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View Full Version : Electric card ---- Prepay thing --- advice?



skunksmoka2k8
31-01-11, 11:14 PM
Hi guys and gals,

Ive been for a house viewing today and me and my gf really like the house ---- the only problem is it has one of those prepay electric card things ---- i think you top them up at the post office or somthing and pay as you use..

My question is: does anyone have one of these and how much are you paying for your lights per week ---- Im not thinking massive only like my 2 600w running 18/6.

Im only asking because a freind of mine had a grow going last year and he was only using like 2kw and he says he used to top up £50 a week????

Thanks in advance,
Skunksmoka

WastedYouth
31-01-11, 11:57 PM
You pay more per unit on prepay meters i think mate, look into getting it removed and having a quarterly bill?

new_neo
01-02-11, 06:43 AM
You pay more per unit on prepay meters i think mate, look into getting it removed and having a quarterly bill?

I used to work for British Gas and know that they at least charge exactly the same per kwh used on both credit and prepaid metres.

You can also pay to have it switched for a credit meter if you prefer.

WastedYouth
01-02-11, 06:59 AM
I used to work for British Gas and know that they at least charge exactly the same per kwh used on both credit and prepaid metres.

You can also pay to have it switched for a credit meter if you prefer.

I stand corrected. My last house had one and it always seemed to cost us a fucking fortune...

new_neo
01-02-11, 07:02 AM
I stand corrected. My last house had one and it always seemed to cost us a fucking fortune...

Hmm, up until about 3 years ago there was a bit of a gap between them. It's also possible the previous occupants had racked up a debt and had the PP meter installed as a method of paying it back. You may actually have been paying off someone elses debt :/

euforialover
01-02-11, 07:06 AM
for me to run a 400 on 18/6 or a 600 on12/12 costs me an extra 7 quid a week on a pre pay meter.

new_neo
01-02-11, 07:17 AM
for me to run a 400 on 18/6 or a 600 on12/12 costs me an extra 7 quid a week on a pre pay meter.

Either the PP meter has debt on it (isnt always reset automatically for new occupants), at least one property didnt have leccy from BG, you're on a different tariff than you used to be, or one of the meters was/is running slow/fast.

EDIT: Leccy prices also vary between different areas.

CockRoach
01-02-11, 07:48 AM
costs me around 12p per kwh on a key pre pay meter if that helps.

an-sic
01-02-11, 08:54 AM
i think, they are more expensive because it is easy to hack them without wiring. but you can connect it straight, and if reader comes to check it say that your landlord doesn't allow anyone to enter, and arrange the reading on another day, then set it back as it was.. you can even have free gas! LOL
ask someone experienced to help you out, if you have no experience with wiring electricity. it is dangerous!

this works for most of the meters


sorry, honest people for this post, but this can help if the money is an issue...

skunksmoka2k8
01-02-11, 02:06 PM
Cheers for the replys guys.

Doesnt seem to bad now, 7p per kw is cheap, Im sure i am beign charged way more than that at the minute

euforialover
01-02-11, 04:28 PM
Either the PP meter has debt on it (isnt always reset automatically for new occupants), at least one property didnt have leccy from BG, you're on a different tariff than you used to be, or one of the meters was/is running slow/fast.

EDIT: Leccy prices also vary between different areas.

I'ne been here over 3 years and there's no debt on it, it's £7 a week household and 14 with te light, I don't think its too bad, less than 100 in elecyric for a complete grow, I save a hell of alot more not buying shit weed anyway!

TC-UP
01-02-11, 05:11 PM
As an example, BG charge 8.48p KWh.
The basic equation is ((W*H*7*C)/1000), where:
W = Total cost of your lights and fans etc.
H = Hours that everything is on
C = Cost per KWh (in this case I have used BG example of £0.0848)
So your costs, if you were with BG, would be:
600w * 2 = 1.2 KW per hour
1.2KW * 18 hours a day = 21.6 KW per day
21.6KW * 7 days = 151.2 KW per week
151.2 KW per week * 8.48p = £12.83 per week extra on electric.
I have only calculated the lights as this all the info you have supplied, if your fan is 30w and is on 24/7 this will add about 43p per week.

Hope that helps

TCDown

ladygarden
01-02-11, 05:51 PM
Two 600w will be about £10.00 per week, make sure you put that on as an extra, or you'll seem to burn through the leccy.

euforialover
01-02-11, 06:03 PM
Two 600w will be about £10.00 per week, make sure you put that on as an extra, or you'll seem to burn through the leccy.

what company are you with? on pre pay? 2 600s in my house on 12/12 are about 14 qiud p/w and thats just 12/12!

ladygarden
02-02-11, 01:34 PM
what company are you with? on pre pay? 2 600s in my house on 12/12 are about 14 qiud p/w and thats just 12/12!
euforialover, with npower don't change they're just as crappy as the rest. Actually your nearer with £14.00 per week, just know someone else growing with 600w,he gave me the same figure of £7.00 perweek just for his light. So with 2 lights plus the rest your probably looking nearer to £20.00 per week! yikes. I'm wanting a 600w light n grow room of my own so we're just gonna have to 'suck it up' lol. Things we do for a decent smoke.

ChronMan
02-02-11, 04:16 PM
i was running 1 600w hps, 1 400w hps on 12/12, 1 6" RVK, 1 4" RVK on 24/7, 2 oscilating fans constant, plus a humidifier etc
and i was paying about £14 ontop of my normal house usage. dont know if that good or bad. maybe someone will tell me

wizbit
02-02-11, 06:18 PM
nice 1 an-sic, that diagram is totally wrong as UK electricity meter terminals are not configured as your diagram shows. but...if done correctly it's a fantastic way to burn your house down as the sort of muppet who would do this typically uses interior wire.

Eggbox
02-02-11, 06:22 PM
Any more talk of rigging meters and the thread's locked :)

timothio
02-02-11, 07:28 PM
Press a few buttons on your pre-pay meter and it will tell you exactly how much you pay per kwh at peak and off peak times, and also how much you pay as a standing charge for having a pre-pay meter. The rest is just maths...

euforialover
02-02-11, 07:31 PM
euforialover, with npower don't change they're just as crappy as the rest. Actually your nearer with £14.00 per week, just know someone else growing with 600w,he gave me the same figure of £7.00 perweek just for his light. So with 2 lights plus the rest your probably looking nearer to £20.00 per week! yikes. I'm wanting a 600w light n grow room of my own so we're just gonna have to 'suck it up' lol. Things we do for a decent smoke.

I have a 600hps and grow tent (door open in its own room) with a standard fan, no fancy extras really (cos filter broke and skint) but worth 7 quid a week, check out my diary and see whay my 7 quids worth.

Jumangi
02-02-11, 09:44 PM
I phoned British gas because I'm on the card and key , I wanted to know what I use per year as I lost my yearly statement And he told me they don't monitor pre pays as it's a waste of time because your putting what you need on the key, can't remember what else I was going to say !!!!!!!! Ah fuckit

an-sic
03-02-11, 07:38 AM
Any more talk of rigging meters and the thread's locked :)

:sorry:

i won't do that again.

btw, this thread is in DIY section.. so....... ok nevermind...

TC-UP
03-02-11, 08:55 AM
I phoned British gas because I'm on the card and key , I wanted to know what I use per year as I lost my yearly statement And he told me they don't monitor pre pays as it's a waste of time because your putting what you need on the key, can't remember what else I was going to say !!!!!!!! Ah fuckit

Ring them back up and demand to know your usage, that is a feckin cop out and it is your right to be given the figures. How can they check a meter is running correctly if they don't track usage?

TCDown

Jumangi
03-02-11, 11:04 AM
Ring them back up and demand to know your usage, that is a feckin cop out and it is your right to be given the figures. How can they check a meter is running correctly if they don't track usage?

TCDown

Exactly what I said to him and he replied because it's “estimated" so he couldn't give me details and to wait for my yearly estimated bill , got the bill in November so I'll have to wait till this November :( very helpful indeed.

Ryan_2010
03-02-11, 05:23 PM
i have one and for my 600hps i pay about £7 a week extra so if you have 2 then 14...

jok3r
07-02-11, 05:44 PM
10 pound a week for every thing, tv,pc,lights, cooker,washing,12/12 600 watt,fans bla bla aerogarden 18/6. but heating is gas works out 5 pound a week. cheap as chips chips as cheap 0) good to go

Jumangi
07-02-11, 08:37 PM
10 pound a week for every thing, tv,pc,lights, cooker,washing,12/12 600 watt,fans bla bla aerogarden 18/6. but heating is gas works out 5 pound a week. cheap as chips chips as cheap 0) good to go

Yeah mines about the same it's around £15 a week prepay but the misses is doing a hell of a lot more washing and drying because of the babies.

relto
07-02-11, 11:55 PM
http://www.cactus2000.de/uk/unit/massstr.shtml

Happy roken
08-02-11, 09:39 PM
I phoned British gas because I'm on the card and key , I wanted to know what I use per year as I lost my yearly statement And he told me they don't monitor pre pays as it's a waste of time because your putting what you need on the key, can't remember what else I was going to say !!!!!!!! Ah fuckit

That is a good thing they don't monitor pre-pays.
Also when buying the electric on card and key goto different shops to top up... rotate the shops...

Jumangi
08-02-11, 10:03 PM
That is a good thing they don't monitor pre-pays.
Also when buying the electric on card and key goto different shops to top up... rotate the shops...

No need mate , if your with British gas ask them for the key and card topup devices and do it at home on there website no need to leave the house at stupid hours in the rain and cold for lecky and gas, I got mine last month USB devices for your card and key plug them in and pay online simplessssssssss :)

zee
09-02-11, 06:16 AM
I phoned British gas because I'm on the card and key , I wanted to know what I use per year as I lost my yearly statement And he told me they don't monitor pre pays as it's a waste of time because your putting what you need on the key, can't remember what else I was going to say !!!!!!!! Ah fuckit

I wouldn't believe what they say.
I know for a fact they monitor pre paid meters. A mate got busted because the electric company informed the police about suspiciously high frequent top ups on his card

Jumangi
09-02-11, 08:52 AM
I wouldn't believe what they say.
I know for a fact they monitor pre paid meters. A mate got busted because the electric company informed the police about suspiciously high frequent top ups on his card

He must of been using a shit load of lecky then , mines only a fiver extra a week .

arknor1050
14-02-11, 09:32 PM
our hot water is done from a prepay meter but all other electric is via a usual bill.

lol the meter has got stuck on £-6.33 its been like that for about 2 years atleast now..

free hot water LOL

cannamancan
14-02-11, 10:01 PM
Hi guys and gals,

Ive been for a house viewing today and me and my gf really like the house ---- the only problem is it has one of those prepay electric card things ---- i think you top them up at the post office or somthing and pay as you use..

My question is: does anyone have one of these and how much are you paying for your lights per week ---- Im not thinking massive only like my 2 600w running 18/6.

Im only asking because a freind of mine had a grow going last year and he was only using like 2kw and he says he used to top up £50 a week????

Thanks in advance,
Skunksmoka

I got 1and with 2 x 600 , 1 x cfl running with all the rest ie washer, drier , all kids stuff on standby etc and I use less than a £5r a day.

WastedYouth
15-02-11, 01:31 AM
No need mate , if your with British gas ask them for the key and card topup devices and do it at home on there website no need to leave the house at stupid hours in the rain and cold for lecky and gas, I got mine last month USB devices for your card and key plug them in and pay online simplessssssssss :)

Thats just aching to be reprogrammed for free top ups via pc. If you had some homebrew software to read the card and fake the 'top up'. I love hearing about reverse engineering. theres something thats fun about making things do different things.

cannamancan
15-02-11, 10:53 AM
No need mate , if your with British gas ask them for the key and card topup devices and do it at home on there website no need to leave the house at stupid hours in the rain and cold for lecky and gas, I got mine last month USB devices for your card and key plug them in and pay online simplessssssssss :)

Do they charge you for these gadgets ?

Jumangi
15-02-11, 01:53 PM
Do they charge you for these gadgets ?

No BUT if you don't top up within 7 or 14 days of receiving them you get charged £10 for each device. I use mine every week so never been charged , love them as I don't have to run out to the shop and get hassled by all the hooded ninjas !! Still get lazy though topping up even though it's in the house hahaha :)

marmalade dreams
15-02-11, 02:02 PM
Do they charge you for these gadgets ?

We got one for the electricity ages ago. I was charged £25 for the device, but this was reinbursed after I'd topped up so many times with it. Since then I've received one for the gas card too but didn't pay anything for that one. Don't know if any other providers do top-up via the computer scheme, but I'm with British Gas. Linky link.... (http://www.britishgas.co.uk/topup)

Looks like they don't still charge an initial payment, but as Jumangi says, if you don't use it to top up within 30 days they will.

bobbymkII
18-02-11, 04:07 PM
cant say who i work for but,,,bgas and souther electric are the only 2 companys in uk who dont charge daily standing charge on ppm's ....npower charge about 30p per day as standing charge add it up over 365 days your that ontop of what your using...same with edf ,,,eon,,,,scottishpower,,,all have daily standing charges and all varie quite a bit...would be far better getting normal meter fitted as you can then get onto a internet deal with one of the providers and be far cheaper as alot of internet deals are between 10%-20% cheaper than standard unit prices....and you cant get these deals on pre-payments...i spend used to spend about 1900 notes per year on electric now on internet deal saving 285 quid ...as its 15% cheaper unit prices ....alot of folk at the moment are going on to fixed price deals avoid these as they are about 2-6% more than the standard unit prices at the moment on the market ....yes they fix your price on units for 1-2-3 years some even 5 year deals but there fixed at a higher rate....where as internet deals will always run at the 10-20% below standard rates...

pedro sanchez
26-02-11, 08:30 PM
I had a 600hps rvk4"big desk fan and a fan for intake .400hps and a fan Intake for veg was costing £25 per week on npower repay including all home leccy .had the prepay put in cuz we killed the leccy had a bill of over 2g !!!

up2nogood
26-02-11, 08:43 PM
eon charges me 38p a day standing charge..complete rip off

cocogrower
26-02-11, 08:56 PM
I wouldn't believe what they say.
I know for a fact they monitor pre paid meters. A mate got busted because the electric company informed the police about suspiciously high frequent top ups on his card

Bullshit mate, Complete and utter.