OBIS codes

Here you can find the information what the OBIS code is and how to understand the values read
from the energy meter.

OBIS code
OBIS code is a numerical code which represents the physical quantity measured by the meter. Let's
look at the example (it may be shown in simpler form on your energy meter display).

1.8.0(158233.46*kWh)

It contains 3 elements: OBIS code 1.8.0 , counter value 158233.46 and the unit kWh separated
with specific characters. The OBIS codes corresponds to the type of measurement. For example,
1.8.0 corresponds to positive active energy consumed from the grid. What does that mean? This
is the amount of active energy you consumed since your meter was installed (or its registers were
reset).

Why 1.8.0 ? It has been defined in the IEC62056-21 standard (as amended), in which the exact
representation of OBIS codes must be represented by the most energy (and other media) meters
available in EU.

OBIS registers
According to the standard, not only can the classic measurement values (power, energy, voltage)
be exposed, but also the other data (e.g. meter operating status). However, let us pay special
attention to the classical measurement values.
In short, active energy is the energy actually converted into work or heat of an electrical device.
Reactive energy informs about energy stored in an electrical device necessary for its proper
operation but not converted into work and affecting energy losses on the operator's side. Energy is
positive when you consume it from the operator (of the grid), and negative when you feed it into the
grid (e.g. after production with PV panels). The character of the energy determines whether the
reactive energy is more capacitive (a magnetic field is generated), more inductive (an electric field
is generated), resistive (none of these fields is generated) or mixed (a combination of these
characters).

More information: Physics.

Summary codes

OBIS code represents how much

1.8.0 / 2.8.0 active energy has been consumed / returned to the grid

3.8.0 / 4.8.0 reactive energy has been received from / returned to the grid

5.8.0 / 7.8.0 inductive reactive energy has been received from / returned to the grid
 OBIS code represents how much

6.8.0 / 8.8.0 capacitive reactive energy has been returned / received from the grid

We need two OBIS codes to represent the produced and consumed energy, because a meter
counter counts forward only.

Tariff codes

OBIS code represents how much

1.8.1 - 1.8.4 active energy has been consumed in particular tariff zones

2.8.1 - 2.8.4 active energy has been returned to the grid in particular tariff zones

Index
Active energy

OBIS code description unit alias

1.8.0 Positive active energy, total kWh A+

1.8.1 Positive active energy in tariff I kWh A+ (T1)

1.8.2 Positive active energy in tariff II kWh A+ (T2)

1.8.3 Positive active energy in tariff III kWh A+ (T3)

1.8.4 Positive active energy in tariff IV kWh A+ (T4)

2.8.0 Negative active energy, total kWh A-

2.8.1 Negative active energy in tariff I kWh A- (T1)

 OBIS code description unit alias

2.8.2 Negative active energy in tariff II kWh A- (T2)

2.8.3 Negative active energy in tariff III kWh A- (T3)

2.8.4 Negative active energy in tariff IV kWh A- (T4)

15.8.0 / F.8.0 Absolute active energy, total kWh |A|

15.8.1 / F.8.1 Absolute active energy, total in tariff I kWh |A| (T1)

15.8.2 / F.8.2 Absolute active energy, total in tariff II kWh |A| (T2)

15.8.3 / F.8.3 Absolute active energy, total in tariff III kWh |A| (T3)

15.8.4 / F.8.4 Absolute active energy, total in tariff IV kWh |A| (T4)

21.8.0 Positive active energy in phase I, total kWh A+ (L1)

41.8.0 Positive active energy in phase II, total kWh A+ (L2)

61.8.0 Positive active energy in phase III, total kWh A+ (L3)

22.8.0 Negative active energy in phase I, total kWh A- (L1)

42.8.0 Negative active energy in phase II, total kWh A- (L2)

62.8.0 Negative active energy in phase III, total kWh A- (L3)

35.8.0 Absolute active energy in phase I, total kWh |A| (L1)

55.8.0 Absolute active energy in phase II, total kWh |A| (L2)

75.8.0 Absolute active energy in phase III, total kWh |A| (L3)

More information: Active energy, Tariff zone, Phase.

Reactive energy

OBIS code description unit alias

3.8.0 Positive reactive energy, total kvarh Q+

3.8.1 Positive reactive energy in tariff I kvarh Q+ (T1)

3.8.2 Positive reactive energy in tariff II kvarh Q+ (T2)

3.8.3 Positive reactive energy in tariff III kvarh Q+ (T3)

3.8.4 Positive reactive energy in tariff IV kvarh Q+ (T4)

4.8.0 Negative reactive energy, total kvarh Q-

4.8.1 Negative reactive energy in tariff I kvarh Q- (T1)

4.8.2 Negative reactive energy in tariff II kvarh Q- (T2)

4.8.3 Negative reactive energy in tariff III kvarh Q- (T3)

4.8.4 Negative reactive energy in tariff IV kvarh Q- (T4)

5.8.0 Reactive energy in I quadrant, total kvarh QL+

5.8.1 Reactive energy in I quadrant in tariff I kvarh QL+ (T1)

5.8.2 Reactive energy in I quadrant in tariff II kvarh QL+ (T2)

5.8.3 Reactive energy in I quadrant in tariff III kvarh QL+ (T3)

5.8.4 Reactive energy in I quadrant in tariff IV kvarh QL+ (T4)

6.8.0 Reactive energy in II quadrant, total kvarh QC+

6.8.1 Reactive energy in II quadrant in tariff I kvarh QC+ (T1)

 OBIS code description unit alias

6.8.2 Reactive energy in II quadrant in tariff II kvarh QC+ (T2)

6.8.3 Reactive energy in II quadrant in tariff III kvarh QC+ (T3)

6.8.4 Reactive energy in II quadrant in tariff IV kvarh QC+ (T4)

7.8.0 Reactive energy in III quadrant, total kvarh QL-

7.8.1 Reactive energy in III quadrant in tariff I kvarh QL- (T1)

7.8.2 Reactive energy in III quadrant in tariff II kvarh QL- (T2)

7.8.3 Reactive energy in III quadrant in tariff III kvarh QL- (T3)

7.8.4 Reactive energy in III quadrant in tariff IV kvarh QL- (T4)

8.8.0 Reactive energy in IV quadrant, total kvarh QC-

8.8.1 Reactive energy in IV quadrant in tariff I kvarh QC- (T1)

8.8.2 Reactive energy in IV quadrant in tariff II kvarh QC- (T2)

8.8.3 Reactive energy in IV quadrant in tariff III kvarh QC- (T3)

8.8.4 Reactive energy in IV quadrant in tariff IV kvarh QC- (T4)

More information: Reactive energy, Tariff zone, Quadrant.

Apparent energy

OBIS code description unit alias

9.8.0 Apparent energy, total kVAh S+

 OBIS code description unit alias

9.8.1 Apparent energy in tariff I kVAh S+ (T1)

9.8.2 Apparent energy in tariff II kVAh S+ (T2)

9.8.3 Apparent energy in tariff III kVAh S+ (T3)

9.8.4 Apparent energy in tariff IV kVAh S+ (T4)

Apparent energy Tariff zone

Power demand

OBIS code description unit alias

1.6.0 Positive active maximum demand, total kW

1.6.1 Positive active maximum demand in tariff I kW

1.6.2 Positive active maximum demand in tariff II kW

1.6.3 Positive active maximum demand in tariff III kW

1.6.4 Positive active maximum demand in tariff IV kW

2.6.0 Negative active maximum demand, total kW

2.6.1 Negative active maximum demand in tariff I kW

2.6.2 Negative active maximum demand in tariff II kW

2.6.3 Negative active maximum demand in tariff III kW

2.6.4 Negative active maximum demand in tariff IV kW

 OBIS code description unit alias

15.6.0 Absolute active maximum demand, total kW

15.6.1 Absolute active maximum demand in tariff I kW

15.6.2 Absolute active maximum demand in tariff II kW

15.6.3 Absolute active maximum demand in tariff III kW

15.6.4 Absolute active maximum demand in tariff IV kW

3.6.0 Positive reactive maximum demand, total kW

4.6.0 Negative reactive maximum demand, total kW

9.6.0 Apparent maximum demand, total kW

More information: Power demand, Tariff zone.

Instantaneous power

OBIS code description unit alias

1.7.0 Positive active instantaneous power kW P+

21.7.0 Positive active instantaneous power in phase kW P+ (L1)

I

41.7.0 Positive active instantaneous power in phase kW P+ (L2)

II

61.7.0 Positive active instantaneous power in phase kW P+ (L3)

III

2.7.0 Negative active instantaneous power kW P-

OBIS code description unit alias

22.7.0 Negative active instantaneous power in phase kW P- (L1)

I

42.7.0 Negative active instantaneous power in phase kW P- (L2)

II

62.7.0 Negative active instantaneous power in phase kW P- (L3)

III

15.7.0 Absolute active instantaneous power kW

35.7.0 Absolute active instantaneous power in phase kW

I

55.7.0 Absolute active instantaneous power in phase kW

II

75.7.0 Absolute active instantaneous power in phase kW

III

3.7.0 Positive reactive instantaneous power kW P+

23.7.0 Positive reactive instantaneous power in kW P+ (L1)

phase I

43.7.0 Positive reactive instantaneous power in kW P+ (L2)

phase II

63.7.0 Positive reactive instantaneous power in kW P+ (L3)

phase III

4.7.0 Negative reactive instantaneous power kW P-

24.7.0 Negative reactive instantaneous power in kW P- (L1)

phase I
 OBIS code description unit alias

44.7.0 Negative reactive instantaneous power in kW P- (L2)

phase II

64.7.0 Negative reactive instantaneous power in kW P- (L3)

phase III

9.7.0 Apparent instantaneous power kW

29.7.0 Apparent instantaneous power in phase I kW

49.7.0 Apparent instantaneous power in phase II kW

69.7.0 Apparent instantaneous power in phase III kW

More information: Active energy, Instantaneous power, Phase.

Network parameters

OBIS code description unit alias

11.6.0 Maximal current A Imax

31.6.0 Maximal current in phase I A Imax (L1)

51.6.0 Maximal current in phase II A Imax (L2)

71.6.0 Maximal current in phase III A Imax (L3)

91.6.0 Maximal current in neutral A Imax (N)

11.7.0 Instantaneous current A I

31.7.0 Instantaneous current in phase I A I (L1)

 OBIS code description unit alias

51.7.0 Instantaneous current in phase II A I (L2)

71.7.0 Instantaneous current in phase III A I (L3)

91.7.0 Instantaneous current in neutral A I (N)

12.7.0 Instantaneous voltage V U

32.7.0 Instantaneous voltage in phase I V U (L1)

52.7.0 Instantaneous voltage in phase II V U (L2)

72.7.0 Instantaneous voltage in phase III V U (L3)

32.7.0 Instantaneous voltage in neutral V U (N)

14.7.0 Frequency of signal in the installation Hz f

Metadata

OBIS code description

0.0.0 Meter address (1)

0.0.1 Meter address (2)

0.2.0 Firmware version

0.2.2 Tariff code

0.9.1 Meter time

0.9.2 Meter date

 OBIS code description

0.9.4 Meter date & time

0.8.0 Peak power period

C.1.0 Meter serial number

C.90.1 Optical port serial number

F.F.0 Meter error register

More information: Tariff, Peak power.

Special codes

OBIS code description example

S.1.1.2 Device battery status 2.76

S.1.1.4 Readout timestamp (real) 2020-11-19 10:45:02

S.1.1.6 Successful readouts since restart (e.g. battery 433

replacement)

S.1.1.7 Failed readout attempts on 1-st/2-nd 23/22

communication message

S.1.1.8 Meter communication parameters 3, 300

S.1.1.9 Temperature 24

S.1.1.10 Readout timestamp (corrected) 2020-11-19 10:45:00

S.1.1.12 Energy consumption (based on blink 10.44

measurements)
 OBIS code description example

S.1.1.16 Device status LAST_READOUT_INCORRECT

Clarifications

S.1.1.7 — The device asks meter for data twice. First it asks for an identifier, then registers with
OBIS values. That is why we may have failed readouts on two messages.

S.1.1.8 — It is the infrared transmission power (3) and a baud rate used for the communication
(300 bps).

S.1.1.12 — Based on the blinks/usage ratio and number of blinks counted, we can calculate the
estimated energy consumption.

Last update: 2023-12-01