Prepayment meter error messages
Once in a while you might see an error message on your meter screen. Here are some of the most common errors, and how you can fix them.
Electricity meters
| Display | What this means | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Error 10 | Your key may be dirty or faulty. | First, try cleaning the key with a dry cloth and then try again. If it still doesn’t work then please contact us. |
| Error D4 | Your key is for another meter. | Please contact us - we'll give you an 8-digit number and tell you how to use it to reprogramme your key. |
| Error A4/B4 | Your key is for another meter. | Please contact us - we'll give you an 8-digit number and tell you how to use it to reprogramme your key. |
| Token no | There is a fault with your key or your meter. | Please contact us - we'll give you an 8-digit number and tell you how to use it to reprogramme your key. If your re-programmed key still doesn’t work, then please contact us and we will arrange for an engineer to change your meter. |
| Error 1 or E1 | Your meter has a major fault. | Please contact us - we will arrange for an engineer to change your meter. |
Gas meters
| Display | What this means | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| Call help | Your meter has a fault which we’ll need to look into. | Please contact us – we’ll need to arrange for an engineer to come and take a look. |
| Card fail | There may be dust on the card, or your card might be the wrong way around. | Clean the card with a dry cloth and try again, making sure it’s the right way around. If this doesn’t work, please contact us and we’ll sort it out for you. |
| Card not accepted | The card isn't accepted by your meter. | Make sure you are using the right card – if you are then please contact us. |
| Blank display | Nothing to worry about. To save battery power, your meter has a screen saver which will make the screen go blank when not in use. | Press red button A to bring back the display. |
| Battery low (B1, B2, B3) |
The battery in your meter is running low and will need replacing soon. | Please contact us and we will arrange for an engineer to come and change your battery. |
| Dashes appear on the screen | Your meter has a fault which we’ll need to look into. Or are you in the ‘budget’ functionality by mistake? | Are you in the ‘budget’ functionality by accident? If not and you still have dashes on screen then please contact us – we’ll need to arrange for an engineer to come and take a look. |
| Please wait | Your meter is having trouble reading the card. | Remove the card and wait 2-3 minutes before re-inserting it. If this doesn’t work, please contact us and we’ll get you some help. |
If any of the above information advises you to contact us, or you can’t find the relevant fault number on the list above, then please contact npower on 0800 073 3000 (view call charges).
If it is an emergency and you have no supply out of hours (9pm-8am Monday-Friday, 7pm Sat-9am Sun, 6pm Sunday-8am Monday) then please contact National Grid on 105.
Smart tip
Say goodbye to sending meter readings
If you get a Smart meter you won't have to read and send meter readings. Your Smart meter regularly reports back on your energy usage, so your bills will be more accurate (unless there's a problem collecting a reading).
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