Electricity Cost Management Needs Reform: Introduce Cardless, Single-chip Microcomputer-controlled Smart Meters.

Traditional electricity billing in dormitories relies heavily on card-based top-ups, a method that is cumbersome and prone to issues like lost or damaged cards. At the same time, the single phase smart meter system based on single-chip microcomputer control emerged, representing a new direction for prepaid metering methods in dormitories.

On one hand, by using a microcontroller instead of IC cards as the control core, each household's meter can record remaining electricity consumption and automatically deduct fees through its internal storage, eliminating the need for repeated card swiping or manual operation. This design reduces residents' reliance on physical media and avoids power outages and top-up inconveniences caused by card issues. Existing research combines microprocessors with power metering modules and relays to automatically cut off power when the balance is depleted, along with an alert function.

On the other hand, the microcontroller control scheme facilitates integration with centralized management systems. Delivery companies can remotely read wifi smart energy meter data, centrally manage fees and consumption status, reducing the cost and error rate of manual meter reading, statistics, and billing. Currently, traditional card-based prepaid systems lack a two-way communication mechanism, making it impossible to monitor user consumption and balance status in real time.

For centralized, multi-unit dormitories, the 3 phase energy meter wifi system is a suitable alternative to the card-swiping method. It simplifies the usage process, facilitates back-end management, and improves metering transparency and operational efficiency.