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How to Read Your Electricity Meter

Written by

Michael Malone

Last edited

11/11/2024

The vast majority of homes in Ireland have now had a smart meter installed by ESB Networks, which has removed the need for meter readings. 

Unlike traditional meters, smart meters send your electricity consumption directly to ESB Networks, who send it to your energy supplier so that they can calculate your bill. 

However, you can still read your electricity meter to find out more about your electricity consumption. 

Here is a guide to gauge your home energy consumption.

Types of Electricity Meter in Ireland

There are four main types of electricity meter in Ireland, with smart meters replacing traditional meters. While most homes now have a smart meter, the roll-out is not complete, meaning some households are still using a 24-hour Meter, Day & Night Meter or a Pay as You Go Meter.

Smart meters are being rolled out across Ireland, and most homes have had their new smart meter installed. 

Only a few hundred thousand homes are awaiting their meter upgrade, and the rollout will be completed by 2025. Smart meters read and send electricity consumption data directly to ESB Networks, eliminating the need for quarterly meter readings and bills based on estimated usage.

24-hour standard meters are traditional electricity meters, which most homes had before being replaced recently by smart meters. 

With standard meters, only 24-hour electricity tariffs are possible, which charge one unit rate over the full day unlike time-of-use tariffs which are possible with smart meters. They can be either digital or revolving disk, but both display the same information.

A day-night meter displays your electricity consumption for daytime and night-time hours. With Night Saver electricity plans, which are available to those with a day-night meter, there is a higher unit rate during the day. 

The cheaper night rate in a Night Saver plan is ideal for those who can shift their usage to overnight.

Pay As You Go electricity meters are quite uncommon in Ireland, but some electricity providers do offer pay as you go electricity plans to customers which can be topped up. 

ESB Networks installs pay-as-you-go electricity meters when they are requested by a household’s electricity provider.

How to Read a Smart Meter

Smart meters have removed the need for traditional quarterly meter readings as they send data directly to ESB Networks via radio frequency transmissions – which is essentially 2G technology. However, the smart meter still shows how much electricity you have consumed. 

There are two ways to view your electricity usage: by reading your smart meter and by viewing your data online.

On your smart meter, the screen displays your electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh). To read the meter accurately, you should read all of the digits on the screen before ‘kWh’. 

To access more specific readings for different times (night, day, peak) or for exported electricity, follow these steps, you can press the button on the meter. Different information is displayed depending on how many times you press the button.

  • 1st Press: Displays the date and time.
  • 2nd Press: Returns to the main total reading.
  • 3rd Press: Shows your nighttime reading with “plus” and “T1” in the top right corner.
  • 4th Press: Displays your daytime reading with “plus” and “T2” in the top right corner.
  • 5th Press: Shows your peak time reading with “plus” and “T3” in the top right corner.
  • 6th Press: Activates the test screen.
  • 7th Press: Shows your exported electricity reading with “minus” in the top right corner, useful for customers with microgeneration setups.

View your Electricity Usage Online

Another easy way to view your electricity usage is by setting up an online account with ESB Networks. You can set up your account in minutes on the ESB Networks website. 

Once you have logged in, click on the ‘My Energy Consumption’ icon to see a chart showing your electricity usage, which can be switched to daily, monthly, or yearly views using the dropdown menu.

The chart includes a breakdown by time of day:

  • Day: 8am to 11pm (excluding peak hours)
  • Night: 11pm to 8am
  • Peak: 5pm to 7pm

You can view and download up to two years of data, even if you’ve changed suppliers within this period. Data updates can take 36 to 48 hours to appear.

If you generate electricity, with solar panels for example, you can also track and download information on your energy exports to the grid.

How to read a 24-Hour Meter

Reading a 24-hour electricity meter is simple. 24-hour meters can be either electronic or revolving disk. The display on a 24-hour meter shows your total electricity usage in kWh. 

In the case of both 24-hour and Day & Night revolving disk meters, the final number(s) in red or surrounded by a red box should be ignored.

How to read a Day & Night Meter

A digital Day & Night Meter has a blue button, which can be used to scroll through data which is presented on the display. Pressing the blue button will display different information depending on how many times it is pressed.

  • 1st Press: Shows the date on your day & night meter.
  • 2nd Press: Displays the current time.
  • 3rd Press: Indicates the total 24-hour kilowatt-hour usage.
  • 4th Press: Displays your daytime kilowatt-hour reading.
  • 5th Press: Shows the nighttime kilowatt-hour reading.
  • 6th Press: Tests the display.

How to read a Pay as You Go Electricity Meter

Reading and topping up your Pay as You Go Meter is straightforward. Here’s how to top up your credit using the keypad on your meter.

  • Start by pressing the * key on the keypad. ‘KEYCODE’ will appear on the screen, which indicates that you can now enter your code.
  • Carefully enter the full Top-Up code. Once you’ve entered it, press the # key to submit it.
  • If you make an error while entering any number, you can simply press the * key to erase the incorrect entry and try again.
  • When you enter a valid Top-Up code successfully, the display will show the message ‘ACCEPTED’. This confirms that your credit has been added.

Pay as You Go Meter Terms Explained

  • Accepted – Your top-up code has been accepted, and credit is added to the meter.
  • Rejected – An incorrect code was entered. Verify the code and try again.
  • Error – A digit may be missing, or the code entry was too slow. Re-enter the full code.
  • Wrong Tar – Your tariff plan has changed, requiring a 40- or 60-digit code. Contact your supplier if needed. Wait for the message to clear, press the * button, then enter the new tariff code.
  • Duplicate – This code was entered before. The meter does not accept duplicate codes. Press 4 to see your last five entries.
  • Credit Hi – Maximum credit has been reached; the meter will not accept more credit.
  • Incorrect – This code was either wrong or the meter is not in Pay As You Go mode.
  • KB Lock – The code was entered incorrectly five times. Wait for the message to clear before retrying.
  • Overload – If this appears, you should contact ESB Networks at 1800 372 999 for assistance.

FAQs

Older electricity meters, known as revolving disk meters, measured consumption by using the flow of electricity to turn a rotating disk, counting each revolution to track energy use.

Smart electricity meters rely on solid-state technology, eliminating the need for a mechanical disk. Smart meters send energy consumption data straight to ESB Networks which means that estimated readings are no longer necessary.

The vast majority of homes have had their smart meter installed already, and the few hundred thousand homes without a smart meter will receive theirs over the next few months.

With a smart meter, you can choose between a 24-hour Plan which always has the same unit rate, or a Time of Use plan – where you will be charged a higher rate during ‘peak’ hours and a lower rate at night.

Smart meters are the best electricity meter as they give you more control. Smart meters give you in-depth information about your energy consumption, and eliminate the need for meter readings and estimated bills.

All electricity meters, including smart meters, will tell you how many units of electricity you have consumed in kWh, which are the units used to measure electricity consumption.

Smart meters are regulated to high health and safety standards in Ireland. They transmit low-energy radio waves to transmit data to ESB Networks, posing absolutely no health risks.

Smart meters use radio waves – but not 5G technology. This low frequency wave transmission is in fact essentially 2G technology.

Author:

Michael Malone
SOLAR ENERGY EDITOR

Michael Malone is Solar Energy Editor at Energy Efficiency Ireland. He is committed to highlighting the benefits of solar PV for people across the island of Ireland, and is eager to clear up some misconceptions which linger among the Irish public regarding solar energy.

Author:

Michael Malone
Solar Energy Editor

Michael Malone is Solar Energy Editor at Energy Efficiency Ireland. He is committed to highlighting the benefits of solar PV for people across the island of Ireland, and is eager to clear up some misconceptions which linger among the Irish public regarding solar energy.

Popular Content 🔥

How to Read Your Electricity Meter

Written by

Michael Malone

Last edited 

14/11/2024

The vast majority of homes in Ireland have now had a smart meter installed by ESB Networks, which has removed the need for meter readings. 

Unlike traditional meters, smart meters send your electricity consumption directly to ESB Networks, who send it to your energy supplier so that they can calculate your bill. 

However, you can still read your electricity meter to find out more about your electricity consumption. 

Here is a guide to gauge your home energy consumption.

Types of Electricity Meter in Ireland

There are four main types of electricity meter in Ireland, with smart meters replacing traditional meters. While most homes now have a smart meter, the roll-out is not complete, meaning some households are still using a 24-hour Meter, Day & Night Meter or a Pay as You Go Meter.

Smart meters are being rolled out across Ireland, and most homes have had their new smart meter installed. 

Only a few hundred thousand homes are awaiting their meter upgrade, and the rollout will be completed by 2025. Smart meters read and send electricity consumption data directly to ESB Networks, eliminating the need for quarterly meter readings and bills based on estimated usage.

24-hour standard meters are traditional electricity meters, which most homes had before being replaced recently by smart meters. 

With standard meters, only 24-hour electricity tariffs are possible, which charge one unit rate over the full day unlike time-of-use tariffs which are possible with smart meters. They can be either digital or revolving disk, but both display the same information.

A day-night meter displays your electricity consumption for daytime and night-time hours. With Night Saver electricity plans, which are available to those with a day-night meter, there is a higher unit rate during the day. 

The cheaper night rate in a Night Saver plan is ideal for those who can shift their usage to overnight.

Pay As You Go electricity meters are quite uncommon in Ireland, but some electricity providers do offer pay as you go electricity plans to customers which can be topped up. 

ESB Networks installs pay-as-you-go electricity meters when they are requested by a household’s electricity provider.

How to Read a Smart Meter

Smart meters have removed the need for traditional quarterly meter readings as they send data directly to ESB Networks via radio frequency transmissions – which is essentially 2G technology. However, the smart meter still shows how much electricity you have consumed. 

There are two ways to view your electricity usage: by reading your smart meter and by viewing your data online.

On your smart meter, the screen displays your electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh). To read the meter accurately, you should read all of the digits on the screen before ‘kWh’. 

To access more specific readings for different times (night, day, peak) or for exported electricity, follow these steps, you can press the button on the meter. Different information is displayed depending on how many times you press the button.

  • 1st Press: Displays the date and time.
  • 2nd Press: Returns to the main total reading.
  • 3rd Press: Shows your nighttime reading with “plus” and “T1” in the top right corner.
  • 4th Press: Displays your daytime reading with “plus” and “T2” in the top right corner.
  • 5th Press: Shows your peak time reading with “plus” and “T3” in the top right corner.
  • 6th Press: Activates the test screen.
  • 7th Press: Shows your exported electricity reading with “minus” in the top right corner, useful for customers with microgeneration setups.

View your Electricity Usage Online

Another easy way to view your electricity usage is by setting up an online account with ESB Networks. You can set up your account in minutes on the ESB Networks website. 

Once you have logged in, click on the ‘My Energy Consumption’ icon to see a chart showing your electricity usage, which can be switched to daily, monthly, or yearly views using the dropdown menu.

The chart includes a breakdown by time of day:

  • Day: 8am to 11pm (excluding peak hours)
  • Night: 11pm to 8am
  • Peak: 5pm to 7pm

You can view and download up to two years of data, even if you’ve changed suppliers within this period. Data updates can take 36 to 48 hours to appear.

If you generate electricity, with solar panels for example, you can also track and download information on your energy exports to the grid.

How to read a 24-Hour Meter

Reading a 24-hour electricity meter is simple. 24-hour meters can be either electronic or revolving disk. The display on a 24-hour meter shows your total electricity usage in kWh. 

In the case of both 24-hour and Day & Night revolving disk meters, the final number(s) in red or surrounded by a red box should be ignored.

How to read a Day & Night Meter

A digital Day & Night Meter has a blue button, which can be used to scroll through data which is presented on the display. Pressing the blue button will display different information depending on how many times it is pressed.

  • 1st Press: Shows the date on your day & night meter.
  • 2nd Press: Displays the current time.
  • 3rd Press: Indicates the total 24-hour kilowatt-hour usage.
  • 4th Press: Displays your daytime kilowatt-hour reading.
  • 5th Press: Shows the nighttime kilowatt-hour reading.
  • 6th Press: Tests the display.

How to read a Pay as You Go Electricity Meter

Reading and topping up your Pay as You Go Meter is straightforward. Here’s how to top up your credit using the keypad on your meter.

  • Start by pressing the * key on the keypad. ‘KEYCODE’ will appear on the screen, which indicates that you can now enter your code.
  • Carefully enter the full Top-Up code. Once you’ve entered it, press the # key to submit it.
  • If you make an error while entering any number, you can simply press the * key to erase the incorrect entry and try again.
  • When you enter a valid Top-Up code successfully, the display will show the message ‘ACCEPTED’. This confirms that your credit has been added.

Pay as You Go Meter Terms Explained

  • Accepted – Your top-up code has been accepted, and credit is added to the meter.
  • Rejected – An incorrect code was entered. Verify the code and try again.
  • Error – A digit may be missing, or the code entry was too slow. Re-enter the full code.
  • Wrong Tar – Your tariff plan has changed, requiring a 40- or 60-digit code. Contact your supplier if needed. Wait for the message to clear, press the * button, then enter the new tariff code.
  • Duplicate – This code was entered before. The meter does not accept duplicate codes. Press 4 to see your last five entries.
  • Credit Hi – Maximum credit has been reached; the meter will not accept more credit.
  • Incorrect – This code was either wrong or the meter is not in Pay As You Go mode.
  • KB Lock – The code was entered incorrectly five times. Wait for the message to clear before retrying.
  • Overload – If this appears, you should contact ESB Networks at 1800 372 999 for assistance.

FAQs

Older electricity meters, known as revolving disk meters, measured consumption by using the flow of electricity to turn a rotating disk, counting each revolution to track energy use.

Smart electricity meters rely on solid-state technology, eliminating the need for a mechanical disk. Smart meters send energy consumption data straight to ESB Networks which means that estimated readings are no longer necessary.

The vast majority of homes have had their smart meter installed already, and the few hundred thousand homes without a smart meter will receive theirs over the next few months.

With a smart meter, you can choose between a 24-hour Plan which always has the same unit rate, or a Time of Use plan – where you will be charged a higher rate during ‘peak’ hours and a lower rate at night.

Smart meters are the best electricity meter as they give you more control. Smart meters give you in-depth information about your energy consumption, and eliminate the need for meter readings and estimated bills.

All electricity meters, including smart meters, will tell you how many units of electricity you have consumed in kWh, which are the units used to measure electricity consumption.

Smart meters are regulated to high health and safety standards in Ireland. They transmit low-energy radio waves to transmit data to ESB Networks, posing absolutely no health risks.

Smart meters use radio waves – but not 5G technology. This low frequency wave transmission is in fact essentially 2G technology.

Author:

Michael Malone
SOLAR ENERGY EDITOR

Michael Malone is Solar Energy Editor at Energy Efficiency Ireland. He is committed to highlighting the benefits of solar PV for people across the island of Ireland, and is eager to clear up some misconceptions which linger among the Irish public regarding solar energy.

Author:

Michael Malone
Solar Energy Editor

Michael Malone is Solar Energy Editor at Energy Efficiency Ireland. He is committed to highlighting the benefits of solar PV for people across the island of Ireland, and is eager to clear up some misconceptions which linger among the Irish public regarding solar energy.

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