The invention discloses a variable load detection method in electricity meter channeling detection. The method comprises the following steps of: step 1, downloading a detection task by virtue of a detection host, and checking whether user electricity meter numbers needing to be detected are consistent with task requirements; step 2, mounting a photoelectric metering pulse reading device of the detection host on a user electricity meter with channeling suspicion; step 3, connecting the detection slave to a socket on the user side, allowing the detection slave to start working, and changing the load of the socket according to programmable load equipment; and step 4, detecting photoelectric metering pulse generated by different electricity meters by the detection host, and comparing the detection result of the detection host and load change of variable load equipment on the user side. Therefore, the technical effects of improving the electricity meter channeling detection efficiency and electricity meter channeling judgment accuracy and alleviating the labor intensity are achieved.