token prepay electric meters

[SparkyTris]

Anyone know how token meters work? I presume there is a code on the magnetic strip.
What happens then? is the code remotely validated over the supply wires or is it validated from within? why do you need particular "area code" tokens?

just interested, not planning electric theft. I have heavy-duty jump leads and polystyrene blocks for that.

 

[breezer]

i shopuld say its like anything that reads a card, it reads the information, if that information is correct it then does................

so in the case of electric meter you get electricity for how ever long

 

[plugwash]

i don't think the meters make any form of radio or other contact its just too tricky to manage.

my guess is they work something like photocopier cards. a value count (probbay encrypted to make tampering harder is probabblly put on the card) and then the meter reads that and transfers the value to its internal counter

it also wouldn't surprise me if they plug some kind of auditing tool into the meters every so often as well but the truth is most people clever enough to **** with a card meter are clever enough to work out much better ways to steal leccy (underground resin jointing is the best i can think of right now).

 

[chowbasa]

The amount of units paid for are recorded to the cardholders account at point of purchase which should add up when the meter is read.

 

[Stoday]

Works like this:

You buy card/key recharge and your account is credited with the purchase.

From time-to-time meter reader calls to reconcile use & credit. You should normally get extra credit because its setup for you to pay for more than the key allows.

So if someone nicks your key/card, you won't lose 'cos they can't steal the credit in your account.

Big benefit for the elect. company 'cos it gets your money up front, before you use the energy. Others pay on credit & company waits 2 or more months from use to payment (if it's quarterly).

 

[SparkyTris]

Plugwash could you expand on underground resin jointing? is this on-topic or more related to the field of recreational drug use?

 

[kai]

This is how service lines are run off street mains to feed houses and businesses, funnily enough I actually saw someone from the REC carry out such a joint in the street to feed a house yesterday.

 

[Lectrician]

Us sparks use them often aswell, when farmers and digger drivers get over-zealous!! (is that a word )

The REC's conscentric 3 phase distribution cables have the concentric CNE cores wrapped in a special pattern, spiralling one way, then the other. When you open the cable with it live and in the ground, the cores can then be seperated without breaking them, in order to gain access to the three center phases. Line taps are then used on the phases or phase to tap off to the smaller concentric cable. A resin, (boat or torpedo) joint is then fitted, and resin poured in.