Meter know how
How do I enter a final meter reading?
If you have a smart meter you won’t need to enter a final meter reading as we’ll get your reading automatically.
If your meter isn’t smart, you’ll need to enter it manually.
Log in to your account from your desktop or do it on Powershop’s mobile app.
From your desktop – Go to your ‘Balance’ page, click on ‘Enter a meter read’ under your usage graph (the short cut).
Or go to ‘Usage’, ‘Meter Readings’, then ‘Enter a meter read’ (you can also see a list of your previous readings, as well as enter your current reading)
From your mobile – Select ‘Read meter’ about halfway down the main menu. Reading in a dark spot or at night? Check out our handy torch button.
You can enter your final meter reading up to 3 days after you move out.
If the final meter reading you give us seems unusual, compared to your typical usage at this address, then we may need to send a technician to confirm the reading. There is a fee for this – see our fees and charges – which will be added to your final Account Review for this property.
I think my meter is broken, what should I do?
Keep yourself and others away from any live wires. And if it’s safe to do so, shut off the mains switch. Contact us via the Live Chat option on our website and we’ll contact your metering company to fix the issue.
If you think your meter is not accurate you must tell us. If you have asked us to test a meter and it is found to be accurate, you may be charged for the meter test – see our Fees Schedule.
Can I change the way my meter is set up?
Most likely. Contact us via the Live Chat option on our website and we’ll look at some different options based on what you use and when in your household.
How does my meter set-up affect what I pay?
Your meter set-up – or your ‘tariff’ – determines:
- how much of your supply your lines company (or network) can control, and
- how your power is measured – that is whether your meter can measure your day and night time usage, separately.
- Or whether your day and night time usage is bundled together.
If you have day/night metering you may pay less for the power you use at night (if the lines company in your network area incentivises usage at off-peak times).
If you have controlled/uncontrolled metering you’ll generally pay less for the power your lines company can control.
If you have inclusive or uncontrolled metering then all of your power usage will generally be charged at the same rate.
How do I know what my meter set-up is?
Find it in ‘Your rates’ in the ‘Usage’ tab of your desktop account. The most common set-ups are ‘inclusive’, ‘controlled/uncontrolled’, ‘day/night’ and ‘night only’.
What does night only metering mean?
Night only metering means the power supply to certain appliances, for example a night store heater or hot water cylinder, can only be turned on at night. Night time is from 9pm to 7am in Christchurch and 11pm to 7am in most other areas. Many lines companies charge a lower rate for the power you use at night.
What does day/night metering mean?
If you have a day/night meter your day usage and your night usage are measured separately. Many lines companies charge a lower rate for the power you use at night – which goes from 9pm to 7am in Christchurch and 11pm to 7am in most other areas. Sorry Auckland, your networks don’t offer a cheaper rate for power used at night.
What does inclusive metering mean?
With inclusive metering, your local network company ‘controls’ a portion of your power – which is usually the supply to your hot water cylinder. However, they charge you the same rate for the ‘uncontrolled’ and ‘controlled’ portions of your supply. Unlike controlled/uncontrolled metering, which charges a lower rate for power to appliances that are wired to your ‘controlled’ supply.
What does controlled vs uncontrolled metering mean?
If you have controlled/uncontrolled metering, the power your network company is able to ‘control’ is measured separately to the power that they can’t.
Most networks will give you a discounted rate on the power they can control – which is usually the supply to your hot water cylinder. This is because they can switch off the ‘controlled’ portion of your supply for short periods, for example when the demand on their network is high or there are faults or emergencies on their lines.
How often will my meter be read?
That’ll depend on your meter type.
If you have a smart meter we get your meter readings daily. Your meter sends us 48 half hourly readings once a day.
If you don’t have a smart meter, then our meter readers will come every other month.
Meter readings aren’t showing in my account?
Let’s have a lookie. If you don’t have a smart meter – then you’ll need to enter your meter readings manually in your Powershop account.
If you have a smart meter – if you only have one day’s worth of readings missing, then that’s perfectly normal. The readings in your Powershop account are usually 24 hours behind real time.
If you’re a few days behind on your meter readings, a technical glitch could be stopping your smart meter from communicating the information to your account. Contact us using the Live Chat option on our website - we’ll get in touch with your metering company so that they can sort out the fault.
We can’t always guarantee meter readings. Sometimes bad weather can interfere with your meter’s signal. Meters in some rural areas also send inconsistent signals.
Can I change to a smart meter?
If you don’t already have a smart meter, chances are you’ll be getting one soon. We’re working our way through our remaining customers to install smart meters at their properties. If you’re super keen, you can jump the queue (but you’d be charged for your smart meter).
How do I know if I have a smart meter?
The easiest way to tell if your meter is smart is to log in to your Powershop account and check your daily usage graph on your ‘Balance’ page. If your usage graph goes up and down (i.e. you have a different reading each day) then you have a smart meter. If your meter isn’t smart (poor thing!) then your usage will appear to be flat, unless you have entered meter readings manually.
What is a smart meter?
Most properties in New Zealand now have smart meters. Smart meters mean we get more accurate consumption information and they don’t need a human to manually read them. We get your smart meter readings daily.
How do I enter a meter reading?
If you have a smart meter, your meter will send us readings automatically. If your meter isn’t smart, you can enter your own meter read. Log in to your account from your desktop or do it on Powershop’s mobile app.
From your desktop – go to your ‘Balance’ page, click on ‘Enter a meter read’ under your usage graph (the short cut).
Or go to ‘Usage’, ‘Meter Readings’, then ‘Enter a meter read’. From here, you can also see a list of your previous readings.
From your mobile – Select ‘Read meter’ about halfway down the main menu. Reading in a dark spot or at night? Check out our handy torch button.
How do I read my meter?
If you have a smart meter you won’t need to read your meter – it’ll send us your readings automatically.
If you don’t have a smart meter, keep reading!
Please be safe when you read your meter. Make sure you can reach it safely. If there are any loose or exposed wires in the cabinet, don’t touch them – call an electrician as soon as possible.
Safety aside, there are three common types of manual meter – analogue meter, dial meter and digital meter.
Analogue meter
Read this meter from left to right – this means that the top reading in this example is 450, and the bottom reading is 1906. Ignore the red numbers.
Your analogue meter will look something like this.
Dial meter
When reading this meter, always take the number that the dial has just passed, even if it’s not the closest number to the dial. Make a note of the direction each dial is moving. If the top two dials are in red, ignore them, they’re for testing purposes only – just read the bottom set of dials.
The reading in this example is 9704.
If you have a dial meter it will look like this.
Digital meter
Digital meters have an electronic display and three or four sets of numbers that will scroll on a loop.
If the numbers are moving too quickly to note down your readings, you can pause the display by pushing the ‘select’ button on the right (we know – we told you not to touch your meter, but this is the exception).
If you have day/night or controlled/uncontrolled metering, you’ll need to note down two sets of readings. If you have inclusive metering or uncontrolled only, look for one reading. You can tell which reading is which by looking at the code on the left side of the display:
Ctrl = controlled
24Hr = uncontrolled
Day = day
nite = night
Inc = inclusive
Your meter reading will have up to six numbers and a decimal point.
Where is my electricity meter?
First up, please remember to be safe when looking at your meter. Make sure that you can reach it safely and if there are any loose or exposed wires in the cabinet don’t touch them – call an electrician as soon as possible.
Your meter will usually be on an outside wall of your house, or inside perhaps in a porch or near the laundry.
In some apartment and multi-dwelling buildings, meters will be grouped together so make sure you’re looking at the correct meter for your unit or flat. Sometimes your meter can be difficult to access. If this is the case, don’t worry, we’ll estimate your meter readings between meter reader visits. Please be safe if you’re trying to reach it!
Do I read my meter, or does Powershop?
If you have a smart meter your meter will send us half hourly readings, once a day, so you won’t need to read your meter at all.
If you don’t have a smart meter and would like to track your power usage, you can enter meter readings as often as you like. Tap on ‘Read meter’ in Powershop’s mobile app or select the Usage section in your desktop account.
Outages
My power is off – what should I do?
Your power could be off for a few reasons – e.g. extreme weather, a vehicle crashing into a power pole, or some kind of lines fault. The outage may be specific to your property, or there may be a more widespread problem in the network.
First up
It’s best to call your network company to report the fault. If you don’t know your network company, then check one of your recent Account Review PDFs and your network will be listed in the top right hand corner on page 2. If other houses in your street are out, there’s a good chance someone will be working on the problem already and it’s just a matter of time before the power is back on.
See who to contact for faults or power outages in your area.
Keep yourself safe
Keep yourself and others well clear of any electrical lines and wires – even if your power is out, you should treat all lines and wires as if they’re live and dangerous.
Switch off appliances at the wall
If your power goes off it’s a good idea to switch off all electrical appliances at the wall. It’s especially important to make sure hazardous appliances (heaters and ovens) or sensitive electronic equipment (computers) are turned off or unplugged at wall, to reduce the risk of fire, or damage to equipment if there is an electricity surge when the supply is restored. Just leave a light or two on so you know when the power has come back on.
There's no hot water at my place?
No hot water at your place? Find out if there is a fault or outage in your area first, before calling a tradie.
I’ve moved house and my power is off?
First things first, check that the previous occupier hasn’t turned off the power at the mains. If you don’t know how, or have any problems, contact us via the Live Chat option on our website.
If the house has been empty for a while the power may have been disconnected. In which case, we’ll reconnect you. You may have to pay a reconnection fee – see our fees and charges.
If the property has been disconnected for longer than 6 months, you’ll need to get a Certificate Of Verification (COV) signed by a registered electrical inspector. This confirms that everything is in good working order and safe. Show the COV to our technician when they come to reconnect you.
Protect appliances from surges and interruptions
Surges and interruptions to your supply can damage things like computers, televisions, stereos, washing machines and dryers, and heat pumps. There are a few things you can do to minimise the damage, which we’d strongly recommend.
1. Install a product that will minimise damage. What you’ll need will depend on your circumstances. Your local electrician or electrical store can help you choose the best product or combination of products for you. If you’re keen to do a bit of research yourself, there are some great online resources that discuss these issues in depth. The types of product you can choose from include:
- Surge protectors
- Power conditioners
- Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS)
2. Make sure you have insurance that covers you for loss or damage due to interruptions or fluctuations in electricity supply.
3. Switch off all electrical appliances at the wall if your power goes off. This can help prevent damage if there is an electricity surge when the supply is restored. Just leave a light or two on so you know when it has come back on.
Who's responsible for trees growing near powerlines?
If a tree on your property is dangerously close to a power line, or is looking like it will be soon, contact your lines company, who will tell you what to do. You can find out who your lines company is by looking at your Account Review invoice.
“Cut and trim”
Your lines company may issue you with a “cut and trim” notice. If it’s the first one you’ve been issued, then the lines company may either cut the tree itself or pay for it to be done by a third party. You will be responsible for paying for any further cuts unless you provide your lines company with a ‘no interest’ tree notice in accordance with the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003. This gives the lines company the right to remove or trim the tree subject to certain obligations in the regulations.
Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations
If a tree comes into contact or falls onto a power line it can cause power cuts or, worse, put lives at risk. So it’s obviously in everyone’s interest to get it sorted. The Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 – which set out tree owners’ obligations for keeping trees free from power lines – define when the lines company must give notices, and the information they need to include.
You can find out more on your lines company’s website. By law, they should have information on:
- the dangers posed by contact between trees and electricity lines
- an explanation of the distances trees should be from electricity lines
- a general description of the dangers of cutting and trimming trees in the vicinity of lines
- a list of offences that tree owners could commit and the penalties associated with them
Meter not recording your usage accurately?
Contact us via the Live Chat option on our website and we will contact your metering company to see if there is a fault.
Smart meter reading not showing in account?
The smart meter readings recorded in your Powershop account are usually 24 hours behind real time. If you have a few days’ readings missing, it could be that there is a technical glitch that is causing the delay. Contact us via the Live Chat option on our website and we’ll get in touch with your metering company so that they can sort it out.
Sometimes bad weather can interfere with your meter’s signal. Also if you live in certain areas, e.g. rural spots, your geography may mean your signal is inconsistent.