Electricity meter question

[m0t]

My meter cycles between two displays, one is the reading and the other looks like garbage. Any idea what the second is trying to show or if there is an issue with it?

 

[john4703]

That display which looks like 88888 seems to be normal. Mine constantly changes from the correct reading to 88888 and then back to the correct reading.

 

[m0t]

That display which looks like 88888 seems to be normal. Mine constantly changes from the correct reading to 88888 and then back to the correct reading.

Glad it's not just me!

Not sure what the point of that is as it makes it harder to take a reading.

 

[JBR]

That display which looks like 88888 seems to be normal. Mine constantly changes from the correct reading to 88888 and then back to the correct reading.

Mine does the same, and I'd be surprised if the more recent ones don't all do it, though I don't know why.

It does make reading it a little more difficult as whenever I look, I often don't have enough time to copy down all the numbers and then have to wait for it to change back again!
The gas meter is much easier.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Hi,
I suspect it is a self-check that the display is working correctly.
If a couple of LCD segments were broken, that could change an 8 to a 3 for example!
It may be an SOP for a meter reader to check the full display is working correctly, before recording a measurement

 

[JohnW2]

I suspect it is a self-check that the display is working correctly.

[my typing in blue, to distinguish it from text in the images]

That's what the manual of my meter (an Elster A1140) calls it ...

However, at least with my meter, there are two modes. The first (which I imagine is what the OP is experiencing is ..

The "Auto-cycle step duration" (which sounds as if it might be very short in the OP's case) is programmable, but mine is certainly not end_user-programmable. However, mine has a second mode which, if available in the OP's meter, may solve his problem ...

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Glad it's not just me! ... Not sure what the point of that is as it makes it harder to take a reading.

See what I've just written in post #6. If your meter can do the same as mine ("step mode" - which is what I always use) it may make your life a little easier!

Kind Regards, John

 

[davelx]

See what I've just written in post #6. If your meter can do the same as mine ("step mode" - which is what I always use) it may make your life a little easier!

Kind Regards, John

I have the same meter (L&G E110) that does the same and it doesn't have any buttons. However I find the display is on easily long enough for me to memorise the reading and then write it down afterwards, and then check it a few seconds later.