How many Electric Meters can be fitted in to a box

I'm in the works planning stage of converting a 1930s detached commercial building into 4 flats. I have yet to contact the utility providers but would like to know if its possible/permissible to put more than one meter in a box. Alternatively are there larger boxes for this purpose. It is an attractive building and I'd like to keep the lines of the walls as "tidy" as possible. With the Gas and common areas electricity I'm potentially looking at 9 boxes which spoil the elevation.

Thanks in anticipation.

 

I'm no expert, but generally a meter box contains the supply cable, the cut-out, the meter and in some cases a double pole isolator switch - for one dwelling - so after all that there won't be much room for 3 more.

Do you have to have the meters outside?

Can there be a main intake position, maybe in the communal hallway, and the meters fitted in each flat?

This still seems to be a very common method still down our way.

 

I suspect that you will have to ask the 'utility propviders' that question, since it's really down to how many they are prepared to put in (and can fit in) a box, rather than to any regulations.

Kind Regards, John

 

Thanks Guys for your replies. At the moment there is an original 3 phase supply inside, not really any good option to put them inside and the position on the otside wall is ideall for routing but i'd like to keep the boxes minimul - As John says i think it will be decided ultimately by the providers

 

One box = one meter.
Flats in this area (both old and new) usually have the meters in each flat, or at least in a common area inside the building.
A row of 9 boxes outside would be ridiculous.

 

I would speak to the DNO first - I would imagine with the building being an old commercial supply it should be up to the task, but if it's not, their requirements will determine what you can do. Around here, there are two (main) options for multiple supplies



They dislike the second option as it involves their equipment throughout the fabric of the building - or worse, clipped up the face of the building.

I would reccomend thinking about having a switch room incorporated into the plans. Min dimensions in the drawing below. (It goes from a 3-way MSBD to a 7 way)

 

What's this? (clearly not enough room for a service head, together with multiple meters and {presumably} multiple switch-fuses) ?? .....



Kind Regards, John

 

Wouldn't it be better for the electrician in charge of the electrical aspects of the conversion to deal with the DNO? He'll know better what the demand will be, how, and using what, to run an electrical supply to each flat, etc.

 

If they're flushed into the wall and neatly arranged, and preferably on a side wall rather than front, meter boxes can be reasonably unobtrusive. New-build flats near me:

Otherwise if you are having a meter room you will probably need a ryefield board

http://www.sparksdirect.co.uk/blog/...can-anyone-install-such-a-distribution-board/

 

That rather depends a lot on one's view of "reasonably unobtrusive"

Kind Regards, John

 

I agree. Particularly the box on the left! And I hope there's some structural support above the missing third of the wall!

 

Well, it's acceptable where they are .. might not do for a mansion block in St Johns Wood

 

we're going to need a considerably bigger box.

We once installed a GRP enclosure with window for 5 meters with isolators and the DNO were happy to install their 6 way cutout and meters as long as the standard key opened it.
A similar job a few months later they refused to do it that way.

 

Yes, I realise that, but I was asking about that box in response to flameport's comment "One box = one meter".

Interesting. Did they give a reason for refusing?

Kind Regards, John

 

I was trying a flippant quote from Calendar Girls

"One box = one meter". Then they asked where the cut-out was going, we shrugged our shoulders and watched them struggle to install 5 cut-outs rather than one.