Prepaid electricity

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D3x!

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Hi All,

I searched and came up with a number of threads but not specific enough to my questions.

1.) Is switching to a prepaid meter worth it? i.e are all the costs involved worth the saving?
2.) What is the process of getting a prepaid meter installed?
3.) Has anyone in Boksburg done this and have some info for me?
4.) is there a site that can tell me all this? i went to http://www.prepayment.eskom.co.za/ but it is down for me.

Thanking all much! :D
 
I don't really see what the point of one is, unless there are various people contributing in a communal sense.

Totally random as well, the electricity meters and software were designed by my uncle's company. :D
 
I have a feeling prepaid is cheaper - but am not sure. Ia m also investigatign this at the moment. I think the install fees are quite high, but will see...
 
Is your Uncle's name Don? If it isn't then he didn't designed the prepaid meter as for the software no one person developed the whole system. There are are a lot versions of it because of the different manufacturers. (Syntell,Plessey,Telumat).
I met the inventor of the prepaid electricity meter a couple of times since I am currently active in this said industry.

As for the questions:
1.Depends on your electricity needs but I for one strongly suggest installing a prepaid meter.
2.You need to go to your local Utilities office then fill in some application forms .
You then need to contact a certified electrician who will collect the meter from the Utility and install it at your premises.
3.I cant help you there but your local municipality will be more than willing to help you.

Good luck
 
bigkahuna said:
Is your Uncle's name Don? If it isn't then he didn't designed the prepaid meter as for the software no one person developed the whole system. There are are a lot versions of it because of the different manufacturers. (Syntell,Plessey,Telumat).
I met the inventor of the prepaid electricity meter a couple of times since I am currently active in this said industry.
Click to expand...

:o

His company made the one we have installed. Rather not say which it is. :D

Who is Don then?
 
He co-created the first commercial solid state prepayment meter – the work of two South African entrepreneurial engineers, Don Taylor and Rudi Coetzee.
 
1.) Is switching to a prepaid meter worth it? i.e are all the costs involved worth the saving?
Click to expand...

AFAIK here in PE you actually pay a small premium for prepaid (I assume to cover the running costs of the pay points) so the only saving is the ability to budget your electricity by using less.
 
Last edited:
D3x! said:
Hi All,

I searched and came up with a number of threads but not specific enough to my questions.

1.) Is switching to a prepaid meter worth it? i.e are all the costs involved worth the saving?
Click to expand...

It all depends on your electricity supplier.

While its cheaper for me (here in the Cape), I've heard of some people claim its more expensive.

Not so sure who can do the switchover for you, but its very important to clearly mark on your normal meter the exact reading and date/time it was done during the switcherover. We converted to prepaid at our office and had to this. If you fail to do this there is a good chance you can get double billed as the electrical meter reader will still assume your on post-paid.
 
bigkahuna said:
As for the questions:
1.Depends on your electricity needs but I for one strongly suggest installing a prepaid meter.
2.You need to go to your local Utilities office then fill in some application forms .
You then need to contact a certified electrician who will collect the meter from the Utility and install it at your premises.
3.I cant help you there but your local municipality will be more than willing to help you.

Good luck
Click to expand...

Thanks :D
 
cbrunsdonza said:
It all depends on your electricity supplier.

While its cheaper for me (here in the Cape), I've heard of some people claim its more expensive.

Not so sure who can do the switchover for you, but its very important to clearly mark on your normal meter the exact reading and date/time it was done during the switchover. We converted to prepaid at our office and had to this. If you fail to do this there is a good chance you can get double billed as the electrical meter reader will still assume your on post-paid.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip, will keep this in mind.
 
MickZA said:
AFAIK here in PE you actually pay a small premium for prepaid (I assume to cover the running costs of the pay points) so the only saving is the ability to budget your electricity by using less.
Click to expand...

Will ask the municipality for all this info thanks :)
 
i think in jhb its cheaper cos alot of times they do not come and read your meter and they charge you an "average" ...and sometimes the average will be more than consumption

so with a prepaid meter you manage it

not sure about the costs tho
 
samr1wp said:
i think in jhb its cheaper cos alot of times they do not come and read your meter and they charge you an "average" ...and sometimes the average will be more than consumption

so with a prepaid meter you manage it

not sure about the costs tho
Click to expand...

Lol died thread almost a year old
 
I investigated this 2 month back.

In the Western Cape if you get your electricity from Eskom it costs R2200 for the prepaid meter, paid to Eskom. But all the prep work to install the meter has to be done by a registered sparky at your cost. Eskom just come and put the meter on the base plate and remove the old meter. Single phase only, no 3phase.

Costs are exactly the same as post paid.

If you get your electricity through your municipality, then its a different story, I know City of Cape Town does 3phase prepaid as well as single phase prepaid. Not sure on rates there.
 
I also believe that Pre-paid is much cheaper. I am just not sure how to get it installed. I moved into a complex with these meters and my electricity expenses is definately down!
 
Prepaid is cheaper because you pay for the electricity upfront. No nasty surprises month end.

The prepaid submeter costs more because the *vendor* also charges a 10% service fee.
 
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