Frequently Asked Questions about Prepaid Electricity Meters
No, we cannot replace a Council, Municipal or Eskom meter – please contact your Council, Municipality or Eskom directly to request prepaid electricity meters for your property. (more details at the end of this article).
No. You are still going to receive a utility bill from the council or municipality. If you want your electricity bill to fall away and you are the only user on the property, then contact your local municipality directly. Our prepaid meters are prepaid sub-meters and are not a replacement for your council meter. Ideal for multiple dwellings (flats, cottages, complexes, shops, factories etc), landlords and body corporates that want to collect electricity and water from their tenants in advance of use.
Yes, we can install more than one meter per property. Our meters are installed on a sub-metering basis. This means that your council meter or bulk meter stays in place and our prepaid meters, meter each unit or sub-unit on the property, such as cottages, flats, complexes, shops or factories.
This may vary depending on where your prepaid meters are registered. JKNV Energy automated options are: Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, Spar, BP Garages, Unipin outlets, FNB ATMs, FNB Internet banking, Standard Bank Internet banking, ABSA Internet banking, Nedbank Internet banking, or online with Easypay. We also offer a self-vend option where tenants buy directly from the landlord.
Yes, you can purchase the prepaid electricity meters or prepaid water meters and get your own electrician or plumber to do the installation.
Yes, we stock several single-phase prepaid electricity meters and prepaid water meters. We also stock 3 phase prepaid meters and split prepaid meters. To view our types of prepaid meters click here.
Yes, we stock 3 phase prepaid electricity meters for domestic use (maximum current of 100A per phase). We are also able to supply and install 3 phase prepaid electricity meters metering up to 250A per phase, ideal for industrial consumers. These meters are special orders, if you require one of these meters, kindly contact JKNV Energy (click here) for more information. To view our 3 phase high current prepaid meter click here.
If you have tenants and are now installing prepaid electricity meters, all you have to do is call us to arrange purchase and/or installation, fill in your application form and give us copies of 3 months of your council bills. We can generally install within 48 hours once we have all the paperwork. You will need to inform your tenant, so he is prepared to buy his first purchase of electricity or water.
If you don’t have prepaid electricity meters yet, call us to arrange installation before the new tenant moves in.
If you already have our meter, all you have to do is give the new tenant his meter number (usually on the keypad) and tell him where to buy electricity. If needed, you can contact JKNV Energy and we can e-mail you a copy of the vending instructions.
We set the rate per the council bills, so the landlord will recover his utility costs. See our handy water and electricity calculator tool to work out how much you are paying per kWh.
Yes. We are available Monday – Friday between 08H00 – 16H00. New customers will receive full instruction when their prepaid electricity meters are installed. When buying electricity it is automatic (not human-operated) hence you can operate the meters 24/7/365 without any support.
We install prepaid electricity meters and water meters all over Johannesburg, Pretoria, Sandton, Randburg, Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, Alberton, Bedfordview, Edenvale, Germiston, Kempton Park, Boksburg, Benoni, Springs, Brakpan, and Midrand in Gauteng, South Africa. Other areas may be considered on request.
Yes, you may purchase our meters and we will courier them to you. You can then get your own installer to do the prepaid meter installation.
Yes, you can use the Easypay automated vending option (option 1 on How prepaid meters work) even if you only have one meter with us.
If electricity costs from the municipality are increased, the new rate is updated on the system where all prepaid electricity meters are registered. Since the purchase is calculated by the system and not in the prepaid meter, any time electricity prices go up, that the same amount of money will actually purchase fewer kilowatts.
When there is a power failure in the area that affects the property in which the meter is installed, the meter will save information on the battery. However, since no power is feeding into the prepaid electricity meter, the property will also not have electricity. An area power outage will not cause the meter to lose any account credit. You will not lose the data on the meter or units on the meter, the meter does not reset.
The meter housing is fitted with seals on the inside. Should these seals be broken, the device will go into tamper mode and will cease to function.
No, the prepaid electricity meter will not affect any electrical sub-systems in the property, including the Geyser. The unit does not interfere with the power going into the electrical circuits of the property. The voltage and amperage that feeds into the meter are at the exact same levels when they feed out of the meter. The meter only governs the consumption of electricity in accordance with the set prepaid limit or credit available. When these are exceeded, the unit just breaks the circuit until such time as the electricity consumed is paid for. The worst that can happen is that there will be no hot water in the event that the meter stops feeding electricity to the electric circuits.
The prepaid electricity meters are wall-mounted, usually next to the main distribution board inside the dwelling. The meter is connected in series in the main electricity circuit before the main circuit breaker, located on the distribution board. If you do not have a Db board you can contact your electrician to have one fitted. If you need meters for rooms (where you won’t normally have Db boards) the best product will be the BEC 23 PE split meter. There may be rewiring required, contact your electrician for assistance with rewiring.
For more information on how it works or if your question was not answered here, please go to our page: How prepaid sub-meters work (Click here).
To view our range of prepaid electricity meters click here. To view our prepaid water meters click here. To get advice from us on what meter may best suit your requirements contact JKNV Energy click here.
You need to contact whomever bills you for electricity. Eg, if you get an electricity bill from Eskom, contact Eskom, or if you get an electricity bill from your local municipality, contact them. We have gathered some useful links that may assist in your search.
In most cases, the owner needs to go into their offices, take your utilities bill and ID with you, complete an application form, and pay for the meter. It may require more than one visit.
Eskom: http://www.prepayment.eskom.co.za/faq.asp
City of Johannesburg: https://www.joburg.org.za/services_/electricity/Pages/contacting-City-Power.aspx
https://www.joburg.org.za/media_/Newsroom/Pages/2013%20articles/2011%20&%202012%20%20Articles/Converting-to-prepaid.aspx
Contact details: City Power prepaid electricity meter queries call 011 490 484;
City of Ekurhuleni: https://www.ekurhuleni.gov.za/residents/forms/prepayment-meter-application-forms.html
City of Tshwane: http://www.tshwane.gov.za/sites/Departments/Public-works-and-infrastructure/Electricity%20Tarrifs/Electricity%20Pre-paid%202018.pdf
City of Cape Town: http://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Apply/Municipal-services/Electricity/Apply-for-a-prepaid-electricity-meter
Durban / Ethekwini Municipality: http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/electricity/Prepaid/Pages/Changing-from-Credit-to-Prepayment-Meter.aspx
Private prepaid meters and submeters are the same things. A body corporate or landlords with rental properties have the option to install sub-meters or private prepaid meters that are owned and managed by the landlord or body corporate.
A homeowner who wants a prepaid meter for their primary dwelling does not have this option and will have to apply for a council prepaid meter with the local Municipality or Eskom.
Click here for more information on the difference between private prepaid meters and council meters.
No. We only install meters purchased from us.