In this article, we are going to discuss Eskom prepaid meter problems, and at the end of this guide, we are also going to provide solutions to the problems.
Eskom doesn’t produce prepaid meters; they give out different prepaid meter brands, like Conlog (Pty) Ltd., Landis + Gyr (Pty) Ltd., Voltex (Pty) Ltd., Ontec (Pty) Ltd., etc., to South Africans who are under their coverage.
However, these meter brands that Eskom gives out to customers are just like other electronic products, which can become faulty anytime; hence, they give rise to Eskom prepaid meter problems.
There are some problems that you may face when using an Eskom prepaid meter, like token rejection, a blank meter, communication issues, outdated firmware, meter malfunctioning, etc.
Eskom Prepaid Meter Problems
When you are using an Eskom prepaid meter, you may encounter some problems that may disrupt your power supply or even keep you in darkness for days while your neighborhood enjoys continuous power. This is often more worrisome when you have credit units in your prepaid meter but still can’t access power. Some of the problems that may cause this are listed below:
1. Token Rejection
One of the common problems that our readers have reported when using prepaid meters is token rejection. It is a situation where your meter is not accepting a prepaid electricity token when you load it.
If your meter doesn’t accept tokens, it means that when your credit units finish, your power supply will be interrupted. The major causes of token rejection are expired tokens, misplacement of the token digit, incorrect entering of the tokens, etc.
2. Blank Meter
If you have been using an Eskom prepaid meter for a while, you may have noticed that your meter may go blank sometimes, making you not have a power supply. Once your prepaid meter is blank, your power supply will be disrupted. Your meter may be blank when there is a surge in power supply or when there is a disruption in power supply within your neighborhood.
3. Communication Issue
Another Eskom prepaid meter problem is communication issues. For your Eskom meter to work optimally, your meter box outside the building and your meter’s CIU need to communicate effectively. Once there is a breach in communication, your power supply may be disrupted. When there is communication, you may not be able to perform some functions on your meter, like checking your Eskom prepaid meter balance, even when you have light.
4. Outdated Firmware
A prepaid meter has software with which it regulates the energy consumption and helps electricity consumers to track their usage. Now, if this firmware becomes outdated, it won’t function properly again, thereby making it difficult for users to track their energy usage with ease.
5. Meter Malfunctioning
Eskom prepaid meters, like other electronic products, can become faulty anytime since they are not immune to wear and tear. If you use your prepaid meter for a long time, there are chances that it will malfunction after using it for a long period of time.
How to Fix Eskom Prepaid Meter Problems
Fixing Eskom prepaid meter problems is quite simple and straightforward. However, sometimes, you may need more than one approach to get the problem fixed, depending on the prepaid meter issues. Nevertheless, you can fix Eskom prepaid meter problems by trying any or a combination of the solutions listed below:
- Ensure that you enter your Eskom prepaid meter tokens correctly when loading them to avoid rejection.
- You can buy energy stabiliser to regulate fluctuating power supply
- When you notice that your Eskom Prepaid Meter CIU is not cooperating with the meter outside, kindly reset your meter
- If you find it difficult to track your energy usage on your Eskom Prepaid Meter, then update the meter’s software following the producer’s instructions.
- If you notice that your Eskom prepaid meter is malfunctioning and it is old, the best thing to do is to change the prepaid meter to avoid having issues.
- If none of these measures works, then contact the Eskom prepaid meter customer care unit for assistance.
Conclusion
There are different Eskom prepaid meter problems ranging from token rejection, blank meter, and outdated firmware to communication issues. These problems can be fixed through meter reset, firmware update, contacting Eskom prepaid meter customer care representatives, etc.