 Meter gears turn wheels
both waysLooking at my Pacific Power bill and meters, why do two of the meters -- No. 2 and No. 4 -- run backwards or counterclockwise? -- Iris G., Medford The answer, Iris, is in the gears. Ed Callaway, a journeyman meter reader at Pacific Power with 26 years' experience, says the reason two meters run counterclockwise is that the other three run clockwise. Turns out all five meters are linked in a series and the gear shaft of one drives the one next to it. That means that alternating meters have to move in opposite directions. To get a clearer picture, hold out your hands and slide the fingers of your left hand in between those of your right -- like two gear wheels. If you rotate your left hand down (or clockwise) then to go down with it your right hand rotates counterclockwise. Why link the gear shafts? Callaway explains that linking them makes for fewer moving parts in the meter, which allows for a more accurate reading and fewer repair problems. The five meters work somewhat like an odometer, each representing a place value. One has to make a full revolution for the next to turn. (Send your questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by fax to (541) 776-4376; or by e-mail to: youasked@mailtribune.com Please include your name, address and phone number for verification.) |
