How to Read a Smart Meter

Curious about how to read a smart meter?
Before you dive in, remember that one of the major benefits of smart meters is that you no longer have to take manual readings, as your meter data is recorded automatically. Your smart meter is in constant communication with your energy supplier, ensuring that your energy bills are accurate and based on the most up-to-date figures – no more meter readings and no more estimates!
However, if you would like to keep taking smart meter readings to keep an eye on your energy use, here’s how to manually read a smart meter.

Reasons to take a manual smart meter reading

You’ve switched energy providers and your smart meter isn’t compatible with your new supplier’s systems.
Stay in control of your energy use by setting budgets and comparing your energy use across the day/week/month.

How to manually read a smart meter

If you prefer to take electricity and gas readings for yourself, here’s how you can check how much energy you’re using by reading your smart meter. You can read your smart meter by taking a look at your in-house smart meter display unit. This display will show you your daily, weekly or monthly energy use in terms of money, kilowatt hours and carbon emissions.

Remember that when you got your new smart meter installed, the readings began from 0, so you will have a new set of readings – they won’t carry over from your old meter.
Not all smart meters look exactly the same, but we’ve put together this guide that applies to most smart meters.

Your smart meter will generally display:

A budget market
Battery status
Time
Text area
Touch buttons
Light indicators
Costs and consumption
Fuel view
Energy display dial
Wireless signal strength

How to read a smart electric meter

Your electricity consumption is measured in kilo-watt hours (kWh), so this is the number you’ll need to look for. You won’t need to record the numbers after the decimal place.

Here’s how to read different types of smart electricity meters

How to read smart electricity meter with a keypad

Press ‘9’ on the keypad
A series of letter will appear
You’ll then see eight digits on the screen followed by the letters ‘kWh’.
These digits are your meter reading; in this case,

How to read an Economy 7 smart meter

This type of meter takes records day and night usage.

Press ‘6’ on the keypad until the letters ‘IMP R01’ followed by eight digits appear (usually your night/off-peak reading).
Keep pressing ‘6’ until you see ‘IMP R02’ followed by eight digits (usually your peak/normal reading).
Use the digits ahead of the decimal points as you readings.

How to take a smart meter reading if you have two buttons

Please the ‘Display Select’ or ‘Display’ button.
The meter display will then scroll through to the meter reading.
Look for the number followed by kWh – this is your meter reading.

How to take an electric smart meter reading if you have A and B buttons

Press the A button
Keep pressing until you reach ‘TOTAL ACT IMPORT’.
The number shown below this is your meter reading.

Press and hold the A button for at least two seconds.
Keep pressing A to cycle through the displays.
The numbers you see followed by kWh is your meter reading

How to take a smart meter reading if your meter has 3 buttons

Press the button in the middle.
Your meter reading is the number shown below IMP.
If you have a two-rate meter, R1= Rate 1; R2 = Rate 2; T = total.
You can see all readings by pressing the middle button again.

If you have a button on the left and two buttons on the right:

Press the single button.
You’ll see a row of digits with kWh – this is your meter reading.

How to read a smart gas meter

Both gas and electricity smart meters have a numerical keypad. Here’s what to do if you want to take a traditional meter reading:

How to read a gas smart meter if you have a keypad

Press 9 on the keypad.
You’ll see VOLUME on the screen
You’ll then see a row of digits followed by M3 at the bottom right – this is your gas meter reading.

How to read a gas smart meter if you have A and B buttons

Press the A button.
Keep pressing until you get to METER INDEX.
The digits shown below this is your meter reading.

How to read a gas smart meter if you have a left arrow, a circle and a right arrow

Press the circle button in the middle.
Your screen will show ‘current meter reading’ at the top.
The row of digits followed by M3 is your meter reading.

How to read your smart gas meter if you have 3 square buttons

Your buttons may or may be labelled or unlabelled.

Press the button on the left.
You’ll see a row of digits followed by M3 – this is your smart meter reading.

How to read your smart gas meter if you have arrows to the right of the screen

Press the arrow at the top.
You’ll see a row of digits followed by M3 – this is your meter reading.

We hope that this guide is useful in helping you to take a manual meter reading from your smart meter. If you’re looking for energy management services, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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Are smart meters compulsory?