People often ask the question, ‘Can I install my own prepaid electricity meter?’
So let us answer this question as well as some related questions.
The simple answer is no, you cannot install your own prepaid electricity meter.
While you can buy a prepaid electricity SUB meter, you cannot install it yourself. To install a prepaid electricity meter you have to be a qualified electrician or you have to be a licensed installer of prepaid electricity meters. Installing a prepaid electricity meter is not the same as just plugging in an appliance.
It is also important to note that a private or SUB prepaid meter cannot replace your existing council meter. A private or SUB prepaid meter acts as a sub-meter and it is illegal to try to remove or replace your main council/Eskom electricity meter. If you want a council prepaid meter to replace your electricity bill, you need to apply with your council or Eskom, or whomever bills you for electricity.
Let’s take a more detailed look.
Why can’t I install my own prepaid electricity meter?
Installing a prepaid electricity meter requires technical expertise. This is because prepaid meters have to be integrated into the electrical board of your home, office or warehouse.
To do this safely you need to be a qualified electrician who is experienced in prepaid electricity meter installations.
A person who is not qualified and does not work with electrical systems regularly can easily make a mistake with the installation.
Mistakes may damage the electrical board and/or the prepaid electricity meter. However, a small mistake could also lead to more serious consequences such as electrocution or fire which can result in death and destruction of property.
In addition to needing to be qualified to install a prepaid electricity meter, the installer needs to be licensed to install the meter.
This is because prepaid electricity meters have to connect to a prepaid metering system to measure electricity and allow prepaid electricity tokens to be used to purchase electricity.
How much does a professional prepaid meter installation cost?
Rather than wishing that you could install your own prepaid electricity meter, why not get a professional to do it? It is a much better idea to get a professional prepaid metering company to install your meter for you and there are benefits to this.
Not only will they be able to complete the installation a lot faster, you would also have peace of mind knowing your new prepaid electricity meter has been installed correctly.
Most reputable prepaid metering companies will also guarantee their installations so should an issue arise you can rest assured it will be corrected.
With regards to how much a professional prepaid electricity meter installation costs it really depends on the meter. Different meters are suited for different purposes and an industrial electricity meter will cost more to install than a residential one.
For the purposes of this article let’s say you are looking for a basic residential prepaid electricity meter. We will also assume you need to purchase your meter.
In the above case, you can get a great quality affordable prepaid electricity meter with installation for around R 1300.
How do I recharge my prepaid electricity meter?
Once you have your meter installed and it is properly registered to a metering system all you need to do is purchase prepaid electricity and load it onto your meter.
Buying prepaid electricity is really easy and you have numerous outlets to choose from. Click here to view all your available options.
Once you have purchased a recharge voucher all you need to do is enter your 20 digit token into your meter and your electricity will be added to your meter and be available for use.
JKNV Energy Professional Metering Company
For more information about how prepaid electricity meters work and how to use them please click this link.
If you require further assistance please get in touch with JKNV Energy today. Our friendly staff are happy to answer any questions you may have.
