SMETS2 smart meters: what are they, what type do I have, what's good about them? DIY tutorial series

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 SMETS2-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.)

 Dimensions of our SMETS2 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 SMETS2 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.
 

This is all we have for our SMETS2 DIY tutorial series guide - if we’ve missed anything off, let us know via a comment!