Do all smart meters have a flashing LED eg 1000 imp/kWh ?
I’m looking into changing to Octopus Agile and that needs a new smart meter. It’s currently not smart but does have a LED flashing once per watt I use with Node-red and Emonccms.
Thanks.
All the examples of SMETS2 meters I’ve seen have them, yes.
For example, an EDMI ES-10B was installed on behalf of Octopus in November 2023: https://www.edmi-meters.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ES-10B-Factsheet-English.pdf
My own SMETS2 meter, installed for Octopus Agile a few years back, is an older Landis+Gyr E470, also with a 1000 imp/kWh LED.
If they somehow manage to install you one without such an LED, SMETS2 provides for other integration options via a ‘CAD’ - there are some of those which will publish readings every 10 seconds using MQTT, which should be easy enough to integrate using Node-Red.
1 Like
Thanks, that’s good to know. It would be rather annoying if it didn’t and all I had was a ‘simple’ display. Interesting to see from the link that the meter measures Reactive energy as well - wonder if they would ever charge for that power ? I’ve been badgered a lot by British Gas about changing meters. I’ve recently set up again emoncms’s Agile tariff and we would save money using it, we’ve no solar or batteries.
My DNO is NationalGrid former Western Power
I contacted Octopus and they replied ‘The smart metering team have recommended its likely to be SMETS2 Acalara meter or SMETS2 Kaifa meter, the stock can vary in each engineers van there.’ Both of which appear to have a flashing 1000 imp/kWh LED.
I’ll what until after 1 April when the lower price cap kicks in and see how prices compare then. At present are usage profile would save about 30-50% ! assuming Octopus don’t increase their pricing. I use Emoncms OctopusAgile app, https://agileprices.co.uk/?region=L Octopus Energy latest Agile prices for South West England Octopus Agile South Western England | Energy Stats UK all of which agree with other, however, the tariff on Octopus’s site Agile is named Agile Octopus December 2023 v1 the other called something different which is confusing 
Pretty sure all meters have a flashing LED (the rate of flash may vary).
Right now is a good time to move to Octopus Tracker or Agile if you could (with Smart Meters) as then the lower Standing Charges would be fixed for a year.
Tracker is way lower than any ‘capped’ tariff (bothe Gas and Electric) and Agile is cheapest of all (for a standard user). All you need to do is avoid high consumption appliances between 4-7pm (except cooking).
I do that and last month my average price was 13p/kWh.
2 Likes