BoltMeterFor digital electricity meters (mME)
Send your meter PIN with the flashlight
BoltMeter enters your electricity meter's PIN automatically with your phone's flashlight: at the right pace, digit by digit. No counting flashes, no starting over because of one flash too many.
Free · no ads · no account · Android 8 or newer with a camera flash
Why this app?
Modern German electricity meters (mME, "moderne Messeinrichtung") show more than the meter reading once you enter a PIN: the current power draw of everything switched on, and your consumption per day, week, month and year. You enter the PIN with flashes of light on the optical sensor. One flash is a 1, three flashes a 3, and after three seconds of darkness the meter moves to the next digit. By hand that's tedious and easy to get wrong. BoltMeter does the flashing for you.
PIN in one tap
The app wakes the meter, sends each digit as the matching number of flashes and keeps the pauses. A display shows what your meter should be showing right now.
Templates for meter models
Meters differ in timing. Templates by manufacturer and model bring matching values. Save several meters by name, say basement and garage.
Fine-tunable
Adjust wake-up flashes, flash length, gaps and the pause after each digit. For meters that count like a rotary dial, the app sends 0 as ten flashes.
Manual control
Short flash to step on, long flash to change, and "hold for light" with a timer. Use it to work the meter's menu and find out its timing.
Quick actions
"Pin → off" turns PIN protection off so the meter shows its values all the time. "Inf → on" enables the power output. The app sends PIN, steps and toggle in one go.
Your PIN stays with you
No account, no ads, no tracking. The PIN is only saved if you want it to be, and then only on your phone. It never goes into a backup.
How it works
Your meter operator (Messstellenbetreiber) sends you the PIN, usually by letter. Then:
- Find the sensorThe optical sensor is a small window on the meter, often marked with an eye or light symbol.
- Place the phonePut the flashlight LED (next to the camera) centred on the sensor. Not at an angle, not too far away, and keep the phone still.
- Tap "Send PIN"After a short countdown the app wakes the meter with short flashes. It then shows "PIN" with a 0 in the first position.
- The app flashes digit by digitEach digit is sent as that many flashes, so a 3 is three flashes. After about three seconds of darkness the meter moves to the next position. A 0 is no flash, just the pause.
- Check the resultIf the meter now shows the current power (P), it worked. A wrong PIN doesn't lock anything, so you can simply try again.
What the meter shows afterwards
After the PIN, a short flash steps to the next display and a long flash opens the history or changes a setting. The app explains each entry under "Manual control" too.
| Display | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1.8.0 | Meter reading for the electricity you draw from the grid |
| 2.8.0 | Meter reading for energy fed into the grid, e.g. from solar panels |
| P | Current power draw of everything switched on |
| E | Consumption since the last reset, like a car's trip meter |
| 1d · 7d · 30d · 365d | Consumption of the last day, week, month and year, with history up to two years back |
| Inf | Turn the power output on the info interface on or off |
| Pin | Turn PIN protection on or off |
| E CLr · HIS CLr | Reset E to zero or clear the history, e.g. before moving out |
FAQ
Where do I get the PIN?
From your meter operator (Messstellenbetreiber), usually your local grid operator. Many send the PIN by letter or show it in a customer portal. Your electricity bill names your meter operator.
Does it work with my meter?
With digital meters whose PIN is entered through an optical sensor. Meters with a mechanical button are operated by pressing it; the app isn't meant for those. Your phone needs a camera flash that works as a flashlight.
It doesn't work. What can I do?
First check that the LED sits centred and straight on the sensor, and shield it from daylight. Then pick your meter's model under "Meter templates" or adjust the flash length and pauses. "Hold for light" lets you measure how long your meter needs for a long flash.
Can a wrong PIN lock the meter?
No. You can enter the PIN as often as you like. Nothing gets locked.
What happens to my PIN?
If you turn on "Remember PIN on this device", the app saves the PIN in its private storage on your phone. It is never transmitted and is excluded from cloud backups and transfers to a new phone. Details are in the privacy policy.
Does the app cost anything?
No. BoltMeter is free, has no ads and needs no account.
Get BoltMeter
Free for Android, in English and German.