Box to cover damaged electric meter boxes?

[Hyper88]

Have two surface mounted electric boxes one stacked on top of another.

Both doors / hinges are damaged. I am not sure buying just to doors will sold the problem, as the boxes

Choices are :
1. Replace both boxes
2. Replace just the doors - if possible?
3. Build an outer box to cover existing boxes.
4. Is it possible to get a tall meter box to enclose both meters? rather then two ugly meter boxes?


Why are these meter boxes such a dirt magnet?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Have two surface mounted electric boxes one stacked on top of another.

Both doors / hinges are damaged. I am not sure buying just to doors will sold the problem, as the boxes

Choices are :
1. Replace both boxes
2. Replace just the doors - if possible?
3. Build an outer box to cover existing boxes.
4. Is it possible to get a tall meter box to enclose both meters? rather then two ugly meter boxes?


Why are these meter boxes such a dirt magnet?

Replacement doors about £20 per door, generally easily replaced as far as labour is concerned.
Replacement cabinet about at £45 each, a little more work involved and possibly will need the cooperation of you local DNO.

With regards to dirt, they are outside and dictated by environmental conditions. Nothing a good PVC cleaner and some elbow grease can't sort out.

 

[stillp]

Don't pressure wash them though! My wife did - no problem with water ingress, but she removed the gel coat from the fibreglass and now the rough surface traps dirt and algae.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.zinsseruk.com/how-to-guide/how-to-paint-over-fibreglass-grp/

http://www.kolorbond.co.uk/kolorbond-paint-plastic-pvc-upvc

 

[JohnW2]

Replacement cabinet about at £45 each, a little more work involved and possibly will need the cooperation of you local DNO.

"Possibly"? Would it ever be possible to replace an external meter cabinet without DNO involvement (genuine question!)?

Kind Regards, John

 

[OwainDIYer]

Replacement cabinet about at £45 each, a little more work involved and possibly will need the cooperation of you local DNO.

"Possibly"? Would it ever be possible to replace an external meter cabinet without DNO involvement (genuine question!)?

Overboxes are made which fit over damaged boxes without removing the original box or backplate.

http://www.meterboxes.co.uk/products/meter-box-spare-parts/covers-overboxes.html

 

[JohnW2]

Would it ever be possible to replace an external meter cabinet without DNO involvement (genuine question!)?

Overboxes are made which fit over damaged boxes without removing the original box or backplate.

Ah, that makes sense. I can understand it working with recessed/'flush' boxes (since one is effectively only replacing the door and frame, but I hadn't realised that (as seems to be implied in your link) the position of the incoming service into a surface-fitted box was 'standardised'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

"Possibly"? Would it ever be possible to replace an external meter cabinet without DNO involvement (genuine question!)?

No and it is chargeable work
(round here anyway)

 

[JohnW2]

"Possibly"? Would it ever be possible to replace an external meter cabinet without DNO involvement (genuine question!)?

No and it is chargeable work (round here anyway)

What about these 'overboxes' I'm being told about?

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

What about these 'overboxes' I'm being told about?

Those are fine and can be self fitted, we use a steel version for extra security when the plastic boxes get deliberately damaged by vandals.

 

[Hyper88]

The plastic doors are no good, because the box is damaged around the hinges.

I looked at the overboxes, but they look to be too thin. Are they meant for recessed boxes? As I have surface mounted ones.

Just wondering may be I can build an enclosure using aqua-panel. A sloping top. Then render it white (as the house is rendered white), so will match nicely. The only thing is how to sort out the door.... can't use aqua panel. Wood will rot and need constant maintenance... may be I am on wrong track and a dumb idea. (the main stumbling block is the door / hinges). I am confused!

 

[westie101]

I looked at the overboxes, but they look to be too thin. Are they meant for recessed boxes? As I have surface mounted ones. They look pretty ugly.

Just wondering may be I can built an enclosure using aqua-panel. A sloping top. Then render it white (as the house is rendered white), so will match nicely. The only thing is how to sort out the door.... can't use aqua panel. Wood will rot and need constant maintenance... I am confused!

Ah, the overboxes are fitted with four metal plates that could be modified to operate as doors on what you propose.
They are designed as replacement and better security for existing sunken box doors

 

[JohnW2]

Ah, the overboxes are fitted with four metal plates that could be modified to operate as doors on what you propose. ... They are designed as replacement and better security for existing sunken box doors

I'm getting rather confused by these 'overboxes' - unless I'm misunderstanding, it seems that some are designed to go over surface mounted cabinets, not recessed/flush/sunken ones - (click here) .

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

Different designs are for different uses, I must admit I had not seen the full size design for surface boxes, even at the price quoted that would be cheaper than getting the DNO involved