Secure Liberty 100 smart meter explained

Understanding your Secure Liberty 100 smart meter is crucial for managing your home's energy usage and bills effectively. This guide provides clear, actionable steps to help you read your meter, understand its display, and troubleshoot common issues, giving you greater control over your electricity consumption.

Understanding your Secure Liberty 100 smart meter is key to managing your home's energy. With Fuse Energy, you can pair your smart meter with clear pricing and real-time usage data, making it easier to take control of your bills. Click here to switch to Fuse Energy today.

Understanding your Secure Liberty 100 smart meter

What is a Secure Liberty 100?

The Secure Liberty 100 is a common SMETS2 compliant smart meter found in many UK homes. It is designed to provide accurate, real-time data about your electricity consumption, helping you track and manage your energy use more efficiently. These meters are a key part of the UK's smart meter rollout, aiming to modernise energy management across the country.

SMETS1 vs SMETS2: why it matters

Smart meters come in two main generations: SMETS1 and SMETS2. The Secure Liberty 100 is a SMETS2 meter, which offers significant advantages. Older SMETS1 meters often lost their "smart" functionality - meaning they stopped sending automatic readings - if you switched energy suppliers. SMETS2 meters, however, are designed to maintain full smart functionality even when you switch between providers, ensuring you continue to benefit from accurate readings and smart services regardless of your supplier. This design improvement makes managing your energy simpler and switching suppliers easier. Many SMETS1 meters have been remotely upgraded to work on the same national network as SMETS2 meters, but some older setups may still lose functionality or require replacement.

How to take a reading from your smart meter

Taking a reading from your smart meter is straightforward once you know which buttons to press. This process helps you verify your energy usage and ensures your bills are accurate.

Locating your readings

Your smart meter will have a display screen and usually two main buttons, often labelled 'A' and 'B' (or sometimes 'OK' and 'Scroll'). These buttons are your primary interface for navigating the meter's menus and finding your readings. The display screen will show various information, including your current energy consumption.

Step-by-step reading instructions

To get a reading from your electricity meter:

1. Wake the display: If the screen is blank, press any button to wake it up.
2. Navigate to readings: Repeatedly press the appropriate button (often 'A' or 'Scroll') until you see a screen displaying your total electricity consumption, typically labelled "TOTAL ACT IMPORT" or "IMP KWH". This indicates your total electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
3. Record the number: Make a note of the number shown on this screen. This is your meter reading. For billing purposes, you can usually ignore any numbers after the decimal point.
4. Dual rate meters: If you have a dual-rate tariff (like Economy 7), you may see two readings, often labelled "RATE 1" and "RATE 2" or "R1" and "R2". Press the navigation button again to cycle between these. Record both numbers.

Deciphering your meter's display and lights

Understanding the symbols and lights on your smart meter helps you monitor its status and your energy use.

Common display symbols

The display on your meter can show various symbols, each providing specific information:

• kWh: This is the unit of electricity consumption, kilowatt-hours. Your readings will always be in kWh.
• Arrows: Arrows pointing right usually indicate electricity being imported from the grid (your usage). If you have solar panels and export electricity, you might see arrows pointing left, indicating electricity being exported.
• Battery symbol: On gas meters (which often communicate with the electricity meter), a battery symbol indicates the gas meter's battery level.
• Signal strength: A symbol resembling a mobile phone signal strength indicator shows how well your meter is communicating with your energy supplier.

What do the lights mean?

Your smart meter typically has indicator lights that can convey its operational status:

• Flashing green light: A flashing green light usually indicates that the meter is actively recording electricity consumption. The faster it flashes, the more electricity is being used.
• Flashing red light: This can signify that the meter is communicating with the network or your in-home display. It might also indicate a low credit warning on prepayment meters.
• Solid lights: A solid green or red light could indicate a specific status or an issue. If a light remains solid and your meter is not functioning as expected, it is worth checking with your energy supplier.

Troubleshooting common smart meter issues

Smart meters are generally reliable, but occasional issues can arise. Knowing how to approach them can save you time and worry.

What to do if your meter is not communicating

If your smart meter is not sending readings automatically, it might be an issue with its communication. This does not necessarily mean the meter is broken.

1. Check the signal: Look for the signal strength indicator on the display. If it is low or absent, the meter may be struggling to connect to the network.
2. Contact your supplier: If the communication issue persists for more than a few days, contact your energy supplier. They can perform remote diagnostics and arrange an engineer visit if needed. Your meter will still record your usage even if it is not communicating, so you will not lose track of your consumption.

Dealing with error messages

Error messages on your meter's display can be concerning, but they often point to specific, resolvable issues.

• Note the message: Write down the exact error code or message displayed. This information is vital for your energy supplier.
• Consult your supplier: The meaning of error messages can vary, and attempting to fix them yourself without proper guidance could worsen the problem. Always contact your energy supplier with the error message. They are best placed to diagnose the issue and advise on the next steps.

Smart meters and prepayment

Smart meters can operate in both credit and prepayment modes. For those on prepayment, understanding emergency credit is essential.

Activating emergency credit

Emergency credit is a safety net designed for smart prepayment meters, allowing your energy supply to continue when your credit runs low. This feature prevents immediate disconnection, giving you time to top up.

To activate emergency credit on your smart meter:

1. Low credit warning: Your meter will typically display a low credit warning when your balance falls below a certain threshold.
2. Follow prompts: The meter's display or in-home display should guide you on how to activate emergency credit, often by pressing a specific button when prompted.
3. Top up soon: Emergency credit is not free energy; it is a loan that will be recovered from your next top-up. It is crucial to top up your meter as soon as possible to avoid running out of emergency credit and experiencing a supply interruption.

Important note for Fuse Energy customers

Fuse Energy is committed to providing transparent and easy-to-understand energy services. We support smart prepayment meters for switching, and these meters are reverted to credit mode during the switch. However, we do not currently support legacy (non-smart) prepayment meters. If your meter is a legacy prepayment meter and you are considering switching to Fuse, you should check your meter type and discuss your options with your current supplier.

Maximising the potential of your smart meter

Your smart meter is more than just a device; it is a tool to help you understand and manage your energy better.

Benefits of accurate readings

Accurate, real-time readings from your smart meter offer several benefits:

• Informed decisions: By seeing your energy usage, you can identify patterns and make conscious choices to reduce consumption, potentially lowering your bills.
• Accurate bills: Smart meters send readings automatically, meaning you receive bills based on your actual usage, not estimates.
• Budgeting: Understanding your consumption helps you budget for energy costs more effectively. The average UK home uses around 2,500 kWh of electricity per year, according to Ofgem's Typical Domestic Consumption Values (TDCVs) effective from 1 July 2026. Knowing your own usage against this benchmark can be very insightful.

Getting support for your meter

If you have persistent issues with your smart meter, or if you simply need clarification on its functions, your energy supplier is the first point of contact. They can offer specific advice, troubleshoot problems remotely, and arrange for an engineer if necessary. Engaging with your supplier ensures you get the most out of your smart meter and maintain control over your energy.

Managing your home's energy bills should be clear and easy to understand. Fuse Energy focuses on straightforward pricing, so you can see exactly what you are paying without unnecessary complexity. If you have a smart meter, you can view detailed usage data through the app or website, helping you understand how you can lower your bills. Our 24/7 human support team is always on hand with fast response times whenever you need help. Click here to switch to Fuse Energy today. Find out about our mission by clicking here.