This page on smartme.co.uk has a lot of manuals, perhaps you can find one for the E470 there?
https://www.smartme.co.uk/documents.html

Hi @jaybell ,

I’m sorry, but unfortunately you can’t usually get a generation reading out of a smart meter, only export readings are available in the majority of cases. If you have FiT, you’ll want to look for a separate generation meter.

I will look up how to grab export readings. Please bear with me.

Thanks. Perhaps I misled you… its the export reading I want.This is to advise my smart Energy guarantee  buyer ( Scottish Power) of what Im generating. I dont think they can access this reading remotely hence the need  for me to provide it.

I look forward to your input.  I’ve tried pressing both buttons A & B in various sequences but the reading either sticks or reverts to “home” at every attempt.

FYI the smart meter installed early March 2022 by British Gas

Thanks for the extra info. I have to admit that L+G meters are a real pain to figure out and several of us on the forum have had a lot of headaches trying to help people out with them.

SEG doesn’t always use a Smart Meter for export readings, as it is possible to have a dedicated export meter track them instead. British Gas seems to be very, very fond of Landis+Gyr though as they’ve used them for over 20 years and both S1 and S2 meters with BG are from L+G… Despite them being one of the most horrible smart meter brands in the UK in my personal opinion.

According to this YouTube video I found, it’s a case of pressing A a bazillion times until it cycles to the right screen, which appears to be labelled Total Act Export but it’s not clear due to poor video quality. This was on an S1 L+G E470 (yes, they really did re-use the model number) but it should be the same for an S2 L+G E470.

If that still doesn’t work out, please let me know and I’ll try to dig deeper. I’ll also let @Tim_OVO know, as he might have some resources buried somewhere.

Thanks! all very useful reading.  As you say the video isn’t much help.  However I’ve tried yet again pushing the buttons but the screen reading locks up for several minutes before reverting to home.   I’ve raised a complaint with BG telling them simply that the smart meter is not working (“no display” to keep it simple) and they advise a visit will be made April 25th…….When that happens I hope to get a tutorial to get the export reading… in the meantime I’ll keep trying pressing the buttons and I hope you will also try some further resources. I just hope that the visiting engineer from BG does actually know how to access what I want. Maybe some suggestions as to the right questions would be helpful.

Just to advise you...when I requested a smart meter I specifically advised that I wanted one which would show the export values: when it was installed it did exactly that...so its not the meter type thats wrong, just the function!

If this cant be resolved, how do I get a dedicated export meter and who would install it?

If BG replaces your smart meter with another one, you’ll probably end up with the L+G E470 again. I can’t say whether you’ll have the same problems as before. The only way to get a different model is to switch to a supplier that doesn’t fit L+G meters… Which is a lottery because I’ve never managed to build a list of who installs what. The one you have is meant to do it but I’m wondering if it’s not configured properly.

A frozen screen issue though? Sadly, I’ve heard of this happening way too often with L+G E470 meters, both S1 and S2. Firmware bug if you ask me, a very long standing one...

I’d like to check what I’m seeing though, could you post some photos for me?

As for getting a dedicated export meter… Erm… To be totally honest I’m not sure. Let me ask @Tim_OVO about that one.

Sorry @jaybell I am also struggling to find information online as to how to confirm the ‘total export’ reading from a SMETS1 L&G smart meter. This page from SO Energy is the nearest I got. 

As British Gas supply these meter models to many of their customers, they should be able to advise you, a household who has the Smart Export Guarantee arrangement with them, of how to confirm those readings. Why not give them another quick call to double check. Oh and please come back here to update us if you can!

This has proved a fascinating thread and thanks to all who have contributed.  You asked for some photos of the L & G current meter so here they are

No worries, that’s definitely a SMETS2 L+G E470 and I think you’ve got an SKU1 Cellular Comms Hub? I can also identify your supplier as being British Gas just from that photo. Or at very least, that was the installing supplier.

I’ve just tried to call L+G using one of my special magic tricks, but unfortunately they seem to be resistant to my tactics and refused to tell me anything useful even though I was just trying to ask about how to get export readings out of their meters. I’m afraid I prefer not to reveal all my cards, so I won’t be sharing exactly what I did either.

Back to the drawing board I suppose.

If that’s a SMETS2 L&G, you can confirm how to read your export meter readings via this page:

I don’t want to post from that article here as that’s not really cool on the hard work that SO Energy did in writing the article. So head over there to confirm how to read your L&G S2 export reading @jaybell...

I also consider that particular guide as highly important content that we cannot ever afford to lose. To help make sure it’s kept safe, I’ve submitted it to the Internet Archive Wayback Machine for safekeeping.

Obviously, while the live version continues to exist, that’ll be the link I’d use. But just to be safe, it’s also saved in the IA forever now. :)

Tim OVO and Blastoise 186:  Well done to both of you!… the instructions on the SO page actually worked!

I’ll keep them by by the meter to refer to in the future…...I wonder now if I should cancel the BG visit in April , or play the “daft laddie” and see if the visiting engineer actually knows how to instruct me..or find the meter is truly at fault...

So British Gas engineer came  today ( 5 weeks wait) to replace “faulty” meter.   Had no idea why he was called out . I explained the issue re reading export measurement and meeting Freezing when buttons pressed.   He explained that you have to be super patient to allow meter to catch up with commands entered.   Keep scrolling until you find “time” and then export reading is soon after that.

So the correct procedure is to follow the instructions on the SO energy site  ( see messages above-) but be patient . 

Im now a happier bunny!

many thanks to all who responded and helped out with my original query. Roll on with the Smart Energy payments and lets hope they begin to reflect the general costs of buying in for our suppliers

Hey, thanks for the tip @jaybell ! :)

This also suggests to me another example of how Landis+Gyr apparently can’t be bothered to design and build a decent meter and are too lazy to do proper UX (User Experience) testing, as I’m sure these bugs would have been squashed right from the start otherwise. Or at least, that’s how I see things anyway.

We’ll try to remember this tip in case anyone else asks for help with it. I hope you’re OK with me letting my friends on other forums know as well?

Hi all!

My girlfriend has the above meter and is looking to provide two meter readings to get started with Octopus energy.

However, following the instructions for all the different versions of the E470 have proven fruitless in getting to the R02 reading.

She lives in a block of flats where her and a neighbour have the 5533 version, whilst three other neighbours have the earlier 5424 version. Weirdly, these were all installed at the same time as part of a new build finished last year.

The instructions to get the R02 reading - press and hold B for 10 seconds before simultaneously pressing A - works on the neigbours 5424...but not on my girlfriends 5533!

Are there different operating instructions from the 5533? We've found plenty of YouTube videos for the earlier versions but nothing for the 5533.

Much appreciated for any help!

Thanks

Fin

  @Blastoise186 this looks like one for you.

Sorry! I got nothing! :(

Ok, I’m going to try and dig deeper into this one. Please bear with me as this may take anywhere between a few hours and a couple of days to try and figure out.

You should be able to scroll through the display by repeatedly pressing A (you shouldn't need to hold down button B ). You should get "Rate 01" then "Rate 02".

What happens when you repeatedly press A? Does it change the display?

Ok… Everything I’ve got so far suggests that it should be the same steps for the Type 5533 variant as it is for the others.

But this is why I so badly hate L+G - because all their stuff is named the same and it’s nearly impossible to know what tiny difference exists between variants.

Thanks for everyone's comments so far!

Pressing A repeatedly allows you to scroll through all the different readings, everything but Rate 02.

I've also got a video of my girlfriend following the same instruction as for other L&G models and failing, just need to work out how to upload...

Is the meter definitely set up with two rates? Is the reading for rate 01 less than the reading for the overall rate?

I'm not sure whether it is setup for two rates, would this be a question for the engineer that installed it? The other versions of the same Meyer have the 2nd rate available.

Rate 01 I the only rate available, the only other figures related to import, export, etc

In theory, all Smart Meters should be capable of managing a two-rate tariff like Economy 7.

However, L+G refuse to talk to me or engage with me - I know from previous experience - and without access to any of their resources, it’s difficult to know whether there’s variants of the E470 that can’t do it.

@Blastoise186  Is this something the energy company can help with? Would they be able to work out if a meter is set up with two rates, or one?

@fintheowl  Does the property have storage heaters, so would be expected to be on a two rate tariff?