Design and Implementation of an Arduino-Based GSM Prepaid Electricity Meter with Automated Billing

Abstract

The project involves the design and implementation of an Arduino-based integrated GSM prepaid electricity meter along with automated billing. The purpose of this project was to analyze the conventional modes of postpaid electricity billing along with their drawbacks, and overcoming this issue by providing a more accurate and reliable prepaid electricity billing meter. With the proposed project, the consumed electricity was confirmed to continuously be sensed in real time to develop automatic updates on the billing by using the GSM channel. Achievements of this project include real-time monitoring, accurate billing through sensor calibration, and automated alerts via SMS for low balance notifications. The system enhances consumer awareness and simplifies energy management by providing automated, transparent updates on electricity consumption. Experiments were conducted to test the accuracy of the sensors, balance tracking, and power control. Calibration of the voltage and current sensors confirmed precise energy readings, while tests on the relay and SMS alerts demonstrated the reliability of balance deductions and automated notifications. In conclusion, this project successfully demonstrates a functional, efficient, and reliable solution for prepaid electricity metering. The system offers substantial improvements over traditional postpaid methods, benefiting both consumers and utility providers by promoting transparency and efficient energy management.