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petersaunders
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April 5, 2019
Solved

My smart meter display is blank - Is the meter broken?

  • April 5, 2019
  • 86 replies
  • 38819 views

I reported my Smart Meter was not working in July last year. Nothing has been done about it, though every month I get an email message about the need to supply readings, which is kind of annoying. The screen on the meter is dead so not even manual readings are possible. When chasing some action on this I received a reply in November saying there was a queue for meters to be fixed, but I would be notified as soon as an engineer was available. As it is now April, it must be some long queue.

Best answer by Amy_OVO

Updated on 17/04/26 by Abby_OVO

 

‘Waking up’ the smart meter screen

 

The screen on the most smart meters will be blank or 'asleep' until you press a button on the meter (note - this is different to the screen on the smart meter In Home Display, IHD). Usually pressing any button on the meter will cause the screen to ‘wake up’. 

 

Taking a reading

 

A smart meter should communicate your readings automatically meaning you shouldn’t need to regularly take a manual meter reading. Worried that your smart meters may have lost communication? We’d recommend carrying out the smart meter health check for your meter type below and contacting our Support Team with the results. There’s also a great troubleshooting guide on our website here.
 

 

 

For SMETS1 ‘Secure’ smart meters:

 

Press the ‘A’ button on the electricity meter, to wake the screen up and the ‘9’ button (for single rate meters) or ‘6’ (for dual rate meters) - it will show IMP KWH on the screen followed by the reading. On the gas meter pressing ‘9’ will show the reading  in both kWh or M3 (we use the M3 number). More info on how to read your Secure S1 smart meter here. 
 

For SMETS2 Aclara, Flonidan, Honeywell or Elster smart meters:

 

  Aclara (Elec) / Flonidan (Gas) Elster (Elec) / Honeywell (Gas)
Reading the meter
  • Elec: Press A three times until TOU Rate 1 appears.
  • Gas: Press C to wake up, then C to access the menu. Use B to scroll and C to select the reading option.
  • Elec: Press the top button once or twice
  • Gas: Press the circle button once or twice

 

Meter Screen not ‘waking up’?

 

If you’re pressing buttons on the meter and the screen is still not showing anything, this suggests your meter might be faulty. In this case reach out to our Support Team, who can help get a meter replacement exchanged.


As long your smart meter is still communicating the readings remotely this shouldn’t affect the accurate billing of your account. In the unlikely event that the meter screen fault occurs on a non-communicating meter we may need to estimate your usage or recalculate your charges once the meter is replaced.

 

OVO member but not got a smart meter yet? - Book today!

Interested but not yet an OVO member? - Check out our plans!

86 replies

Show previous replies
Amy_OVO
Retired Moderator
Amy_OVOSolved
Retired Moderator
April 30, 2019

Updated on 17/04/26 by Abby_OVO

 

‘Waking up’ the smart meter screen

 

The screen on the most smart meters will be blank or 'asleep' until you press a button on the meter (note - this is different to the screen on the smart meter In Home Display, IHD). Usually pressing any button on the meter will cause the screen to ‘wake up’. 

 

Taking a reading

 

A smart meter should communicate your readings automatically meaning you shouldn’t need to regularly take a manual meter reading. Worried that your smart meters may have lost communication? We’d recommend carrying out the smart meter health check for your meter type below and contacting our Support Team with the results. There’s also a great troubleshooting guide on our website here.
 

 

 

For SMETS1 ‘Secure’ smart meters:

 

Press the ‘A’ button on the electricity meter, to wake the screen up and the ‘9’ button (for single rate meters) or ‘6’ (for dual rate meters) - it will show IMP KWH on the screen followed by the reading. On the gas meter pressing ‘9’ will show the reading  in both kWh or M3 (we use the M3 number). More info on how to read your Secure S1 smart meter here. 
 

For SMETS2 Aclara, Flonidan, Honeywell or Elster smart meters:

 

  Aclara (Elec) / Flonidan (Gas) Elster (Elec) / Honeywell (Gas)
Reading the meter
  • Elec: Press A three times until TOU Rate 1 appears.
  • Gas: Press C to wake up, then C to access the menu. Use B to scroll and C to select the reading option.
  • Elec: Press the top button once or twice
  • Gas: Press the circle button once or twice

 

Meter Screen not ‘waking up’?

 

If you’re pressing buttons on the meter and the screen is still not showing anything, this suggests your meter might be faulty. In this case reach out to our Support Team, who can help get a meter replacement exchanged.


As long your smart meter is still communicating the readings remotely this shouldn’t affect the accurate billing of your account. In the unlikely event that the meter screen fault occurs on a non-communicating meter we may need to estimate your usage or recalculate your charges once the meter is replaced.

 

OVO member but not got a smart meter yet? - Book today!

Interested but not yet an OVO member? - Check out our plans!

OVO-Joyed to help!
A
Newcomer
ALANJovo
Newcomer
August 13, 2019
SO IT Turns out to be another Smart Gas Meter IS Not working.
Ok I rarely check as I was under the impression I did Not Have to, as I know have smart meters.
It turns out that My last 11 Gas meter reading's have all been ESTIMATED .
SO WHY HAVE OVO NOT CONTACTED ME TO TELL ME MY SMART GAS METER IS NOT AS SMART AS WE THOUGHT IT WAS.
11 ESTIMATED READING's YOUR having a Laugh at my expense.
So I check to see how to get reading's up on the meter & it's press 9 , take a reading & it's over 600 more than the last estimated 1, I'm dreading the actual figure.
OVO had better get someone to my house & check this GAS meter. I am NOT taking any readings until an Employee from OVO turns up at my house & sorts out this meter.
T
Newcomer
Tufty71
August 13, 2019
I'm not saying this is the reason... But I'm just putting a for instance to you, how far away from the hub and electric meter is the gas meter, if its too far away, the electric meter and more importantly the hub on top of it, won't be able to communicate with the gas meter, and you will only get an electric read being picked up by ovo
A
Newcomer
ALANJovo
Newcomer
August 14, 2019
OVO had it installed by there company . They should of checked it was working. It was working for about 6 month's .
My complaint is that OVO have NOT made contact with me telling me that they had a problem with the GAS SMART meter & they needed to check it, 11 months come on .
I will be phoning today telling them they had better get someone out to rectify the problem.
They have my Home phone & Mobile number, also my email, they could of even used the Royal Mail, but No they have let it go on for 11 Months.
T
Newcomer
Tufty71
August 14, 2019
Yea I agree these problems should be picked up remotely, get an engineer out and if need be replace the gas meter.
If it was working for 6 months before, then it's probably not the HAN.
Transparent
Rank 20
Transparent
Rank 20
August 14, 2019
Hi @ALANJovo - just before you contact OVO Customer Services, I recommend that you check the published Contract Terms because there are some clauses you might wish to consider first:


and


Please feel free to post again here if you want to discuss this further.

It would probably help if you were able to provide us with a little more detail such as
  • date when Smart Meter first installed
  • last date when your Meters gave actual readings to OVO
  • type of Smart meter (SMETS1 with electric meter made by Secure?)
Even if it transpires that you owe a substantial sum of money, please remember that an Energy Supplier is unlikely to insist on instantaneous payment. The key issue is that you are seeking to ensure that payment is made, usually by a reasonable increase in your direct debit.

There are clear rules for this. Only if you try to insist that you're not prepared to pay would OVO be entitled to warn you of possible enforcement action.

If the Energy Supplier requests increased payments that would leave a customer in hardship or facing being unable to keep warm over winter, then you can issue a formal Complaint and ultimately take the matter to the Office of the Energy Ombudsman.

I seriously doubt it will get to that because OVO has an excellent reputation for resolving complaints.

So please don't worry. Stay calm, and ask for further advice if you feel you need it.
Save energy... recycle electrons!
A
Newcomer
ALANJovo
Newcomer
August 14, 2019
It turns out to be a Problem with the initial reading from the Old meter that's been causing the Problem.

They are getting reading's from the Smart meter's Electric & Gas.
whilst on the Phone they checked & told me what the reading was at that moment, it's All down to communication at The OVO end.
It could be 2 weeks before they sort it out.
I will let you know when they tell me
Transparent
Rank 20
Transparent
Rank 20
August 14, 2019
That's good to know @ALANJovo

I have personal experience of a meter engineer failing to correctly report the reading on the "old" meter that he removed from site. It occurred several years before I joined OVO, and I did end up discussing it with the Office of the Energy Ombudsman.

There is a central Register of Gas Meter information called ECOES who OVO will now be contacting. They should be able to trace the reading history of your old meter, and this might allow a reasonable estimate to be calculated for the "final" reading.

So let's wait a couple of weeks to see if this can be resolved.
Save energy... recycle electrons!
A
Newcomer
ALANJovo
Newcomer
August 14, 2019
How is this for a quick response , OVO have checked My detail's & pass usage.
It turns out to be they ow me £20.20.
So from my phone call at 8-00 am all resolved by 10-30 am.
1 Happy customer
    Transparent
    Rank 20
    Transparent
    Rank 20
    August 14, 2019
    Wow! Gold stars all around! 👏🏻⭐️⭐️
    Save energy... recycle electrons!
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