Smart meter
 

Any one really know how these work contacted my supplier to to ask why my bill said it was estimated .told that it doesn't send readings and I need to read the meters myself . However the meters don't show any reading , it's completely blank! Not impressed:dunce:

Re: Smart meter
 

The display unit has to be within a given distance from the smart meter.
Moving out of range (on ours @4metre range) display blanks.

Re: Smart meter
 

Or, there are buttons you press on the Smart Meter to show the readings

Re: Smart meter
 

There's A and B buttons on the front of the unit. These scroll through various menus that are poorly documented. You're looking for "Total import KWhr"

Ignore anything that says "reactive" or "KVA"

I have the same problem that the so called smart meter cannot be remotely read.

Re: Smart meter
 

It's displays usage etc . Cost per day. However I can't see how to get a reading :erm:

Re: Smart meter
 

Remote display unit is a complete POS. Ours never kept the same reading for more than 1/2 an hour before displaying something totally unrelated or resetting.

Dumped in the cupboard where the meter is a couple of years ago.

If it was mine I would have used my 2lb lump hammer to reduce it to the smallest indivisible parts. Then microwaved them to ensure it will never work again.

Re: Smart meter
 

That device is only a display which is 'supposed' to make it easier to understand how much you're using. It most likely won't show the actual meter reading (some do). The readings that you're billed to will be on the meter itself - which will most likely be installed where your old meters were. There should be a display on there that shows various readings. You may need to press a button to get the reading. On the electric, as has already been mentioned, you're looking for Total Import kwh (or if you're on Economy 7 heating or something similar, R1 and R2).

The gas meter will likely be blank until you press a button to wake it up.

If your supplier can't get a reading remotely, it could be because you've changed supplier since the meter was installed. The first generation of meters could only talk to the supplier that installed it. Those meters should be getting a firmware upgrade this year that will allow any supplier to talk to it. Hang on in there and they should start working again.

If your current supplier is the one that installed it, they should be able to talk to it.

If it was installed in the last 12 months or so, it should be 2nd generation meter and any supplier should be able to talk to it.

Re: Smart meter
 

They've never been able to read it since it was installed. I think it's a dud.

Re: Smart meter
 

In that case, I believe that they should be able to fix it.

You could tell them you're not able to read it. Do they know your age? You could ask to be put on the 'vulnerable' register. I'm not sure if there's a minimum age, but they should offer a service where they read your meter. Or try telling them it's their responsibility to either fix the meter or read it.

That's all I can offer I'm afraid.

Re: Smart meter
 

1) it's the same supplier that fitted it. 2) it is showing that since 1st Jan I have just used 4p on gas ! Central heating and cooking ,hot water all gas. Both meters are blank and definitely no screen showing total used in quarter on it .Think could be that it was set to send reading once a month ,changed to half hour will see !

Re: Smart meter
 

It's likely that the meter will still only be read once per month. The meter will store the half hourly data until the download is requested by your supplier.

You could try turning the display off and on again to see if it reconnects to your meters. That might resolve the 4p issue and show a more up to date value.

But, I would suggest contacting your supplier and telling them that you think the meters are faulty because of the blank display. If the display is blank, how can you read it? If you can't read it, how can you get accurate bills?

Good luck.

Re: Smart meter
 

I hate our smart meter. Since installed our electricity bills are 70% higher. It's been replaced once (10% high reading to monitored). The techie checking meter blames our solar PV inverter saying it's drawing lots of current. A solar PV company we called (installer of ours when out of business) says that's nonsense as inverter will use DC from panels. Our system is still working well (over 100% according to BG) but something is odd.
We have daily readings since 2012 so can see the jump from when smart meter installed. I think I need to get Which? involved as trying myself is going in circles.

(Of course it's possible the previous meter was reading low or supply up to inverter didn't go via meter so if it is drawing wouldn't get monitored but even then it shouldn't draw that much surely.)

Re: Smart meter
 

The inverter takes DC from the panels and then adds it to the house supply as needed. It should never draw any mains AC power.

Re: Smart meter
 

That's what the solar guys said. So letter to Which?, we pay for it and the legal stuff too.

Re: Smart meter
 

Terms and conditions for my supplier (Orbit Energy) have changed.