Learning how to read your meter is a handy way to keep track of your electricity usage as well as document the performance of your solar power system.
Reading your meter is easy once you know how, but before you start, you need to identify the type of meter that’s installed on your property.
In most cases, the type of meter installed in your home depends on your electricity provider. Choose from the following providers below and click the link to find your relevant instructions:
SP AusNet VIC – Outer northern and eastern suburbs and eastern Victoria
Western Power WA
Jemena VIC – Northern and north-western suburbs
ActewAGL ACT
The following instructions apply to the Single phase 410 AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) Meter
To record the energy generated from the grid of your solar system, the existing smart meter installed has been re-programmed to record exported energy.
This re-program will allow the meter to record net (usage), which records the premises’ total electricity consumption that has been offset by electricity generated by your solar system. This includes the excess energy that is exported back into the SP AusNet electricity distribution network.
AMI meters feature a scroll button. Pressing the scroll button very lightly prompts the device to commence scrolling through a list – as follows:
| Scroll Time 5 Seconds |
Display List |
| Display Code |
|
| 88 |
Display Test |
| 1 |
Time |
| 2 |
Date |
| 3 |
kWh Imported Total Energy |
| 4 |
kWh Imported Peak Energy |
| 6 |
kWh Imported Off Peak Energy |
| 13 |
kWh Total Exported Energy |
| 14 |
kWh Exported Peak Energy |
| 16 |
kWh Exported Off Peak Energy |
The kilowatt hours (kWhrs) number displayed on the meter is cumulative. To determine actual consumption for a particular period, you must take a reading at the start and end of the required period and then subtract the initial kWhrs reading from the final kWhrs.
The smart meter has a number of buttons and displays allowing customers to interact with it:
- Display – automatically displays the total accumulated energy consumption for your property
- Boost Button – enables a customer to activate electricity for hot water system users. This can allow you to re-heat a cold off-peak hot water tank if this functionality is available at your property.
- Scroll Button – allows you to scroll through different displays (including date, test pattern, Australia Eastern Standard Time, and total accumulated energy per tariff for your property)
- Optical Port – is a function for SP AusNet staff and contractors to interact with the smart meter
- Antenna component – the smart meter has an antenna generally mounted close to the meter itself. This antenna transmits smart meter readings to and from SP AusNet 4 times a day.
- Additional functionality – Smart meters will enable consumers to access functionality through web portals and in-home displays. Click here to read more about our smart meter customer portal, myHomeEnergy.
The energy generated by your solar system will be consumed first by your installation. Any surplus generation will flow back through the meter where it will be measured as it is exported to the grid. The meter will only record exported kWhrs if the electricity generation exceeds consumption during a particular time interval.
