I want my electrician to install a 2way consumer unit inside my outdoor meter box. The unit has rcd mcb and is ip65 rated. The box will feed a garage that is about 15m away. Am I allowed to put the unit inside the meter box (there is enough room) my spark seems to think it's not allowed and wants to put the unit inside the house which would mean putting it in the lounge! The main house consumer unit is the other end of the house so it's not an option to feed the garage from that. Can unit go inside meter box??
2 way consumer unit in meter box??
- Thread starter Stevo1972
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Technically you may not put your own equipment in the cabinet, unless it's a switchfuse when the tails are >3m long.
In practice most DNOs/metering companies won't care as long as it doesn't interfere with their gear, and as long as there is still room for them to change or add anything in the future. It's the last where any conflicts are most likely to arise.
So your electrician is right. I don't know what he'll do if you insist.
But why have the CU there in the first place? The correct location for a garage CU is in the garage. You don't want to have to be schlepping around outside, having found where you put the key, to reset something which has tripped. Plus you'll need 2 cables running to the garage, or a 5-core one.
Put the CU in the garage and have a switchfuse in the meter box - even smaller than your CU.
In practice most DNOs/metering companies won't care as long as it doesn't interfere with their gear, and as long as there is still room for them to change or add anything in the future. It's the last where any conflicts are most likely to arise.
So your electrician is right. I don't know what he'll do if you insist.
But why have the CU there in the first place? The correct location for a garage CU is in the garage. You don't want to have to be schlepping around outside, having found where you put the key, to reset something which has tripped. Plus you'll need 2 cables running to the garage, or a 5-core one.
Put the CU in the garage and have a switchfuse in the meter box - even smaller than your CU.
Thanks for the reply mate I see what your saying. I forgot to mention there will be another CU in the garage feeding a few sockets and lights so the way I see it he's trying to add protection to the underground feed to the garage incase anyone digs through it? (It's my private land tho) There's loads of room in the meter cab so I could put the 2way in there with enough cabling to move it outside the meter cab into a waterproof box if it ever it becomes an issue. Your thoughts appreciated.
Why a two way consumer unit? As ban has said, a metal clad switch fuse is what you require.
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Inside a meter box?
Yes
Ah - to go with the metal clad meter, I guess.
Seriously - why?
Seriously - why?
To be able to glad the swa to
Can u show me picture of the fused switch that would be suitable PLZ I'm a bit lost.
My spark is saying put a 63a in line rcd. ?
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Because...?
Is it a TT installation with earth rod?
why ?? what are you running in there ? you NEED a spare way in your current board and an RCBO to the correct rating for your use ..your sparks should have told you this ..you put the consumer unit IN the garage
No you don't.
You neither need nor want a garage sub-main to originate from the house CU, and you sure as hell do not want the RCD protection for the garage circuits to be somewhere remote.
No he shouldn't.
Yes, but you supply it from a switchfuse connected to the meter tails.
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