Digital electricity meter shows three separate numbers on a loop

Lunielumps

FTBs here, completed on our purchase today and took photos of the gas and electricity meters when we got the keys.

We have rented managed flats the past seven years and never had to read meters before, so we're pretty confused by the electricity meter showing three different numbers on a loop:
03413
1 = 49124
2 = 54289

The box says it is a 'multi rate single phase watt hour meter'. We have no idea which number to give to the current electricity supplier as our move in reading?

The current supplier is eon but we've applied to switch to Octopus. 

Any help much appreciated! 

stewie_griffin

It looks like an Economy 7 meter (although there's a chance it's E10). The first reading is the total so you don't need to provide that and the other 2 are day and night. Sometimes the meter will have a sticker with the switching times on. If not work out which reading moves during the day and that is the day read.

QrizB

Can you post a photo of the meter? It will give smarter people than me some more info to work with.

Black out any personal info you might be worried about.

Edit: Ignore me, you've already given enough information for others to interpret.

molerat

Standard multi rate meter read. 49124 + 54289 = 103413 but it is only a 5 digit meter so drops the leading 1.  As above you need to figure which one of 1 and 2 reads during the day and which during the night and give them to the supplier.  Your new supplier will likely default you to a dual rate so if you don't need a dual tariff you need to ask them to give you single rate.  You will still need to give both readings 1 & 2 but they will charge both at the same rate.

TheMilkmansDad

Lunielumps said:

FTBs here, completed on our purchase today and took photos of the gas and electricity meters when we got the keys.

We have rented managed flats the past seven years and never had to read meters before, so we're pretty confused by the electricity meter showing three different numbers on a loop:
03413
1 = 49124
2 = 54289

The box says it is a 'multi rate single phase watt hour meter'. We have no idea which number to give to the current electricity supplier as our move in reading?

The current supplier is eon but we've applied to switch to Octopus. 

Any help much appreciated! 

As a side note - make sure you've registered for an account with Eon and supplied them the move in reading figures before you start the process of switching to Octopus. Will save you having issues down the line....

And congrats on your new home

Reed_Richards

molerat said:

Standard multi rate meter read. 49124 + 54289 = 103413 but it is only a 5 digit meter so drops the leading 1.  As above you need to figure which one of 1 and 2 reads during the day and which during the night and give them to the supplier.  

Maybe this is obvious, forgive me if it is.  If you read the meter in the afternoon and again a few hours later then the day reading will have increased a bit whilst the night reading will not have changed.

MWT

On many meters there will be a flashing indicator for the current active register, if the readings have a small 1 or 2 next to them that small number will often flash when that register is currently being used.

E.ON_Company_Representative:_Helena

Lunielumps said:

FTBs here, completed on our purchase today and took photos of the gas and electricity meters when we got the keys.

We have rented managed flats the past seven years and never had to read meters before, so we're pretty confused by the electricity meter showing three different numbers on a loop:
03413
1 = 49124
2 = 54289

The box says it is a 'multi rate single phase watt hour meter'. We have no idea which number to give to the current electricity supplier as our move in reading?

The current supplier is eon but we've applied to switch to Octopus. 

Any help much appreciated! 

Morning Lunielumps 

Congrats on the new house!

As others have said, please let us know you've moved in so we can open an account for you, until the switch goes through. You can use the online form if that's better for you, saves you ringing in.

Looks like an economy 7 meter to me. The 03413 looks to be the Total reading but we'll need the separate rates

You can read the meter, then boil the kettle a couple of times in the day time, then read it again, this will show you which rate is which.

It's great that you've taken a picture of the meter, so thank you for this.

As MWT says there is often a flashing light next to the register that in use.

Thank you

Helena

Lunielumps

Great thanks for your responses everyone, it is all making a lot more sense now! we'll get the readings from our completion date submitted 

Gerry1

If you have gas central heating then Economy 7 may not be the most cost effective tariff for you because the day rate is usually higher than the singe rate would be, and the daily charge may also be higher.

Might be a good idea to switch to a single rate tariff and check again when you have a better idea of your usage.  You don't need to change the meter: many suppliers will just bill both registers at the same rate.

Make sure any immersion heaters are left permanently switched off otherwise your overall energy costs will be needlessly high.