How to use and read my LAndis+Gyr E355 smartmeter

Crighton
Semiconductor
2 Replies 1390 Views

Last year we had a Intellihub Landis + Gyr E355 smart meter installed by our service provider, AGL.

 

There was no manual or instructions provided for this meter.  I've searched the AGL web site and cannot find this meter, any instructions, manuals or notes on how to interpret the codes on it.  Eg: What is the green button for?

 

I attempted to get this information from Intellihub, but their web site tells me to go to my provider (AGL)

 

Does anyone know where I can get this information?

 

 

6 REPLIES 6
Lester
Powerhouse
1 Reply 1387 Views

There have been a few threads on this meter in the past. 

A search here brings up this list . . .

 

https://neighbourhood.agl.com.au/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?advanced=false&allow_punctuation=f... 

 

I don't think from my recollections, that anyone has found a manual.

There is mention of the green button being a boost button if a HWS requires some daytime heating (lots of use etc), and it might reset after x hours.

 

The meter is owned by the electricity provider, and as such, I think past consensus was they should provide info on the meter (if it is available).

 

In these past threads, there are numerous tips on how to work through readings at certain times to work out what each of the readings that scroll are showing.

 

Have a bit of a read through some of those results and if you have any specific questions, reply again or wake up one of the more relevant threads.

 

Best of luck working it out.

NeilC
Powerhouse
0 Replies 1380 Views

@Crighton 

 

Do a search on the web for:

"How to use and read my LAndis+Gyr E355 smartmeter"

 

You will find lots of replies.

 

You will never find a manual as there is not a users manual, service manuals are for INHOUSE use only

 

If you are a technical person it should take less than a day to work it all out.

 

The green button is a boost button and is only available if you have Controlled Load available.

 

What it does is, switch your Controlled Load on, thus putting you controlled load onto your current tariff.

Cheers Neil


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Crighton
Semiconductor
1 Reply 1358 Views
Thanks for that

This is the first lead I’ve had. Nothing on any AGL or Manufacturers web sites

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NeilC
Powerhouse
1 Reply 1276 Views

@Crighton 

 

Try this https://neighbourhood.agl.com.au/t5/Meters-Connections/Reading-E355-meter/td-p/29846

 

It is a posting on these neighbourhood pages that has been ongoing for 15 months now.

 

As stated above the Green button is there so that you can read the device and turn on the Controlled load as a boost button.

 

Pushing the green button for 5 secs will cause ANY THING connected to your controlled circuit to switch to your Peak supply and you will be then charged at the current rate.

 

I had a smart meter installed in January 2019 having had solar installed in the beginning of Dec 2018, also had a heat pump hot water service installed around that time as well.

 

When the smart meter was installed I also got the electrician to switch the hot water to the main supply as the service also has an inbuilt timer. (Hence I could use solar to supply power to the hot water service...).

 

Now I had a new meter, the installer did not know how to use the meter, a quick search of the web found I could not find a user manual for the meter.

 

Being a brand new meter it was very simple to work out what each meter number described, think that took less than 3 hours to do.

 

A check after sunset confirmed the readings. Remember I only had Solar, Peak and Controlled circuits, the controlled was not in use.

 

While I was working all this out I accidentally forced the display into a different screen, then took me about an hour to work out all the functions of that screen.

 

Now, since having the smart meter I suddenly had access to a download file from AGL and I wrote a programme to convert the AGL file into the industry standard NEM format file which I still use to this day

 

Further research (much later) led me to my Supplier (SA Power Networks) and they also had a download file that I could access. The issue with the SAPN file is that it only available in Eastern Standard Time.

 

Using my programme I could then accurately track my usage and I can show you all of my usage since the new meter was installed.

 

When I switched to Time Of Use it was a simple task to create reports (daily) that showed my usage for the day.

 

Made the spread sheet a bit harder to update but it has evolved into a very complicated spreadsheet that even has lookup tables that allow for changes for rates. In April last year we went though FOUR rate changes in 14 days.

 

Also I stopped reading my meter(s) and now use the data supplied to verify what AGL is billing me.

 

Did you know that AGL is billing you based on 5min (not 30min) data. Makes a lot of difference if you have a Demand Rate.

 

Now AGL supply Billing based on " Electricity charges are based on an actual meter reading " and do not supply a Start / End reading as your meter may have been reset to 0 at any time during the billing period.

 

Yes, there were many complaints about that (and still is).

 

So, I say to you, hold the green button on for 5 Seconds, you will hear a click (if you have reasonable hearing) and the screen display will change to show you are in by-pass, I believe if you hold that down for 5 secs later on it should switch back to NORMAL mode (ie timer mode).

 

I don't have a 355 model, but this works using the bypass button on mine. The 350 model has two buttons by the way.

 

As Les can attest, I regularly check my file data against the data shown on the APP / Webpage, and have often gone to Senior AGL staff asking them to get data.

 

Reading your meter data is only of value to you if you have a single rate tariff, there are not single meters for each tariff, so your Peak Meter which contains the usage

 

Time of use rates are calculated by the time of day, demand rate is calculated by the MAX rate in any unit during the Demand period.

 

If you read the post that I added a link to on the top of this post you will find the method to work out what each listing means.

Cheers Neil


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Crighton
Semiconductor
1 Reply 1266 Views
Thanks for all this

I’ll test the green metre. But won’t be gathering raw data, but will cross check the metre and the bill from time to time.
Interesting how convoluted the process is for us as “owners” of smart meters to actually get any meaningful information from it!

Regards
Pete n Susan


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Lester
Powerhouse
0 Replies 1261 Views

Pete & Susan,

You'll have to note the readings on the smart meter numbers that come up, if you want to keep a tab on usage vs overall use via the app or bills.

Bear in mind that some have had their smart meters reset (Neil for one I'm sure he's said this has happened with his meters several times), but I have been on TOU for about 6 months now, and still going through from original readings.

The trouble with smart meters is if you don't look at data, it is all non relatable to actual $ a bill is (or should be), as they don't distinguish between the different time / cost tariffs applied to usage.

The spreadsheets can be involved in developing, and all depending on what you have, TOU tariff, if you have controlled load, solar feed in etc, all have to separated in the data csv, 30 min intervals allotted to the right tariff charge, then go through the costings to really know if a bill is correct.

 

To a certain extent it is now very difficult for the average person, who doesn't want to spend time going through data etc, to keep a tab on correctness of bills . . . to a point where you are really trusting a supplier / retailer to be correct.

It's not ideal.

With older analogue readings and single tariffs, you could see in a short time with a calculator if a bill was right.

 

My data is now unusually showing the past 5 days as all estimated reads, and I know from readings and data that my usage and solar feed in is not correct.

Usually the data is right by about end of the following day.