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Topping Up FAQs & Friendly Credit Hours

Where can I buy credit to Top Up?
  1. Website: You can top up online by clicking here.
  2. Mobile App: Alternatively, you can top up on the PrePayPower mobile app. Download it on iPhone or Android now.
  3. Local Shop: You can purchase a Top Up credit in 1000's of  Top Up Stores  nationwide. Just look out for stores displaying a PayPoint or Payzone sign.
  4. Phone: You can also top up over the phone by calling our dedicated top up line on 0818 287 287. Lines are open from 8am to 9pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm Saturday and 10am to 5pm Sunday. For the duration of the Covid-19 Emergency, the miminum €50 top up requirement has been removed.
What are the Prepay Power "Friendly Credit" hours for Classic Meters?
Prepay Power has made sure that we have Friendly Credit Hours in place, so you don't lose power at an inconvenient time. If you run out of credit between 5pm to 9am the following day, then your not going to lose power. However, the next day at 9am, if your meter has not been topped up, you will lose power. During wintertime, if you run out of credit between 4pm to 8am the following day, then you're not going to lose power. However, the next day at 8am, if your meter has not been topped up, you will lose power. Regardless of whether it is summertime or wintertime, you will never lose power on a Saturday or Sunday.

Summertime starts and Wintertime ends on the last Sunday in October and Wintertime ends and Summertime begins on the last Sunday in March. Furthermore, you will not lose power if you run out of credit from the 25th to the 27th of December and on the 31st December and the 1st of January. Other Public/Bank Holidays are considered normal week days.

However, please remember tha tthe amount of electricity you use during these Friendly Credit Hours will be deducted from your next top up so we'd always advise customers to keep themselves in credit to avoid that rush to Top Up.

What are the Prepay Power "Friendly Credit" hours for Smart Meters?

PrePayPower has made sure that we have  Friendly Credit Hours in place, so you don't lose power at an inconvenient time. If you run out of credit any time after 3pm, they you are not going to lose power until 2pm the following day. If you are in a negative balance, the only time you can lose power is between 2pm and 3pm. Also, you will never lose power at the weekend. If you run out of credit after 3pm on a Friday, you would not lose power until 2pm on the following Monday. 

Furthermore, you will not lose power if you run out of credit from the 25th to the 27th of December and on the 31st December and the 1st of January. Other Public/Bank Holidays are considered normal week days.

However, please remember that the amount of electricity you use during these Friendly Credit Hours will be deducted from your next top up so we'd always advise customers to keep themselves in credit to avoid that rush to to Top Up.

Does "Friendly Credit" hours apply to Bank Holidays?

You will not lose power if you run out of credit from the 25th to the 27th of December and on the 31st December and the 1st of January. Other Public/Bank Holidays, such as St. Patricks Day and Easter Monday, are considered normal week days and you will lose power if your meter is in a negative balance.

How do I activate Emergency Credit on my Classic Meter?

 

In order to active your €10 Emergency Credit on your Classic Meter, your balance needs to be between €3.00 and .1c. So, if you have more than €3 or are in a negative balance, then you can’t access the emergency credit. If your balance is between €3.00 and .1c then, on your keypad, you just need to press 0, and then # to activate your €10 emergency credit. If you are accessing your meter, please ensure it is safe for you to do so.
How do I activate Emergency Credit on my Smart Meter?
To activate your €10 Emergency Credit on your Smart Meter, your balance needs to be under .99c before it can be set up. So, if you have more than €1 in credit, then you can’t access the emergency credit.  Once your balance is under .99c,  you just need to press 7 on your meter, wait a moment and the meter will flash “E-Credit” and then show “A – Accept”. Press A on your meter and this will enable €10 IOU credit. To check that you got it, press 7 again, “E-Credit” will show up, followed by 'Selected'.

You will be charged for the Emergency Credit the next time you top up. Emergency Credit is never applied automatically to your Smart Meter. You need to follow the steps above to get your €10 Emergency Credit on your Smart Meter. To make sure you never run out of credit, check out the many ways to top up above. If you are accessing your meter, please ensure it is safe for you to do so.

How do I know if I have a Classic or a Smart Meter?

1.  You can look at your Top-Up card. If there is a 6001 in the card number, then you have a Classic Meter. If there is a 6066 in the card number, then you have a smart meter.

2.  Can you see your balance on your App? If you log into your app and you can see your credit balance, this means that you have a smart meter. You can download the App by clicking here.

3. Ask us! Click on the yellow button on the bottom right hand corner of your screen to start a chat conversation with us and we will be happy to check for you.

Should I keep topping up as normal over Summer?

We recommend that you continue to top up by your regular amounts for both Gas and Electricity over the summer months. Especially for Gas, you will probably not be using as much energy over the summer months. By topping up by your regular amounts, you'll find that you have a nice pool of credit built up for the Winter months, when you will be using more energy.

When you're going on holdiay, we recommend topping up your meter before you go and your keypad can help you determine how much to top up by.You should add enough credit to cover your daily standing charges, once you have all other appliances switched off for the duration of your trip.

To determine your average Top Up press 2 for the previous days spend, press 22 to see the previous week and 222 to see the previous month. Then simply Top up by your average spend for the time you are away to ensure that you don’t run out of credit. Make sure that lights and appliances are off before you leave to avoid unnecessary energy usage.

Powercode queries

How do I enter my Powercode?
When you've topped up you will usually receive a 20 digit Powercode. Just input this into your Keypad:

Press* - Then enter your powercode - Then Press#

Don’t worry if you enter it wrong, just press * to go back and try again

Why is the keypad not accepting my Powercode?
If your top up code has been rejected you should see one of the following messages:

'Duplicate' – You have entered this Powercode before and cannot use it again.

‘Incorrect’ – the Powercode has been entered incorrectly. Just press * to go back and re-enter your code.

‘Error’ – you have missed a number or entered the Powercode too slowly.

‘Kblock’ – the Powercode has been incorrectly entered five times in a row. Wait a few minutes and try again.

‘NoComms’ – The Keypad has lost connection with the main meter. Plug it into a different socket. This should take 5 to 10 minutes to update (this applies to plug in DLC meters).

‘Wrong Tar’ – There was a meter configuration change, please enter the special 40 or 60 digit Powercode you received when you topped up.

‘Rejected’ or ‘Error’ – This could mean that you have purchased a top up using the incorrect card or PAN 

I lost the top up voucher with my Powercode, what should I do?

Don’t worry, we can find your Powercode, use our online lookup tool here.

Why have I received a longer Powercode than usual?
Occasionally (usually about once a year) you will receive a code of 40 or 60 digits. These contain additional information for configuration of your meter, for example if the price of electricity changes. Press *, input the entire code & then press #. 
I have referred a friend, when will I receive my €50 Powercode?

When you refer a friend they will receive their credit on the day of installation. You will receive a text with your €50 powercode on the day of their installation. 

It's important that your contact details are correct on our system in order to ensure you receive your code by text and email. If your friend was installed but you haven’t received a powercode, your contact details may not be up to date on our system. Please use our online form or call us to update your details and get your free code.

Top Up troubleshooting

Why is my balance lower than the amount I have just topped up by?

Credit is deducted from your account if you have availed of the €10 emergency credit, or if your credit ran out at night time or at the weekend and you didn’t have time to top up. Your balance may be lower than the amount you topped up by as your meter may have gone into arrears during friendly hours or there may be possible administration charges added to your meter for certain requests made throughout the year. 

I lost my customer card, how do I get a replacement?

Don’t worry; the card cannot be used with any other meter. Contact us via our online form or call us to report the loss and a replacement card will be arranged for you. A replacement fee may be charged. 

I've been charged a sur-charge on my In-Store Top Up, how can I report this?

You should not be charged any additional fees for in-store top up. If you come across this, please send details of the store via our online form.

How do I check if my credit was applied?
You will see either of the following 2 messages:

Accepted:

As well as a ‘happy’ tone, your top up amount will be displayed followed by the word ‘Account’ and the total credit in your meter. 

Rejected:

You will hear a ‘sad’ tone followed by a fault message. To confirm the last Power Code accepted by the meter, simply press 4 on the keypad and this will provide you with the last five digits of the most recent code entered into the meter. You can then cross reference this with your voucher for confirmation.