claiming he protects the ustomers by making sure the meters don't run fast and the UC by making sure they don't run slow. He says the eters are extremely reliable and that 99.9 percent of them re accurate. He adds that in his 23 years he has only seen hree meters inaccurate, two of them fast and one slow. staff -photo) craormivmmitzm.iviv70:mi Goderich Santa Claus Parade '77 kit SATURDAY, December 3 2:00 p.m. A CARTOON CHRISTMAS IF YOU WISH TO ENTER A FLOAT IN THE PARADE THE DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS FRIDAY, November 25 Categories — Youth, Industry, General, School, Services Ribbon awards for 1st 2nd and 3rd In each category FOR INFORMATION AND ENTRY FORMS CONTACT GODERICH RECREATION IL COMMUNITY CENTRE BOARD i WATERLOO ST. S., 524-1373 Let's make this year's parade the BIGGEST ever "OUR PARADE NEEDS BANDS" - k 4$1 t: 'r :* Or :ex : Ar !r :a7!r +.: +a r 4. -Ir :At :40 Story, photos by Jeff Seddon DAVE HAYLO ELECTRICAL Serving Industrial, Commercial, Residential Needs 524-6038 This antique left little to the imagination. When you wanted electricity you went to the meter and put in a quarter. When the quarter's worth of hydro was used the lights went out and you had to put in another coin. The meters are impractical today, but are a•sure fire cure for hydro wastes in homes. (staff -photo) APPLE -GRAPE BLEND Available Now For huge savings bring your own containers to LASSALINE ORCHARD 21/2 Miles From No. 8 Highway on Drive In Road South of Goderich 524-7772 a e 5 3 et tui n 0 When you choose to take up arms against the frustrations of unsatisfactory goods or services, you should remember that the success of your cause is based first and foremost on your perseverance and personal initiative. Here are some people who may be sympathetic to your cause: 4 Store Salesmen Store Managers Manufacturers Distributors Better Business Bureaux Merchants' Associations Professional Associations Consumers' Associations Consumer Help Offices Newspaper"s Action Line Columns Radio Stations Hot Line Shows Television Stations 'Consumer Shows Ombudsmen City Hall Aldermen Municipal Governments Consumer Department of Provincial Govern Consumer and Corporate Affairs Canada Provincial or Federal Members of Parliament Lawyers 'Legal Aid Small Claims Courts Take heart and bear in mind that Consu eery Corporate Affairs Canada administers av • federal acts of parliament to back you up. Consommahoa car Consumer and Corporate Arrans f.anarfn nt (oNushers The Hon Warren Aiimand. Minister 1+ Consumer Week, October 24-30. Your Local consumer association needs you.