Many people use standard meters. People love them because they send readings directly to your service provider. But because the technology is relatively new, people cannot figure out whether or not the flashing lights they routinely see on their smart meters are normal. Is this a cause for concern?
Electricity Meter Flashing LIght – Why?
A meter will flash to let you know that everything is fine. The average electricity meter features a red LED. It flashes because you’re using energy. The rate of the flashing will vary depending on the usage. The more power you consume, the faster the LED will flicker. The meter will stop blinking once you disconnect the load.
The standard electricity meter will flash to let you know that power is being consumed. However, a device called an export meter that flashes when exporting excess electricity.
You can use the number of flashes to estimate the amount of power you have exported.
For instance, REUK gave the example of meters with a ‘1000 Imp/kWh’ label, which shows that the meter will blink a thousand times per kWh that passes through it. You can install devices that detect and measure the number of flashes instead of counting them manually.
If you have a smart meter, it will use the internet to communicate with your energy provider. The LEDs will flash to alert users about the state of their connection. For instance, the WAN LED on a meter flashes three times when the signal is weak and five times when the signal is strong.
Talk to the people that installed your meter. Ask them to explain the blinking lights. If the meter came with a manual, use it. Though, you can find most of the information you need on your energy provider’s website.
Don’t expect your meter’s network LEDs to use the same flashing codes as another company’s meter.
The LED on a meter is just like any other light. It can malfunction, either blinking erratically or dying altogether. You won’t know whether or not your meter’s LED has malfunctioned until you contact a professional that can troubleshoot it.
While it is easier to hire a local electrician, you are better off consulting your energy provider. They can send one of their experts to your house to resolve the issue. The energy provider’s engineers have a better understanding of their smart meters than a random electrician.
The last thing you want is for the local electrician to destroy the meter while tampering with it. It is just as important for laypeople that don’t have any electrical experience to leave the meter alone.
The smart meter will also flash in response to an error like loss of pressure, loss of current, depleted battery, etc.
Some meters will generate an audible alarm to accompany the flashing. The goal is to get the user’s attention.
Related Post:
- Smart Meter Making (Beeping, Humming, Alarm, Buzzing) Noise
- Smart Meter Keeps Restarting/Rebooting/Resetting/Tripping/Going Off
- Why Is My Smart Meter Waiting For Current Data?
- Electric Meter Tag Color (Red, Blue, Black, Green) Meaning
Electricity Meter Flashing Different Lights and Their Meaning
Flashing Red Light – Meaning
A flashing red light is a good thing. It shows that your house is using electricity. The LED will blink faster in response to higher energy usage. In a way, it can help homeowners that want to reduce their electrical consumption.
The rapid flashes encourage them to switch the lights in empty rooms off and to disconnect appliances they have stopped using. The rate at which the LEDs flash will reduce in response to the falling energy consumption in your home.
Flashing red lights generate concern because people expect the rate to remain the same. They cannot help but panic once the blinking rises and falls. But the red LED is harmless.
How Can You Fix It?
You cannot fix the red flashes. Your energy supplier wants the meter to flash, and so do you. It shows you that everything is fine. You cannot stop the flashing, not unless you open the meter and manually disengage this mechanism. But this is a bad idea. Energy providers have discouraged consumers from tampering with their meters.
Electric Meter Flashing Green – Meaning
Some meters flash green to show that the energy usage is low. With Spark Energy meters, the green light flashes every five seconds to show that the device has a decent connection to the energy provider. It will also flash green in the absence of a gas meter.
As you can see, the meaning will change depending on the model. Use the manual. Don’t rely on interpretations associated with meters from different brands and energy providers.
Some meters don’t have green lights. They only use red LEDs. Others use a flashing green LED to show that operations are normal and a particular property is using energy.
Flashing Orange Light – Meaning
Most companies call the LED ‘Amber’ instead of orange. Though, the average consumer will call it orange. Many British Gas meters use red, amber, and green LEDs to signify energy usage.
Red flashes occur when a home’s energy consumption is high. You see green flashes when the energy consumption is low. Amber appears in homes that fall somewhere between those two options.
But again, you should check the manual to confirm your interpretation before proceeding.
How Can You Fix It?
You don’t have to fix the orange light. This is a regular LED that is expected to flash when your energy consumption changes. It can help you track your energy usage. The last thing you want is to disable it.
Flashing E – Meaning
What do you see before the ‘E?’ If you see a value, your credit is less than 50p, and you have emergency credit on your meter. But if you see ‘Debt’ before the ‘E,’ you’re out of credit. This applies to British meters. You will find these error codes in the manuals of companies like South Electric Scottish Hydro.
How Can You Fix It?
According to British Gas, you can either top up your normal credit or activate emergency credit.
Flashing All 8s
A meter that flashes all 8 is a test pattern. The meter will show several different screens, including one with all 8s. Eventually, it will show you the correct meter reading.
How Can You Fix It?
You don’t have to fix this pattern. It will go away on its own. If it persists, call your energy provider. Your meter has a glitch. They will send an expert to fix it.
Flashing WAN – Why?
The WAN light flashes every few seconds to signify the strength of the signal. You will observe different flashes depending on whether the signal is strong or weak. Additionally, the WAN light will flash if the device is searching for a signal.
How Can You Fix It?
You don’t have to do anything if the signal is strong. If you have a weak signal and it has refused to improve, you can consult your service provider about the steps you can take to boost the signal.
Flashing Zero – Why?
Some meters will flash zero if you’re out of units or credit. For others, the zeroes are just one screen among many that you can cycle through.
How Can You Fix It?
If the meter flashes zero because you’re out of units or credit, you can just top-up.