Electricity meter display

aliby21

Hello all,
Mum has electric smart meter, Secure liberty 100, installed by Eon (pic attached).  The display is mostly blank. if you look at it for long enough an occasional message pops up eg "cost now".  Is it faulty, or is there a way of getting it to show the electric used?  And is it safe to assume that despite the blank display it has been sending usage figures?  I am guessing Eon would have contacted mum if they had not been getting readings.  
TIA

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I think you press button 6 or 9 to get a reading.

EssexHebridean

I've just found this on the M&S Energy site:

To take a meter reading on a standard electricity tariff:

1. Press 6 on the keypad.
2. You'll see the letters “IMP R01” appear on the screen.
3. Wait a moment – then eight digits will appear, followed by “kWh” towards the bottom right of the screen.
4. Take the first 7 digits – this is your reading.

Best way to confirm that it is sending readings is by checking the billing - if the readings are annotated with "S" or "Smart" the all should be good (although still check the readings against the bill periodically) if however the bills say "E" or "Estimated" then that indicates an issue.

diystarter7

frugalmacdugal said:

Hi,

I think you press button 6 or 9 to get a reading.

Hi

Excellent advice

OP, if the above does not work, give the suppliers a call ASAP to ensure readings/etc are up to date and no surprise bills. (The meter looks fiddly, and this type IMO may be difficult to read by frail people.)

Thanks

imeach

Is she on a single rate or a two rate economy 7?

For a single rate I would always press 9 and meter will say IMP KWH followed by the reading, use the first 7 digits up to the decimal point.

For two rates press 6 four times and it will say R01 and then the reading, and then R02 and then the reading (first 7 digits again)
If it doesn't show the readings after R01 you may have to press 9 again

Horrible meters

aliby21

Thanks it is single rate, I will go and press some buttons!  They are very small buttons and it isn't that accessible so won't try suggesting to mum that she does it. 

Robin9

@aliby21  I think the meter readers describe them as the worst meters ever invented

My MIL's were under the stairs and a real challenge when we had to photo the reading

Raxiel

Robin9 said:

@aliby21  I think the meter readers describe them as the worst meters ever invented

My MIL's were under the stairs and a real challenge when we had to photo the reading

I've heard it suggested they're commercial meters that were for some inexplicable reason used for domestic supplies.

They measure and can display both kW and kVA which lends credence to that theory.

[Deleted User]

Raxiel said:

Robin9 said:

@aliby21  I think the meter readers describe them as the worst meters ever invented

My MIL's were under the stairs and a real challenge when we had to photo the reading

I've heard it suggested they're commercial meters that were for some inexplicable reason used for domestic supplies.

They measure and can display both kW and kVA which lends credence to that theory.

I am happy to be corrected but I think that all smart meters are capable of recording kVA (from the SMETS2 specification):



There was an issue with one particular L&G meter that was recording a reactive load when a Powerwall 2 was connected to the circuit. This was resolved with a meter model change.

Raxiel

Do they display it though? I've not a great deal of experience with smart meters other than my own, but I've not come across a kVA readout on the ones I've interacted with. (I admit I wasn't actually looking).

If not, I suppose they might with a firmware update, should power factors get so far from 1 that the powers that be decide domestic supplies need billing that way. Given the largest proportion of domestic energy consumption is probably still inductive heaters there's probably no pressing need, but if the dream of everyone using heat pumps comes true, who knows.

Speaking of which, I'm sure a firmware update has altered mine, and what used to be the kVA button when first installed is now 'not used' so I suppose my initial complaint about it is now moot.