Set the timer to 17 seconds

How to use the online timer

Start the seventeen-second countdown, then leave it running while you step to the cupboard or desk for something to record the smart meter reading. The brief gap gives the display time to cycle or settle without keeping you standing beside it. When you return, note the electricity figure and its unit before the screen changes again.

Reading the meter may take you away from the screen where the countdown began. If its tab moves into the background, the visible animation may pause or update less often as the browser saves resources, especially on a phone. The underlying countdown should still follow elapsed time, so returning to the tab can reveal that it has finished rather than showing every missed tick.

For a meter in a hall cupboard, the phone is usually easier to carry while fetching a pen, opening the door and checking the display. A laptop suits a desk beside an indoor display, but leaving it elsewhere makes the short interval less useful. Keep the phone awake and audible if the meter cycles quickly; otherwise, rely on the finish time and read the next complete screen.