How to Read a Smart Meter
This is part of our complete guide to smart meters.
As energy-saving devices, smart electricity meters are designed to display exactly how much energy you're using in pounds and pence. They also come with an in-home display that allows you to easily monitor your energy usage in real time. This separate digital device certainly comes in handy because it’s small and portable, making monitoring much more accessible. It’s also commonly mistaken for the actual smart meter, but this is not the case. So, when it comes time to take a meter reading, it’s always best to use the smart meter itself to get the most accurate data.
This in-depth article will cover the basics of how to get a meter reading from a smart meter and the specific steps to take for your specific model.
The Basics of Reading Smart Meters
The process of taking a reading will depend on what type of smart meter you have, as well as how you pay (either single-rate or dual-rate). If you’re unsure how you pay, refer to your bill to see if it has two separate rates.
Single-rate meters only show the total amount of energy used. Dual-rate meters usually have separate displays for your night (off-peak), day (peak), and total readings so you can determine your time-of-use consumption. Your night reading will typically be displayed as Rate 1, and your day reading as Rate 2.
Your electricity readings are displayed in kilowatt-hours, or KWh. The number typically displays zeroes at the beginning and numbers after a decimal point – both of which can be ignored. For instance, if your meter displays “0011347.42”, the only reading your energy supplier needs is “11347.”
Now let’s look at the step-by-step process for many common types of smart meters:
Meters With a Keypad
Single-rate:
Press 9
Wait for ‘IMP KWH’ to be displayed
Your specific reading will then replace ‘IMP’
Dual-rate:
Press 6
‘IMP R01’ along with your night reading will be displayed
Press 6 again to display ‘IMP R02’ along with your day reading
Meters With A and B Buttons Under the Screen
Press the A button until you see ‘TOTAL ACT IMPORT’ and your meter reading below it
Meters With Green A Button / White B Button
Single-rate:
Press the white B button
‘METER BOOST’ will display
Press the A button to select ‘NO’
Your reading in KWH will display
Dual-rate:
Press the green A button until you see your night reading labelled with ‘RATE 01 ACT IMP’
Press the green A button again to view your day reading labelled with ‘RATE 02 ACT IMP’
Meters With Three Buttons to the Right of the Screen
Single-rate:
Press the middle button to view your reading below ‘IMP’
Dual-rate:
Press the middle button until it displays ‘R1’
The number displayed below ‘IMP’ is your night reading
Press the middle button again to display ‘R2’
The number below ‘IMP’ is your day reading
Press the middle button again to display 'T’
The number below 'IMP’ is your total reading
Meters With One Orange Button / Two Blue Buttons
Press the orange button to display your readings in KWH
Meters With Two White Buttons to the Right of the Screen
This type of meter should have ‘KAIFA MA 120’ printed on the encasing.
The displays should cycle through automatically
Wait until your reading is displayed in KWH under ‘+A Value’
Two White Buttons with One Labelled ‘RECONNECT’
This meter will have one ‘Reconnect’ button and another labelled either 'Display' or Display Select'
Press the button labelled ‘Display' or ‘Display Select'
Continue pressing the button until it displays your reading in KWH under ‘TOTAL ACT IMPORT’
Meters With Green A Button and Grey B Button
The displays should cycle through automatically
Wait until your reading is displayed in KWH
Meters With Two Adjacent Yellow Square Buttons
Single-rate:
Press the yellow button on the right
Keep pressing this button until ‘TOU, 1’ along with your reading is displayed
Dual-rate:
Press the yellow button on the right
Press the same button again until ‘TOU, 1’ and your night reading is displayed
Press the same button until ‘TOU, 2’ and your day reading is displayed
Meters with One Blue Button and One Orange Button
Single-rate:
Press the blue A button to turn on the display light
Press the button again until you see ‘TOTAL ACTIVE IMPORT KWH’
Record your reading
Dual-rate:
Press the blue A button to turn on the display light
Press the button again until ‘TOU RATE 1’ and your night reading is displayed
Press the button once more to display ‘TOU Rate 2’ and your day reading
MPC Energy Ltd – Your Home Energy Efficiency Partner
Reading a smart meter may seem daunting at first, but once you understand the basics, it becomes a quick and easy process once you get familiar with its features. With this guide, we hope you feel confident in taking readings from your smart meter and using the information to make informed decisions about your energy usage. If you have any questions or need help with your energy efficiency, don't hesitate to contact our team at MPC Energy.
