Why you might need one
- Solar. Export can only be credited through a bi-directional meter. No smart meter, no feed-in tariff.
- EV charging. Time-of-use tariffs that make overnight charging cheap need a smart meter to measure by time.
- A failed or ancient meter. Accumulation meters from the 80s and 90s are being retired.
- The retailer told you so. Under the national rollout, all remaining old meters are being replaced, and retailers are working through their customers.
- Three-phase upgrade. New supply, new meter.
Who does what
This is where people get confused, because three parties are involved.
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| Your retailer | Owns the relationship. Raises the meter order and, for retailer-driven changes, pays for it. |
| Metering coordinator | A company contracted by the retailer to manage meters. Often invisible to you. |
| Level 2 ASP electrician | Does the physical install, tests it, energises it and lodges the CCEW. That is us. |
The visit
- We check the meter panel. If it is compliant and has space, we proceed. If not, we quote a panel upgrade and do both in one visit.
- Supply off. We remove the old meter and fit the new one.
- Commission the meter, confirm it is communicating, restore supply.
- CCEW lodged. Your retailer is notified and updates your account.
Total time on site: one to two hours. Power off: 30 to 60 minutes. Pick a time when you can live without the fridge for an hour and you will not notice.
What it costs
If your retailer is driving the change, it is normally free to you. If you are requesting it, from about $650 for a single-phase meter and from about $1,100 for three-phase, installed. A meter panel upgrade, if needed, is quoted separately after we see it. Details on the smart meter page.
What holds it up
- A non-compliant meter panel. Asbestos boards, undersized panels, water damage. This is the number one delay on older Coast homes.
- Undersized consumer mains. If the mains cannot support the load you are adding, they get upgraded first. See consumer mains upgrades.
- Access. A locked meter box, a dog in the yard, a meter behind a fence you cannot open. Tell us in advance.
- The retailer. Sometimes the order sits in a queue. If your solar has been on the roof for three weeks and nothing has happened, call the retailer and ask for the metering job reference, then call us.
