With the Ghana Electro-Cash Prepayment

Meter:

 

• You decide on how much money you want to commit to your electricity consumption.

• No more bills.

• No more risk of disconnection.

• You cannot be a debtor in ECG’s books.

• You can use electricity wisely and reduce your expenditure on it.

• If you are a landlord, your tenant who moves out of residence cannot leave behind an unpaid bill.

 

………………………………………….

 

1. Red Light

 

 

It flashes when electricity is being used. It flashes 200 times for each kWh used.

 

2. Button

 

 

Press this button to change information on display.

 

3. Alarm Light

 

 

It flashes with meter beeping when meter has an error or, when any of the phases is off.

 

4. Display Window

 

 

Shows how much credit you have in the meter.

 

5. Card Reader

 

 

Insert Smart card into card reader to download money or pick information from the meter.

 

6. Sealing Screws

 

 

DO NOT TOUCH screws or attempt to open meter terminal cover. The meter will trip

automatically if the screws are removed.

 

1.How The Electro Prepayment Meter Works

 

 

After installation, you will be given a Smart Card and will be told your designated Vending Station where you can pay to charge your meter with credit. The meter contains an initial credit to allow you to use electricity while you go to your Vending Station to pay to charge your meter with some credit.

Note: the initial credit is NOT FOR FREE.

 

The meter has been programmed with all the relevant details, including the tariff which is specific to you as a customer. As you use electricity, the meter measures your consumption and based on the programmed tariff, it subtracts the cost of consumed electricity from your credit balance.

 

2. Before Recharging Your Meter

 

 

Before you go to pay for credit, you need to update t h e information on your Smart Card as follows:-

•Open the door to card reader on the meter.

• Insert Smart Card into meter’s card reader with ECG logo to your left and with the arrow on the Smart Card pointing to the meter.

• Pull out the Smart Card after the green lamp goes OFF. And “Good” appears on the display window.

• Close the door to card reader.

 

Your Smart Card now contains updated information from the meter.

 

3. At The Vending Station

 

 

At your local Vending Station, you make payment to the cashier who will then take the Smart Card and insert it into a special card reader that will read the updated information about the meter. The special card reader will also record onto the Smart Card details of payment you have just made. You will be given a receipt that shows details of your transaction and the Smart Card will be returned to you.

 

The Smart Card is exclusively for the meter and contains a code that prevents stored information from being read by any unauthorized persons. You are required to visit the Vending Station at the end of each month. This visit will enable a monthly transfer of the consumption to the database to be made at the Vending Station.

 

4. Recharging The Meter At Your Home

 

When you go back to the meter, you recharge the meter as follows:-

• Insert Smart Card into the card reader with ECG logo to your left and with the arrow on the Smart Card pointing to the meter.

• Pull out the Smart Card after the green lamp goes OFF. The meter is now charged with the credit for the payment you made at the Vending Station less any deductions of which you would have been informed.

 

5. Alarm Limit or Reserve Credit

 

 

The meter is programmed with a limit called reserve credit. When your balance reaches this level of credit, the meter cuts OFF electricity and the Red light starts to show. This point also acts as a warning to you that you are running out of electricity credit. It is therefore also known as Alarm limit. You now need to insert the Smart Card to allow the meter to switch electricity back ON and to use the Reserve credit.

 

The Red light continues to show that the meter is operating on Reserve credit. You need to purchase additional credit at your Vending Station before the Reserve is used up. If your Reserve is used up, the meter will again switch electricity supply OFF and you will not have any electricity until you pay and recharge the meter. The higher the Reserve, the more time you have to call at your Vending Station to recharge before your Reserve credit in the meter runs out and you are cut OFF.

 

The meter continuously shows information that allows you to plan your credit purchases

and to monitor your electricity usage. You may also scroll through all pages by repeatedly pressing the button labeled  above. Each time you press the button, the display changes to a new page. Pages available for display are described below.

 

Page 01

 

 

Balance in energy i.e. kWh or “units”. This is an estimate calculated at the prevailing tariff rate.

 

Page 02

 

 

Balance in Ghana Cedis (GH¢). The display shows 2.50 when you have a balance of GH¢2.50, this is the actual balance because the meter stores its balance in Ghana Cedis.

 

Page 03

 

 

Balance in days. This is an estimate calculated from your average consumption over the past 24 hours and using the tariff rate applicable at that point of consumption.

 

Page 04

 

 

Total Consumption in kWh. This is the total consumption measured by the meter. You can monitor your consumption by noting changes to this page.

 

Page 05

 

 

Consumption in kWh during current month. The meter contains a clock that keeps track of time and date. It is therefore able to tell you what your consumption is during the current calendar month.

 

Page 06

 

 

Consumption in kWh during previous calendar month.

 

7. What to do when you have a problem...

 

 

7.1 General

 

 

If you experience a problem on the meter, the meter display will normally show the instructions to be followed. The following are common problems encountered and ways of solving them.

7.2 Loss of Smart Card

 

 

Report the loss of your Smart Card to ECG. ECG will charge a small fee and reissue you with a new Smart Card that will contain the most up to date information about your account. This means that you will be able to use any payments that were contained on the lost card even if you did not charge your meter after making the payment.

 

7.3 Meter Error

 

 

If an error occurs in the meter, the meter will display an error message. Please take note of the error message and the condition of Red and Alarm lights. Insert the Smart Card into the card reader and take it out. Then take the Smart Card to your Vending Station where the Operator will read the information stored on it and advise you.

 

7.4 Electricity Supply is cut off by meter

 

 

If the meter cuts off your electricity supply, follow instructions that are shown on the display. If the meter switched off because customer’s credit was completely finished, please recharge your card and insert it in the card reader to restore supply. If the meter switched off electricity because customer’s credit reached the Alarm point or Reserve level, the meter will switch the electricity back on once you insert the Smart card.

 

7.5 Smart Card Does Not Work

 

 

If you insert a smart card into your card reader and it does not appear to work, you need to check the lower left hand corner of the display. If the code E6 is shown then the following are possible:-

• Smart Card has not been properly put into the card reader

• You may be using the wrong Smart Card.

 

Please make sure you have the correct Smart Card.

 

7.6 Faults or More Information

 

 

For faults reporting and/or more information on your Electro-Cash Meter, please call at your nearest Prepayment Vending Station or phone the number in your specific district from the list below:

 

Western Region Number

 

Takoradi - District 031 – 23921

Sekondi - District 031 – 48393

Tarkwa - District 0362 – 20258