Prepaid electricity meters

[Martinco]

Hi Sparks
There is a sliding scale method which is aimed at the low consumption user but for us other mortals our electricity price only changes twice, once in summer and again in winter. However this year the prices are the same. I have treunichated a report from the Ekhureleni Council (East Rand for those not living on the Highveld) to show how it works

According to the Ekhureleni Website I find the following:
Tarriff A is working on a sliding scale and is for low consumption users who use less that 650 KW per month.
I use anywhere around 1500 to 2000 units per month in my house.

This is still Greek to me..............

I purchased from the municipal kiosk on Sept 25 2012 for R350 and got 402.9 Kwh = 87c/Kwh ( First purchase for the month )
Directly after that on the same day I purchased R 40 as a check and got 36.6 Kwh = R1.09 / Kwh.

On Oct 3 I purchased again R 350 and got 379.1 Kwh = 92 c/Kwh ( Again first purchase for the month )

So this does not make any sense !

[Leecatt]

This is still Greek to me..............

I purchased from the municipal kiosk on Sept 25 2012 for R350 and got 402.9 Kwh = 87c/Kwh ( First purchase for the month )
Directly after that on the same day I purchased R 40 as a check and got 36.6 Kwh = R1.09 / Kwh.

On Oct 3 I purchased again R 350 and got 379.1 Kwh = 92 c/Kwh ( Again first purchase for the month )

So this does not make any sense !

Martinco, all municipalities are charging in a similar fashion but the rates may differ.
I suggest that you consult with your municipality, or even better visit them on-line and download the schedule of rates for electricity tariffs.
I am sure that you are not getting done in but you need to understand that prepaid electricity is the most expensive form of electricity that we have in South Africa

[Vanessa van Vliet]

@Panther
Cost of installation will vary depending on your current set-up and conditions in the building, as well as what type of meter you install. Conventional integrated meters and wireless meters are cheap to install (maybe around R150 per meter), split meters (meter unit and interface are separated) with a customer interface unit (keypad) will cost a bit more (around R350 per meter). Conventional meters are cheap to buy and wireless meters are more expensive (by about 50%). If you install a conventional split meter, it will cost you approximately R800 per meter. This, is assuming the installation is a simple retrofitting exercise with no additional electrical work required.
Some companies will lease the meter or allow you to buy it on hire purchase, you would have to find out by contacting them directly.

[Leecatt]

@Panther
Cost of installation will vary depending on your current set-up and conditions in the building, as well as what type of meter you install. Conventional integrated meters and wireless meters are cheap to install (maybe around R150 per meter), split meters (meter unit and interface are separated) with a customer interface unit (keypad) will cost a bit more (around R350 per meter). Conventional meters are cheap to buy and wireless meters are more expensive (by about 50%). If you install a conventional split meter, it will cost you approximately R800 per meter. This, is assuming the installation is a simple retrofitting exercise with no additional electrical work required.
Some companies will lease the meter or allow you to buy it on hire purchase, you would have to find out by contacting them directly.

Vanessa, may i ask where you obtained these rates?

[Vanessa van Vliet]

Vanessa, may i ask where you obtained these rates?

These are our prices. I am the manager of CitiqPrepaid
www.citiqprepaid.co.za - though our prices are not on the website as yet

[Leecatt]

These are our prices. I am the manager of CitiqPrepaid
www.citiqprepaid.co.za - though our prices are not on the website as yet

Do you actually have qualified registered electricians who come to you, buy one unit, go to your customer, install the unit, test it and then issue an electrical certificate of compliance all for R150.00? I really find this hard to swallow

[Vanessa van Vliet]

Do you actually have qualified registered electricians who come to you, buy one unit, go to your customer, install the unit, test it and then issue an electrical certificate of compliance all for R150.00? I really find this hard to swallow

We don't install one unit at a time, we have a minimum number of units - 25. We have agents that will install the ones and twos, then the prices will indeed be different.

[Justloadit]

I have two meters, on the same floor, when I purchase simultaneously for the same amount for each, on the one I pay R1.16 Kw and had a R8 receipt taken off my total payment, and on the other I pay 93.5c a KW straight. You tell me. I do not want to complain, in case they put up the other meter to R1.16 as well.

[Vanessa van Vliet]

I have two meters, on the same floor, when I purchase simultaneously for the same amount for each, on the one I pay R1.16 Kw and had a R8 receipt taken off my total payment, and on the other I pay 93.5c a KW straight. You tell me. I do not want to complain, in case they put up the other meter to R1.16 as well.

You may be paying an admin charge of sorts on one token and not the other - contact the vending service provider and ask them to explain it

[Dave A]

One thing that we're facing at the moment is there needs to be a clear differentiation between municipal prepaid meters and private system prepaid meters. We do installations for a private system prepaid meter crowd, and their clients have certainly got the wrong idea as to what they are getting. They keep asking us to take out the municipal meter and think this replaces the municipal metering system.

Could the folk selling these things please take note and clearly diffentiate between the two in their marketing efforts and communication with the client, please. It's going to save everyone a heck of a lot of needless hassle.