Otis Singleton
Reading your digital electricity meter is a straightforward process. Your meter will have an electronic or digital display, with the reading shown as a series of numbers. The number of numbers in the reading will depend on the type of meter you have. For example, a digital imperial meter will show four black or white numbers, followed by two red numbers. A digital metric meter will show five numbers, followed by a decimal point and more numbers. You should write down the first few numbers, ignoring any numbers in red or after the decimal point. This reading will allow you to calculate your electricity usage, which can be useful for monitoring your energy use and ensuring accurate billing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of meter | Digital metric meter, digital imperial meter, smart meter, standard meter, analogue meter, Landis+Gyr meter, Elster REX meter |
| Display | Electronic or digital display, LCD display |
| Readings | Take the first 7 digits, take the first 4 or 5 numbers, ignore numbers in red, ignore numbers after the decimal point |
| Units | Kilowatt-hours (kWh), cubic feet (CF), therms |
| Purpose | Monitor daily power usage, monitor energy use, ensure accuracy of readings |
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What You'll Learn
Reading a digital imperial meter
A digital imperial meter has an electronic or digital display, showing 4 black or white numbers, followed by 2 numbers shown in red. These red numbers should be ignored.
To read a digital imperial meter, you need to write down the first 4 numbers from left to right. If the pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower number. If it's between 9 and 0, write down 9. If the pointer is directly over a number, write that number down.
Your supplier needs regular readings from your meter to calculate your bills. If you don't send them readings, they will estimate your usage, which may result in a higher or lower bill. You can call your supplier to give them the readings, or check if you can submit them via their website or app.
If you have a smart meter, it will normally send readings to your supplier automatically. You will also get a portable device called an 'in-home display', which shows how much you're spending on your energy.
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Reading a digital metric meter
If your meter has more than one unit rate, for example, if you're on an Economy 7 tariff, you'll need to take a reading for each rate. To take a meter reading on an Economy 7 tariff, press 6 on the keypad four times. Your day/peak and night/off-peak readings will show up on the screen one after the other, starting with off-peak. For your off-peak reading, you'll see "IMP R01" onscreen, followed by your meter reading: eight digits, with "kWh" towards the bottom right of the screen. For your peak reading, you'll see "IMP R02", followed by eight digits, with "kWh" towards the bottom right of the screen. Again, only take the first 7 digits when taking each of these readings.
Smart meters are different from standard meters as they normally send readings to your supplier automatically. You will also get a portable device called an 'in-home display', which shows how much you're spending on your energy.
You can read your own meters to help monitor your electric energy use. During the heating season, your energy use should be compared to the number of heating degree days for the same time period. During the cooling season, compare your energy use to the number of cooling degree days.
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Reading a Landis+Gyr meter
Landis+Gyr E470 Smart Meter
If you have the Landis+Gyr E470 smart meter, you can view your latest reading on the default screen, which displays the total kilowatts (KW). To light up the screen, press button A. This will also allow you to cycle through various levels of information. If you have a dual-rate version of this meter, press and hold down the B button for about 5-10 seconds, and then tap A.
Landis+Gyr SMETS2 Electricity Meter
For the Landis+Gyr SMETS2 electricity meter, press B to light up the screen. You will be given the option for a meter boost. Press A and select 'No'. Your electricity reading should now be visible. To take a two-rate meter reading, hold B for 5-10 seconds.
Landis+Gyr SMETS1 and SMETS2 Gas Meters
To read your Landis+Gyr SMETS1 or SMETS2 gas meter, press either A or B to wake up the screen. This should automatically display your gas reading.
Landis+Gyr Generation Meter
If you have a Landis+Gyr Generation meter, you may have a different number of digits displayed on your meter than what your energy provider's website accepts. In this case, you may need to omit the first or last digit to input your reading.
General Tips
- If you have a dual-rate meter with only one digital display, it will either flash the different-rate readings in a cycle or have a button to press to cycle through the readings.
- Most meters will have a label indicating which rate is 'low' or 'night' and which is 'high' or 'normal'.
- If there is an 'N' on the label, it stands for 'normal', not 'night'.
- If you are unsure which rate is which, make a note of the numbers in the morning and check again later in the day.
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Reading a smart meter
Smart meters are different from standard meters. They usually send readings to your supplier automatically. You will also get a portable device called an 'in-home display' that shows how much you are spending on your energy.
If you have a smart meter, you can take a manual reading. Your electricity reading will be a number followed by "KWH" or "kWh". You don't need to take the numbers after the decimal place. If your meter has more than one unit rate, you'll have to take a reading for each rate. For example, if you're on an Economy 7 tariff, you'll see "IMP R01" onscreen for your off-peak reading and "IMP R02" for your peak reading. Take the first seven digits as your reading.
If you have a Landis+Gyr meter, you can verify that the display is working properly by checking the display test.
If you have a digital imperial meter, you will see an electronic or digital display with four black or white numbers, followed by two red numbers. Write down the first four numbers from left to right and ignore the rest.
If you have a digital metric meter, you will see an electronic or digital display showing five numbers, a decimal point, and then some more numbers. Take the first five numbers and ignore the numbers after the decimal point.
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Reading a standard meter
A standard meter is a clock-like device that records the amount of electricity you use. It shows your home's electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Some are mechanical, while others have LCD displays.
To read a standard meter, look for the LCD display. This will show your meter reading as eight digits, with "kWh" towards the bottom right of the screen. Take the first seven digits as your reading, ignoring the numbers after the decimal place.
If your meter has more than one unit rate, you'll need to take a reading for each rate. For example, if you're on an Economy 7 tariff, press 6 on the keypad four times. Your day/peak and night/off-peak readings will show up on the screen one after the other, starting with the off-peak reading. For your off-peak reading, you'll see "IMP R01" onscreen, followed by eight digits and "kWh" towards the bottom right of the screen. Take the first seven digits as your reading. For your peak reading, you'll see "IMP R02", followed by eight digits and "kWh". Again, take the first seven digits.
It's important to note that some newer electric meters use digital displays instead of dials. These digital meters will have an electronic or digital display, showing either four or five numbers, followed by a decimal point and some more numbers. Write down the first four or five numbers from left to right, ignoring any numbers in red.
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