Updated on 04/03/2021: If you have an S1 Secure smart meter, see this guide. If your S2 smart meter has an issue, diagnose it here. If your S2 IHD has an issue, diagnose it here
Not got a smart meter yet? Book in your S2 meter fitting appointment here. You'll need your account number to book this in, which you can find in your online account here.
Want to get the most out of your S2 meter? Download the OVO app for Android or iOS.
Smart Metering Equipment Technical Specification (SMETS) 2 - your guide
What's good about S2 meters (why should you get one)?
- This new technology is supported by all S2-ready suppliers and will allow you to switch without losing any services or requiring any equipment changes.
- These new meters have highest standard of security for householder data, even better than S1 meters - (Encrypted data that can only be read by the receiving supplier developed by GCHQ). Strict new regulations and codes of practice, regulated by Ofgem, keep smart meter data private – and all your personal data is safeguarded by the Data Protection Act.
- The meter will automatically submit your meter readings to us - this means bills will be accurate, rather than estimated
- You’ll be able to see how much energy different appliances use, which could help you to cut down what you’re spending
- Efficiency is the main reason why it is a government initiative to install them - their aim is to have at least 80% of households to have Smart meters by 2020.
- Installation is free.
SMETS 2 meter types
(Please note that other suppliers may install other types of SMETS 2 meters.)
| Aclara (Elec) & Flonidan (Gas) | Elster / Honeywell (Elec & Gas) | |
| Installs | Installed on all jobs | Not currently installed. Installed on some jobs in 2019. |
| How to identify | MSN begins:
| MSN begins:
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| Appearance |
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| Dimensions |
| Nearly identical size as Aclara & Flonidan. |
| Reading the meter |
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Dimensions of our S2 meters:
Aclara V2.5 Electricity Meter:
160mm H x 127 mm W x 65 mm D
Flonidan Gas Meter:
Elster Honeywell Electricity meters are nearly identical size as Aclara.
What do the buttons do / what actions can you do?
Honeywell meters (Elec MSN has a 'K')
Electricity - Press the top button once or twice to access the reading
Gas - Press the middle button once or twice to access the reading.
Aclara meters (Elec MSN has an 'M')
Electricity - There’s 2 buttons on an electricity meter. Pressing B will cycle through all the menus on the meter screen and pressing A will cycle through all the sub menus. To take an electricity reading, the customer will need to press A three times - TOU rate 1 will be the electricity reading. For economy 7 customers, TOU rate 2 will show the rate 2 reading.
Gas - Gas meters have A, B and C. Pressing C will give you the menu and A & B will allow you to scroll through the options. Balance is to check reading (when you wake up the meter is should automatically default to the reading screen).
Screen 1 - readings, active tariff price, standing charge, export reads, meter mode
Screen 2 - date, time, MPAN,
Screen 6 - Meter Signal strength
(The rest aren't very customer friendly, just being honest!)
If the meter is connected to the comms hub, it will have the word 'HAN' on it and signal bar to show what the HAN signal strength is.
If there’s WAN and HAN coverage the WAN & HAN lights on top will flash every 5 seconds. If they are searching for signal then they will flash every 3 seconds and if there is a connectivity issue then they will flash every 1 second or not flash at all.
How does a S2 meter communicate?
Unlike S1, S2 electricity meters have a communications (comms) hub attached to them. The electricity meter, gas meter and IHD all communicate with the comms hub via HAN. Only the comms hub uses WAN and it communicates with the DCC (Data Communications Company). The DCC then communicates with our billing platform.
North/South differences
| | North (MPANs 15, 16, 17, 18, 23) | South (MPANs 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21, 22) |
| Comms hub appearance | Two lights (WAN and HAN) | Five lights (2nd is WAN and 4th is HAN) |
| Signal | Uses radio signal - does not depend on mobile signal strength | Uses mobile signal |
| Aerials | Aerials cannot be installed on North comms hubs which are neither SKU1 or SKU2 | SKU1 hubs are fitted if an engineer thinks an aerial is not required T1 and T2 aerials can be fitted onto SKU2 hubs. Members will see "SKU2 Cellular + Mesh" on the top-right of SKU2 hubs |
This is all we have for our S2 DIY tutorial series guide - if we’ve missed anything off, let us know via a comment!
