Electricity Bill Reduction Tricks: It is extremely hot in North India. In such a situation, is the smart meter of your house also running like a bullet train in summer? Know the real connection between bright sunlight and low-voltage meter readings and adopt 5 easy home-made tricks, which can directly reduce your electricity bill by 30% without switching off the AC.
How to Reduce Smart Meter Reading: ‘Brother, this time I got electrocuted after seeing the electricity bill! Only one AC was used in the house and the smart meter is running like a bullet train! If you have a new smart meter installed in your house, then this thought must be coming to your mind these days. In North India the mercury has crossed 45 degrees to 48 degrees. From Delhi, UP, Bihar to MP, this is the story of most of the houses. People feel that due to sunlight and heat, smart meters have started running too fast. So does bright sunlight really cause any malfunction in smart meters? Or are the bills skyrocketing because of some of our own mistakes? Let us understand the complete mathematics behind this and know those solid tricks, which can directly reduce your electricity bill by 30%…
Do smart meters become ‘fast’ in summer?
Nowadays, a rumor is spreading very fast on social media that when the temperature outside crosses 45 degrees, the smart meters installed on pillars or walls get hot and start showing fast readings, but the real truth is something else. According to meteorologists and electricity experts, smart meters do not run fast after getting heated by the sun. Actually, when there is a severe heat wave outside, the voltage of our houses fluctuates again and again. When the voltage is low, the appliances running in the house (like fridge and AC) have to draw more current to function. Due to this, the ‘pulse rate’ (the red light that blinks) of the meter increases. That means the meter is not wrong, your gadgets are sucking more electricity in this weather!
Real indication of red light (pulse rate) of smart meter
- When the red light of the meter blinks slowly i.e. normally, it means that the electricity load at your house is absolutely normal. Your home appliances are running smoothly and your electricity bill is completely under your control. In such a situation there is no need to take any tension at all.
- When the red light of the meter starts blinking very fast, it means that some heavy machine, old fridge or old AC is running in your house which is drawing more electricity than required. Sometimes this also happens due to compressor failure or wiring fault. Whenever the light burns too bright, immediately check which appliance is overheating and turn it off for some time.
5 ways to reduce electricity bill by 30%
AC’s ’24 to 26′ formula
Most people set the AC to 16 or 18 degrees as soon as they come from outside. They think this will cool the room quickly. This is almost certainly false! The compressor operates at the same speed, except it runs non-stop to reach 16 degrees and trip the smart meter. Always run the AC at 24 or 26 degrees. Also keep the ceiling fan on speed number 2 or 3. Due to this, cold air will spread all around the room and the compressor will cut-off repeatedly, thereby saving half the electricity.
Say bye-bye to ‘heavy load’ between 12 noon and 4 pm
During this part of the day the sun shines the most and the load on the grid is the highest. Unless absolutely necessary, do not run heavy things like washing machine, water motor (geyser) or oven between 12 noon and 4 pm. The load during this period may be recorded as the most expensive in the smart meter app.
Download smart meter app and check ‘kW’
In the old meter, you used to know at the end of the month how much the bill was. The best thing about a smart meter is that it has an official app (like companies in UP, Bihar or Delhi have their own apps). Check your daily ‘kW’ (kilowatt load) by going to the app. If your house connection is of 2 KW and your load is 3 KW in the afternoon, then understand that you are also facing penalty. Keep the load within the connection range.
Bill will determine the distance from the refrigerator wall
During summer, the compressor installed behind the refrigerator becomes very hot. If you have kept the fridge very close to the wall, then it does not get the cold air and it starts taking double the load. Keep the refrigerator at least 6 to 10 inches away from the wall. Also, set its thermostat to medium, not full.
Stop theft of phantom load i.e. dry electricity
We often switch off the TV with remote, leave the charger switched on even after the mobile is charged. Smart meters are so efficient that they even capture this ‘silent electricity’ and add it to the reading. Therefore, make a habit of switching off the plug directly when not in use.