Your electric meter is the property of the utility company, not the homeowner. The cumulative reading (the total kilowatt-hours used since installation) is the legal basis for billing. Tampering with this device to alter the reading, stop the recording, or reset the cumulative total is considered or energy theft .

In this guide, we will explore the technology of digital electric meters, the specific functions that might look like a reset (such as clearing a demand reading), the legal boundaries you must never cross, and what you should do if you genuinely need your meter serviced.

If your meter is genuinely faulty, call your utility. If it’s working correctly, respect its reading—and focus your energy on reducing what that number represents, not changing the number itself.

work (myths)

Most digital submeters have a in their manual:

While you cannot reset the (the total kWh used), you may be able to reset or view:

If the digital display is unresponsive, you can sometimes "reboot" the device (without losing the data) by holding the power button for 10 seconds or power-cycling the unit if it is a submeter or in-home display (IHD). Clearing Error Codes (Prepaid Meters):