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Tig387
Rank 1
January 9, 2018
Solved

My electricity smart meter LCD screen is blank - Is it broken?

  • January 9, 2018
  • 18 replies
  • 74050 views

My smart meter is blank when I look at it? Last time I looked, which I don't normally, it was to take a reading as they said they couldn't do it from their end, I just read it and they sent a bill for 3 months which it looks like I will be doing again at the beginning of Feb. But it was working then I just took the readings. Is this normal? My IHD appears to be working ok?
 

Best answer by Tim_OVO

Updated on 12/06/24 by Abby_OVO

 

‘Waking up’ the smart meter screen

 

The LCD 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 In Home Display), usually pressing any button on the meter will cause the screen to ‘wake up’. 

 

Taking a reading

 

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 meter reading.  On the gas meter pressing ‘9’ will show the reading  in both kWh or M^3 (we use the M^3 number). 
 

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 LCD screen is still not showing anything, it sounds like this could be a meter fault. If the smart meters are still in communication this shouldn’t affect the accuracy of your billing which you can confirm by checking the readings we’ve received on the ‘meter readings’ page of your OVO app (download for Android or iOS). We’ll still need to arrange meter replacement to make sure you’re able to read the meter manually, to get this arranged, reach out to the Support Team.

 


Worried that your meter fault has occurred when your smart meter has lost communication? You can help diagnose this by following the smart meter health check for your meter type below, (bearing in mind that you might not be able to answer all questions). Our Support Team should be able to advise when your meters lost communication. If the engineer who replaces the meters isn’t able to confirm the closing reading of this meter, this will be calculated based on your previous usage pattern.

 

 

 

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

 

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

18 replies

Show previous replies
Eva_OVO
OVO Staff
Eva_OVO
OVO Staff
February 27, 2019
our gas meter has gone blank, who is responsible for fixing it.

I know the initial query is about the electric meter, @peterperfect, but the answer would still apply for you.

The only thing that's worth noting, is if you book a smart meter exchange - both your electric and gas meter will be exchanged.
My friend told me how electricity is measured and I was like Watt!
J
Newcomer
JennieRenebabe
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

The display on my smart gas meter is completely blank. The electricity meter appears to be working ok but the in home display just shows a few pence all day. Looking at the usage on the app, it's just adding 5 units to the gas usage and 18 to the electricity usage each day. Although there is a reading on the electricity meter,  it's not what's recorded as our usage.  Any help or ideas please. Thanks. 

PeterR1947
Newcomer
PeterR1947
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

I assume therefore that your gas supply is OK?

Does your gas meter display stay blank when you touch one of the numeric keys?

 

Can you check your usage online to see what is recorded on the website, does this agree with your IHD, the electricity should but the gas will be slightly different due to variations in calorific value

PeterR
J
Newcomer
JennieRenebabe
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

Yes the supply is ok. I  haven't touched anything on the gas meter. It just has 3 red buttons underneath the display screen. 

The usage online just adds 5 units a day for gas and 18 for electricity. The electricity usage on the app is much lower than what's showing on the meter. 

The  IHD isn't working properly or receiving data. It shows 0.06p all day and no actual usage amounts. 

Thank you for replying

PeterR1947
Newcomer
PeterR1947
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

Looks like you have a SMETS2 meter; to read the gas meter then, press the left hand button, this should give you a display something like 000999.123 M3 so that is the reading in cubic meters.

 

How recently have your meters been installed?

PeterR
J
Newcomer
JennieRenebabe
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

Ok I'll give it a go. Installed March 2019. 

J
Newcomer
JennieRenebabe
Newcomer
March 31, 2020

I've pressed the button and the reading is there. It's actually exactly what the reading history says so it increases 5 units a day. And the electricity usage seems ok although the reading is higher than it says. The only thing that seems not to be working properly is the IHD. Which isn't a huge problem really. 

I suppose as we are staying in and doing exactly the same every day there won't be a great deal of change in usage.

 

Thanks for your help. Stay safe. 🌈

    Transparent
    Rank 20
    Transparent
    Rank 20
    April 1, 2020

    Ah, this is interesting @JennieRenebabe 

    So if I understand this, your usage data is being reported correctly to your MyOVO page online, but incorrectly to your IHD. Is that right?

    Have a look at this other Topic where another customer and I have been discussing something similar. In their case it’s just the readings from one of their meters not being reflected in the IHD display.

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