So how do you read an electric meter ?

We got the electric bill for Gramp's for December the other day.  I thought 6510 kilowatts was a bit excessive.  To the tune of $545 excessive.  But we had run the grain bin fans and Stirators quite a bit, so it wasn't a BIG surprise. I was getting ready to mail the check when I realized there was an E in the box that says READ. OK, so what does that mean?  On the back in very light lettering it explains the meter was estimated.

ESTIMATED!

So I called Ameren and griped.

"No problem, sir.  We'll send a man out to read it."

The bill says estimated present reading 23626 so I decided to go read it myself

Now, if  read it correct that is 18089

Just to be sure I Googled reading an electric meter.  I found this page:

http://www.glps.net/meterread.htm

Hmmm... OK, the bill says previous reading was 17116, my reading is 18089.  That's still 5537 kw from 12/5 to 1/21.  So I turned off everything I could find.  Came back 2 days and 1 hour later to read this

I think that reads 18195.  So we used 6 kw over 2 days with everything turned off?  I know, that 's only 125 watts an hour for 49 hours.  Still bothers me.  So I got to checking everything.  The barn fuse box is turned off, the bins are all off, the crib is off at the fuse box, nothing plugged in in the shed, can't find a thing in the house ... even unplugged the garage door opener ... took the fuse out of the furnace.  The only thing I know of is the doorbell transformer and the water pump.

Anyway, enough pondering for now.  Later Y'all