Khomani Desert San - Northern Cape, South Africa

The San are the aboriginal people of South Africa. Their distinct hunter-gatherer culture stretches back over 20 000 years, and their genetic origins reach back over one million years. Recent research indicates that the San are the oldest genetic stock of contemporary humanity.


How to Tell That Your Prepaid Water Meter Will Be Compatible With the New ‘Black’ Keypad

There are tens of thousands of Amanzi Prepaid Water Meters in the field.

All of them were initially supplied with the ‘White’ keypad which is water and dustproof as well as NOT having any user replaceable batteries – handy when you drop your keypad in the toilet but NOT handy when the internal battery runs flat.

All of the keypads from new generation Amanzi prepaid water meters communicate with the prepaid water meter on an ICASA designated channel – 433MHz.

The original (from approximately before 2015) prepaid water meters communicated on a different channel.

If you want to check if your prepaid water meter will be compatible with the new Black Keypad from Straton Prepaid then all you need to do is flip your existing keypad over and check what the frequency is that it operates on – if it is 433MHz then the keypad is compatible.

 

Utility Systems Replacement keypad comparison
Look for the 433MHz notation on the back of your ‘White’ keypad. Photo: Stratlec Online

Video: How To Tell That Your Prepaid Water Meter Will be Compatible With the New ‘Black’ Keypad

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on How To Tell That Your Prepaid Water Meter Will be Compatible With the New ‘Black’ Keypad here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Read the full article by Alan Straton here: MyPR

Mangaung: Bloemfontein Residents, Does Your Prepaid Water Meter Keypad Need Replacing?

As at the end of June 2022 the Mangaung Municipality had installed 36 666 Prepaid Water Meters.

The Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality has a policy in place that allows individuals and businesses to apply for the installation of these meters. The municipality will evaluate applications and install them where practically possible, but all outstanding debts must be cleared before installation.

It appears that the bulk of the prepaid water meters installed in Bloemfontein and surrounds are the locally manufactured Amanzi Prepaid Water Meters with the WHITE KEYPAD.

Now, these white keypads have a NON-replaceable internal battery and they are approaching their end of life.

When those batteries die in the white keypad then you will not be able to top up your prepaid water meter, neither will you will be able to replace the batteries (without some specialist knowledge and tools).

The GOOD NEWS is that Straton Prepaid has BLACK KEYPADS with replaceable batteries that are compatible with your prepaid water meter.

Should the municipality not have stock of the new BLACK KEYPADS then Straton Prepaid can ship a new one to you.

CLICK HERE to order a new Black Keypad (UIU) to replace your WHITE KEYPAD.

Take Control of Your Water Usage with Straton Prepaid Water Meter Keypads

Our advanced prepaid water meter keypads empower you to monitor and control your water usage, leading to significant savings and peace of mind.

Why Choose Straton Prepaid?

Straton Prepaid keypads are known for their reliability and durability, ensuring consistent performance and accurate readings.

Straton Prepaid keypads contribute to a more sustainable and efficient water management system for the entire city of Mangaung. By promoting responsible water consumption, we collectively work towards a healthier and more prosperous Mangaung.

Ready to take control?

Contact Straton Prepaid today to learn more about our water meter keypads and how they can benefit you. Visit our website or call us to get started. Let’s work together to make Mangaung a more water-wise city!

Black Prepaid Water Meter UIU (keypad) With Replaceable Batteries

Video: Mangaung: Bloemfontein Residents, Does Your Prepaid Water Meter Keypad Need Replacing?

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Mangaung: Bloemfontein Residents, Does Your Prepaid Water Meter Keypad Need Replacing? here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Read the full article by Alan Straton here: MyPR

My Prepaid Water Meter Shows ‘CLOSE” – What Now?

There are batteries in the WMD (Water Management Device – prepaid water meter) that do run down after a number of years – most people get 8-10 years if the valves are not opened and closed too often (by running out of water) or topped up daily.

Here are some reasons why you could be seeing CLOSED:

  • Depleted Credit: The most common reason is that you have run out of water credit.
  • Tamper Mode: The WMD may be in tamper mode, which will be shown on the UIU by displaying 0L and/or no water droplet visible on the screen.
  • Communication Error: There might be a communication issue between the UIU and the WMD *
  • Valve Closed Manually: Check if the ball valve on the meter box is closed.
  • Water Interruptions: There may be water interruptions in your area.
  • Keypad Not Communicating: Try moving closer to the unit, check the state of battery level. **

* You can try resetting the UIU first by pressing #981# on the keypad, which should display “default”.

THEN Re-pair the UIU: After resetting, you can re-pair the UIU by entering #999# followed by the serial number on your water meter (the same number you use to purchase water with OR engraved near the base), and pressing ### after entry.

** The white keypads have a non user replaceable battery in them and have now been replaced with the BLACK Keypads which have user replaceable batteries – https://stratlec.co.za/shop/prepaid-water-meter-user-interface-unit-uiu-keypad-with-user-replaceable-batteries/

Replacement Amanzi Water Meter: https://stratlec.co.za/shop/us-pp-prepaid-water-meter/

Water Meter from the Field showing CLOSE. Photo: Straton Prepaid

Video: My Prepaid Water Meter Shows ‘CLOSE” – What Now?

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on My Prepaid Water Meter Shows ‘CLOSE” – What Now? here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Read the full article by Alan Straton here: MyPR

Why Your Prepaid Electricity Meter Might Trip (or Tamper) With Solar

  • Why your prepaid electricity meter goes into Tamper
  • Why you may need to change your prepaid electricity meter when installing solar
  • Why you must use a registered electrician for your Solar Installation

With the KRN Rollout in full swing, ahead of the looming 24 November cut off date, consumers are panicking.

“We also find many enquiries coming in from people who have prepaid electricity meters that go into tamper especially in the presence of solar installations that are grid tied,” says Straton Solar.

Many prepaid meters are not compatible with solar installations and trip or go into tamper mode when they sense any electricity being fed back into the grid. What frustrates consumers even more is that they will then need to contact their electricity/prepaid meter supplier to issue a tamper reset code.

“We have come across a number of consumers with a tamper problem related to solar installations. In a few of these situations the electricity eskom or municipal supplier has, in desperation, bypassed their own prepaid meters whilst a solution is sought,” continued Straton.

Common reasons why a prepaid meter might trip or go into tamper mode in the presence of a solar system:

  • Reverse Current: The biggest issue is that some prepaid meters are not designed to handle reverse current. This happens when your solar panels generate more electricity than your home uses, and the excess power flows back to the grid. The meter may interpret this as tampering and trip. This situation is referred to as SRE: Significant Reverse Flow detection.
  • Meter Sensitivity: Some prepaid meters are very sensitive and will trip even with a small amount of reverse current. This can be a problem even if your inverter is set to prevent reverse current.
  • Power Fluctuations: Even if your inverter is set to prevent reverse current, there may still be some power fluctuations that can cause the meter to trip. This is because the meter is designed to detect changes in power flow, and even small fluctuations can be interpreted as tampering.

Before we give possible solutions lets be brutally honest:

  1. Any Grid-Tie solar system is a notifiable installation to your local municipality.
  2. If you have a credit meter you will not experience this problem and will not mind waiting for a smart meter to be installed.
  3. If you have an existing prepaid electricity meter you must apply (and pay for) a Smart Meter from your municipality.
  4. The installation must be signed off by a registered electrician with a wireman’s license.

Smart meters are in short supply across South Africa so be prepared to wait after applying and paying.

What Can You Do?

If your prepaid meter is tripping or going into tamper mode after you install a solar system, there are a few things you can do:

  • Contact Your Electricity Provider: The first step is to contact your electricity provider and explain the situation. They may be able to help you troubleshoot the problem or provide you with a new meter that is compatible with solar systems.
  • Check Your Inverter Settings: Make sure that your inverter is set to prevent reverse current. If it is not, you may need to adjust the settings.
  • Install a Solar Meter: A solar meter can be installed to monitor the flow of electricity from your solar panels. This can help you identify any problems that may be causing the meter to trip.

“What we have done for a number of our clients waiting for replacement of prepaid electricity meters with smart meters is to install a number of lamps in such a configuration that they will consume feedback before the power hits the prepaid meter and trips the meter,” says Straton.

Should you require a schematic of how this is done then contact Straton Electrical here: https://straton.co.za/contact

It’s important to note that not all prepaid meters are incompatible with solar systems. Some meters are specifically designed to work with solar, and they will not trip or go into tamper mode. If you are planning to install a solar system, it is important to check with your electricity provider to see if your meter is compatible.

Solar Inverter next to Prepaid Electricity Meter. Photo: Straton Solar (with a bit of AI Assistance!)

Video: Why Your Prepaid Electricity Meter Might Trip With Solar

Boilerplate and Editor’s Notes.
More Info on Why Your Prepaid Electricity Meter Might Trip With Solar here:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MyPE
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StratonElectrical/

CLICK HERE to submit your press release to MyPR.co.za.

Read the full article by Alan Straton here: MyPR

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