Prepaid Lights

When it comes to electricity consumption, just how “smart” are smart meters? What is a so-called “smart meter” even capable of? These devices, which an estimated 70 million American homes are using (according to the U. S. Department of Energy), manage and record usage and performance of electronic devices. Smart meters cut out the middle man (or technician) by accurately assessing data on electrical usage in real-time or pre-determined time intervals—thus the “smart” moniker. Sounds pretty…smart, huh? Smart meters for consumers are used to replace traditional analog monitors that are read manually on a monthly basis. These modern meters are being implemented at a rapid pace whenever and wherever possible.   Now that we know what a smart meter is , let’s weigh the advantages and disadvantages of smart meters for consumers  and electric companies alike.   “Pros” for Consumers and Electric Companies:          Cost benefits and competitive prici...

As the name suggests, the  prepaid electricity meters  is almost like a pay-as-you-go mobile phone. As long as you have a balance on your prepaid card, you will be provided with energy. When your credit balance gets to zero, you need to top-up your prepaid card to get energy supplied again. How Does It Work? As a consumer, you have to recharge your prepaid card for a certain amount of money. Then it can be fed as input into the Microcontroller. The Microcontroller collects information from the energy meter as well as the prepaid card. It then compares the energy meter reading with the energy limits to show the amount of energy consumed on an LCD or LED display. The  prepaid energy  meter shows the energy consumption in the form of 1 Unit or 1 kWh. 1 kWh refers to the unit of energy required to provide 1000 watts of power for 1 hour. The prepaid energy meter is programmed so that once the funds are depleted, the power stops. When you top-up your prepaid card...