Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-11-25
AIEXANDRIA VA WEDNESDAY EVENING NOYEMBER 2o 19e
aIexat6ria Gazette.
Entered at the Postofice Of AsxAndnas VII
Rinia, as seoond-class mRtter.l
THE ELEoTRIo METER.

To the Editor Of the Alexandra Oazel'e'
A few remarks relative to the electric
meter would be acceptable to those who
have thtss devices installed in their
homes aud places Of business for illuml-
nation and power purposes ct this time
Of the year, when daylight is shorter
With the consequent increased meter bill.
The electric Wa!t-metsr Installed by the
local Illuminating company is OF the
Westinghouse or FOIt Wayne type which
measure the current consumption in the
kilo-watts.
A email meter mounted on jewel att
yates the dial pointers BY mans OF
train OF gears. The motor is In circuit
With the lamps Ooad) aud revolVes at
speed proportionste with the curreut
being used, This motor Is calculated ct
the factory to measure au absolute known
load by standard instruments tried by q
chronOmeter stop Wa'ch for such perloos
OF test and calculated to one bali of one
per cent in accuracy.
When the meter is installed the local
company also n axes q test for accuracy.
II only one lamp is turned on the dial
will bsrely move but will increase IN
speed with every addi ionsl lamp turned
on. A meter will and ta1 be q checs;
the dial shows al any time the sctca
amount Consumed. This bling 30 1t isleasy
to compare the amount paid monthly in
dollars and cents a'a check against what
is considered exhOrbitant bills.
The rate for iIlumstion being 7 cents
per kilo-wstlhOur. The kilo watt 10
the electric uuit of csra'ily, and Is the
product of the volt a pperes, the voltage
being the pressure ald the smperes be-
ing the low or load. One kilo watt be-
ing equal to one thousand watts the
electric generator being of GER ain vat
capacity ordinary sixteen ta1ue power
lamp using 6ity-six watts each hour.
A few simple rules to read the wsttmeter.
read from right to left settir down the
fgures as read, read the figures on each
dial which ia' been last Ia'sed, or Is
just covered by the pointer. Each dial
reading depends on the IT aiding Of the one
next to it on the right. Unless the one
before it has complsted revolution, or
"a sed the zero, the pointer which is be
ing rta1 ! has not completed the division
upon which it may appear to rest, and
still indita es the figure lsst passed.
The consumer can subtract from the
present reading the reading of last
month, multiply the difference 10 kllo
watt hours (resdinR) by seven cents the
rae in this city, and you have the
amount Of the present bill 10 dollars
and cents.
If the above remarks are applied
few times, the consumer can become
familiar With his illuminating expense,
and act accordingly. A satisfied con-
sumer is a vslusble asset to the local
electric company and l am sure tia
they will at any time instruct the con-
sumer In these readings 30 as to elimi-
nate sDy dissatisfaction. The consumer
must bear in miud that the motor 10 the
meter will record ali current being used,
no matter how small the candle
power Of the lamp being used.
Some people leave the lamp turned on
forgetting to switch out the light, but
the meter records faithfully. The
wattmeler Is q recognized standard in
strument of precision, is used by the U.
9. government in all laboratory tests.
The meter Is the only just equitable
manner Of selling the electric current
with justice to the consumer and the
electric company at predetermined
rates.
If the above remarks are not clear to
any of our cit'z,ns, the writer will give
individual instruction 10 sane.
IOuN n IfOYD