Have you ever recharged your meter before and within a few days your electricity units that were supposed to last for a month or more finished? Well, you are not alone because there are other electricity users that are in the same shoes with you, which kept them wondering what happened to their credit units.
The truth is that electricity units can actually disappear even without you using them. There are many things that can cause your electricity units to disappear without you using them, like phantom load, debt recovery from your meter, standing charges by your DisCo, leakage current from bad wiring, etc. When any of these occur or a combination of them, your electricity units can easily disappear without you using them.
How Your Electricity Units Can Disappear Without You Using Them
There are many reasons why your electricity units may disappear even when you didn’t use them. The reasons are discussed below:
1. Phantom Loads
Have you heard of phantom loads before? Well, if you have not, it is all about hidden loads. There are some appliances in your home that still consume power even when they appear to be off. Appliances like decoders (DSTV, GOTV), routers, TV sets on standby, and plugged chargers without charging can draw small amounts of power continuously. When these small loads add up, they can drain your electricity units silently.
2. Debt Recovery From Your Meter
Another factor that can make your electricity units disappear without using them is if there is debt recovery from your meter. If your electricity provider is recovering debts from your meter, your electricity units can disappear without you using them. Do you even know that there may be debt recovery in your meter without your knowledge? Well, it is possible, and it has happened to me in the past.
What happens is that if you’re using a prepaid meter and you previously owed your DISCO some electricity bills before the meter installation, the system may automatically deduct a portion of your recharge to settle that old debt.
3. Standing Charges by DISCOs
Some electricity distribution companies also charge monthly standing charges to their customers. This charge is always applicable to all electricity consumers, even when they don’t use electricity. In fact, whether your meter is on or off, these charges will be deducted from your electricity units when you recharge.
4. Current Leakage from Bad Wiring
If there is current leakage in your property due to poor wiring or outdated electrical installation, you also risk your electricity units disappearing without you using them. This leakage can continuously drain your electricity without you using any appliance. This issue is most common in older houses or buildings with substandard electrical work.
5. Unmetered Neighbours or Illegal Connections
If your neighbour doesn’t have a prepaid meter while you use one, they may connect to your meter illegally, which will make you foot your neighbour’s power bills without your knowledge, which will invariably make you spend more money than you are supposed to on electricity.
6. Faulty or Tampered Meter
Faulty or tampered meters may also lead to electricity unit drainage even without usage. Once a prepaid meter is faulty, it may record incorrect energy usage, leading to high light bills. In addition, if you tampered with the meter or inherited a tampered one, it could lead to error in reading energy usage. In the same vein, if your DISCO detects tampering, they may also deduct your electricity units remotely.
How to Stop Your Electricity Units from Disappearing Without You Using Them
You can stop your electricity units from disappearing without you using them through different methods like
- Unplugging your home appliances when not in use
- Ensuring that you are not owing your electricity provider
- Ensuring that your electrical wiring is not faulty
- Ensuring that no one is connected to your meter illegally.
Conclusion
There are many things that can cause your electricity units to disappear without you using them, like phantom load, debt recovery from your meter, standing charges by your DisCo, leakage current from bad wiring, faulty meter, etc., but they can be corrected by unplugging your home appliances when not in use, ensuring that you do not owe your electricity provider, and ensuring that your electrical wiring is not faulty, among other things.