ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade Non-US Electrical Systems & Trades How would you like it?

Here's a pic of a prepayment meter quite similar to ones i've seen installed here in Ireland by the ESB although not identical. Private pre-payment meters are used by landlords in some short-term rental acomodation (especially where students are involved)



Here's how the ESB handles payments, disconnection is possible but it's very rare, particularly in a domestic situation. The elderly, those dependent on social welfare payments etc are pretty much exempt as the social services would step in.
http://www.esb.ie/main/energy_home/your_esb_bill_payment_options.jsp
shows all of their payment options/methods and welfare options.

{Edited to fix image post at DJK's request - Paul}


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 01-31-2003).]

Well, I won't bother to go take a picture of the next card meter I see, because the one DJK has posted is identical to the type used in this area.

One of the buttons is the emergency credit switch, which is operative only when the contactor is open. The other button cycles the display from its default "credit remaining" state through various options: total units consumed, normal-rate units, night-rate units, etc. Many of the PoCos here will also "do a deal" for a high bill where once the card meter is installed they charge, say 10p per unit instead of 7p until
the balance is paid off.

On telephone bills, British Telecom operates in a similr way to EirCom (when did that name take over from Telecom Eireann, by the way?). They restrict a line to incoming calls only while haggling over the best way to clear the bill.

Same with the water utilities here: Disconnection is almost unheard of.

The Irish Govt. seems to treat its pensioners far better than the British: Free bus and train travel, electricity (or gas) allowance of so much per year, free telphone line rental, etc. A couple of years ago over here there was an absolute outcry when the govt. gave pensioners their annual rise and it was just 75p per week extra.

Some years ago when I read about electrification of developing countries, I started thinking of this type of prepaid electricity. I didn't know such meters existed. Does anyone know the cost of such a meter? (To buy)

You see, in developing countries, electricity is expensive and the expansion of electricity is very slow as it needs state subsidiaries. I read that in Nigeria, population growth outstrips the electrification, thus in reality making the country less developed each year.

Here is the idea: An integrated 20A breaker, disconnect, 30 mA RCD and card meter. Make it really cheap. Aim to wire a house for $100. Numbers below taken out of thin air, but engineers have the right to do so

$50 All-in-one meter
$15 30 metres of 2.5 mm2 cable
$15 5 socket outlets
$5 3 Light switches
$15 Work

Then there is probably another $100 to bring power from substation to house. $200 should be within reach of many families, in all but the poorest of countries. If you can offer electricity on a commercial basis, the number of connected households would explode.

[This message has been edited by C-H (edited 01-31-2003).]

I know that there used to be coin-insert meters here long ago (electricity only, the shilling-operated gas fires never caught here), but they disappeared long ago. I once saw one in a museum.

PaulUK

Telecom Eireann was completely rebranded just after it was totally privatised a few years ago at this stage.

They already had loads of brands beginning with eir--- (eircell, eirpage, eirpac etc) so they went for the name "eircom" (Always in lowercase)

The logo went from this:



to this:



I think the old image was getting a little 80's and they wanted to move away from being just a phone company. They really took the rebranding seriously though. I've never seen anything quite so fast. Within 3 months they had erased all traces of Telecom! Every phonebox, every payphone, every trace!

Was a pretty extensive rebrand.
They've their own font which is copyrighted and used in their logo and in all of their marketing stuff.
and they also now have a standardised male
voice used in all marketing, operator services, voicemail, automated services anything they provide uses the same guy! even if you visit their website you'll get this guys voice!

Click on this to hear the TACKIEST only voiced over website i've ever seen and their "Supermouse" character (kinda quirky ads!)
http://www.eircom.ie/bveircom/mouse/index.html

a rat for as mascot djk?

sure C-H,
here's a cheapo system here, the SWER system.

btw~
i do notice the price of power here driving alternate energy sales.....

Thanks for all of your input guys,
Because I work off and on for the local Power Board, as a Line Mechanic/Faultsman,
it is written into my Employment Contract,
that I must do all of the duties that are required of me.
I am one of 3 On-call Faultsmen, and having spoken to the other 2, they do not like this part of their job either, but it has to be done, simple as that!.

Sparky:

I folled that link and soon googled the net for more info. This is a very intresting system. Thanks for the tip! I got stuck this weekend trying to work out a way of implementing it at very low cost.

Trumpy:
I am sure that the old folks are not the only people you turn off. I just wanted to add my two cents.
We were remodelling a basement in a $500,000 house here in the US a while back, actually just getting started, when the utility guy drives up. Well, he had a disconnect notice and I asked a few questions. The owners were 90 days late, and had been disconnected before. He said they could get turned back on if they paid one months worth or $90.00. I am sure the mortgage on this house runs to two or three thousand a month, and these deadbeats can't pay ninety a month for energy. I don't feel too bad for these people.
I commend your fairness in dealing with your clients(?)

cubby964,
That's an unreal story, mate.
Just goes to show how wrong some people have
thier priorities.
Yeah, it's true, that it's not only the elderly, that get cut-off, no-one is immune from this!, just don't pay your power bill for a few months and see what happens.