How to Read a Digital Smart Electric Meter
In 2020, keeping runway of how much energy you utilise is easier than e'er. With the rise of smart meters, both domestic customers and business owners are at present able to give suppliers the nigh accurate readings possible, meaning you lot'll simply pay for what you utilize. With this guide, we'll take you through how to become a meter reading from your smart meter, with step-past-step instructions ensuring y'all tin get a clear and accurate reading.
Why exercise I need to read my smart meter?
One of the benefits of having a smart meter is that it sends the readings to your supplier automatically, then that they can accurately tell how much free energy you're using without you having to manually ship them in.
Because of this, you may wonder why it'due south worth checking your smart meter at all. It is, however, useful to know how to take readings, as you lot may find yourself needing to for a diversity of reasons. For example, if your smart reader is damaged or faulty, information technology may not be sending the information to your supplier properly. Being able to read the meter before it's fixed may stop you from beingness charged more by your supplier.
Smart meter vs in-home display
Before nosotros starting time, it'south important to annotation the difference between your smart meter and your in-dwelling display. The brandish is not something you lot can take meter readings from, equally it simply shows you lot the amount of electricity and gas you're using on a basic level (it may tell you lot that your electricity use is 'high', for example, but may non get into further particular).
Your smart meter is where y'all'll notice the exact figures you lot demand to take a reading, and depending on the type of meter you have, there are different means of doing information technology.
If you've just moved business firm and demand some help getting your energy up and running, bank check out our extensive guide.
How to accept a reading from a smart gas meter
When y'all're checking your smart meter, there are a few things you need to look out for to come across what blazon it is. For gas readings, your reading will be a number followed by 'm3', so make sure you note when y'all check. Information technology's also important to retrieve to ignore the numbers afterwards the decimal place when taking a reading. So, if you see the number '00063.236', your reading is 63.
For all types of smart meters, the first thing you'll see is a display next to a way of interacting with the device. The most common of these is a keypad, with numbers 0-9, but at that place are a few unlike variations.
If your meter has a keypad, all you need to exercise is press '9'. From there, yous'll run across 'Volume' and a reading followed by 'm3'.
How do yous read a smart meter with a and b button?
If your meter has 'A' and 'B' buttons, press the 'A' push button until yous see 'Credit On', and then printing it again to bear witness 'Meter Index', and once more to show your readings.
If your meter has a left pointer, a circle and a right arrow, just press the center push button to show your reading.
If your meter has three square red buttons, these may or may non be labeled 'A', 'B', and 'C'. Printing the 'A' or left button to see your reading.
If your meter has an orange and a blue arrow to the correct of the screen, printing the orange button to see your reading.
If your meter has two white buttons to the right of your display, printing the right button to see your reading. This might be labeled 'OK' or take an arrow printed on it.
How to read a smart electric meter
When noting your electricity reading, in that location'south an of import distinction between gas readings. Electricity readings cease with a 'KWH', though the rule of ignoring the numbers after the decimal place still applies.
Again, the almost mutual blazon of meter interface is the keypad, and pressing 9 on will show you your reading.
Your meter may too accept two buttons, i labeled 'Reconnect' and i labeled 'Brandish Select. Press the 'Display Select' button until you run into the number that has 'KWH' after it. This is your electricity reading.
If your meter has an 'A' and 'B' button, printing 'A' until you get to TOTAL ACT IMPORT. The number below this is your electricity reading.
Your meter might have iii buttons to the side of the display. If this is the case, simply press the centre button, and the display will testify your reading beneath the 'IMP' on screen.
Another form of display is an orangish button on the left and blue buttons on the right. If this is the case, merely printing the orangish button to prove your reading.
How practise I accept a reading from an Economy 7 meter?
An Economic system 7 meter, otherwise known as a two-rate reader, records your free energy usage over night and mean solar day separately, meaning yous'll take 2 different readings. You'll need to exist sure to record both of these, though it tin be difficult to know which i is which, as they're ofttimes labeled something similar 'R1' and 'R2'.
If y'all accept an Economy 7 smart meter:
Press 6 on the keypad until you meet 'IMP R01' followed by 8 digits - this is ordinarily your nighttime/off-peak reading.
Then keep on pressing vi on the keypad until you lot see 'IMP R02' followed by 8 digits - this is commonly your summit/normal reading.
If you don't have a keypad, you'll likely accept some other kind of principal push button to press, such equally 'A', which you can printing to see the readings.
How exercise you read a smart meter with no buttons?
If your meter doesn't have any buttons or anyway of interacting with it, then it will likely cycle through the different readings.
The number starting with 'R1' is your electricity reading, which will also be marked past 'KWH'. Simply record both readings every bit they wheel through and you'll take all the information you demand.
Smart Meter FAQs
What is a smart meter?
Smart meters will supersede the traditional gas and electricity meters we've been using for decades.
They send automated meter readings straight to your free energy supplier, meaning an end to estimated bills and the hassle of meter readings. You'll also be offered a digital smart meter display, which will show you exactly how much energy yous're using in pounds and pence. So there should be no nasty surprises when you go your beak.
How do I get a smart meter?
The government has set up a goal to install smart meters in all properties past 2025. Your energy supplier will exist responsible for installing the meter, free of accuse.
If you tin can't await, yous can go to the Smart Free energy GB website (www.smartenergygb.org) for more information or contact your supplier to see if they're installing in your area now.
For more than helpful data about smart meters, check out our guide.
What will a smart meter price?
There's no additional price to you. In fact, considering information technology volition give y'all information on how much you're spending, your smart meter can help you see which appliances are using lots of free energy and aid in making changes to salvage free energy.
Smart meters will also mean the end of estimated bills, and so you lot'll only pay for what you actually use.
What if I have a prepayment meter?
Your smart meter will make prepayment every bit easy as using a pay-every bit-y'all-become mobile phone. You'll be able to monitor how much credit y'all accept left on your hand-held digital smart meter brandish, so no demand to keep checking your meter. You'll also be able to add coin automatically online, via an app, over the telephone, by text-bulletin or in person. So no more than need for your card or key.
Smart meters will too mean that pre pay customers will no longer take to pay a huge premium for their free energy.
I'grand not very tech-savvy. Will I be able to use it?
Smart meters send information automatically to your supplier, so you won't demand to do your ain meter reading. Using a digital smart meter display is every bit uncomplicated every bit checking the fourth dimension on a clock. It will bear witness you exactly how much energy you lot're using and how much it'due south costing.
How are they different from other energy gadgets?
You can purchase energy monitors that track how much electricity you lot're using, but they can't measure your gas utilize. A smart meter is dissimilar because your energy supplier volition install it for free. They're the only devices that can send your readings direct to your supplier and show you how much energy y'all're using in pounds and pence.
Is there a catch to smart meters?
Smart meters take previously caused some controversy. Some people are worried near the overall cost (estimated to be billions of pounds) and how energy companies plan to recoup that cost over time from consumers. There are also concerns most information security equally details are transmitted to suppliers.
Can I refuse to have a smart meter installed?
Yeah. You are non obliged to have a smart meter. You should discuss any concerns with your energy supplier.
Source: https://www.energyhelpline.com/help/how-to-read-your-smart-meter-step-by-step
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