Why is my Prepaid Meter Showing Failed? Reasons & Solutions

Perhaps you tried recharging your prepaid meter and it is showing failed, or all of a sudden your meter started showing a failed message without any recourse, well! There must be a reason for that. However, you shouldn’t be bothered because the issue can be fixed . 

Just like other electronic gadgets, your prepaid meter may show a failed message on its screen due to insufficient credit, technical malfunctions, an incorrect meter number, an expired or wrong token, among others. So, if you see this message on your meter screen, you should try a few troubleshooting measures to get it fixed. However, if the issues persist, you should reach out to your disco’s customer care unit for assistance.

In this article, we’re going to outline different reasons why your meter may be showing a failed message. We are also going to offer solutions to them. Let’s get started. 

Common Reasons Why Prepaid Meter May Show ‘Fail’

There are numerous causes of prepaid meter failure. Some of the common reasons are outlined below:

1. Insufficient Credit

This is one of the most common reasons why your prepaid meter may display a ‘’failed’ message. If your prepaid meter has insufficient credit or there is no credit at all, it will disconnect the power supply automatically, which will lead the meter to display a ‘’failed’’ message on its screen. 

2. Technical Malfunctions

Just like other electronic devices, prepaid meters may also have technical hitches. Once they have technical faults, they may display a ‘’failed’’ message. This malfunction may be due to software glitches, meter faults, or communication errors. Any of these technical malfunctions can make the meter display a failed message on its screen. 

3. Meter Tampering

Another major reason why a prepaid meter may show a ‘’failed’’ message is when it is tampered with. This means that when its component is altered or there is an attempted bypass, the meter will show a fail message  because its security feature will be triggered. 

As you may have known, meter tampering or bypassing is not only illegal, but it has lethal consequences because it may lead to death in severe circumstances. Hence, you should never try to bypass or temper your meter. 

4. Incorrect or Expired Token 

If you enter the wrong token on your prepaid meter, it may also display a ‘’failed’’ message. This occurs because each token is unique and identical; hence, if you omit any number when entering the token, it won’t work, which will lead to an error or a failed message. 

Additionally, if you input an expired token to your prepaid meter, it is also going to show a failed message. So, it is best to load your token immediately when you receive it since its lifespan is not usually long.

5. Improper Meter Connection

This is another major reason why your meter may display a ‘’failed’’ message. If your prepaid meter is wrongly connected, it will display an error or failed message. So, if you notice that your meter is wrongly connected, you should reach out to your distribution company for assistance. 

6. Inactivated Meter

If your prepaid meter is not properly activated, it may also show a ‘’failed message’’. 

This normally occurs if it is new and hasn’t been activated. So, after acquiring a meter, you will need to activate it before it works. 

Some meters require an activation token for them to be activated, while others may be activated entirely with a different method. Whichever way, you can request activation from your disco and it will be delivered to you.

7. Incorrect Meter Number

Incorrect meter numbers can also show a failed message on the prepaid meter’s screen. If your meter number is not correct, you won’t be able to load tokens on it. So, if you notice that your prepaid meter number is not correct, you can reach out to the customer support of your disco for help.

How to Solve Prepaid Meter Failure Issues

Now that you know the possible reasons why your meter may show a ‘’failed’’ message, let’s look at some of the measures that you can use to fix it. They are:

• Ensure that you have enough credit by recharging your meter.
• If you perceive technical issues with your meter, don’t hesitate to contact your disco for assistance.
• Ensure that your meter is properly activated and that your meter number is correct. You can confirm that from your disco.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why a prepaid meter may show a ‘’fail’’ message on the screen. Issues like incorrect meter numbers, meter tampering, technical malfunctions, and insufficient credit, among others, are common scenarios that may make your meter display a fail message. However, if your meter shows this fail message, you should ensure that you have sufficient credit and that it is properly activated. If you’re certain about that, then you can reach out to your electricity distribution company for assistance.