Moving a Electric Meter Box

[Devonish]

I could do with some advice please, We are about to start building a single storey extension off the side of our house. This area was concreted as a drive/parking area some years ago. The Building Inspector came and viewed the site then suggested that we could build off a concrete slab and not dig down due to the existing concrete.



On this side wall sits our electric meter box. Once the extension is built the box will be inside the building. I was thinking I could just hide it behind a neat little door, but have now read that it has to be on an external wall.



If it has to be moved it would seem to be a good plan to do so before my slab is poured, but there is no where to move it to as there will be no walls until after the slab is in place.



I'm not sure how to move forward on this. Any ideas would be gratefully received.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Moving of the meter is a job for the DNO (Distribution Network Operator)
as you havent revealed where you live (!) you need to look at this list
http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/Our-company/Electricity/Distribution-Network-Operator-Companies/
and call the one that deals with your area. They can advise as to what you need to provide as a temporary measure. What you describe is what most building sites have to decide if power is to be provided before the house has been built!


As to where to site the box, you are the one with the plans and even with my powers I cannot imagine the layout.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There is only one idea:

You have to contact your DNO to sort out getting it moved.

Do you have any idea where the supply cable runs at the moment? Are you sure it would have to end up under the new slab?

You'll need a duct buried under the slab to take the cable (probably armoured) from the meter to the CU, so you need your electrician engaged early on as well.

 

[OwainDIYer]

There's no safety or regulatory requirement saying it has to be on an outside wall. The electricity companies like them outside so they can read the meter easily.

 

[Devonish]

 

[Devonish]

On reflection, I could just carry on and pour the slab, build the walls with a new meter box installed and get the power company to connect up at a later date. Assuming the mains power is coming in at the front of the property they can connect up directly to the new one and disconnect the old one.

Thanks for your replies.

 

[Adam_151]

That is more or less the best way to go about it, however you need to be careful of:

Ensuring the meter box and hockey stick is installed to the DNOs requirement... otherwise they may refuse to put their equipment in it. It may be best to get them on board early, and chance are the meter box and hockey stick may be able to be supplied by them.

You will need a switch fuse and submain to supply your existing consumer unit (generally the DNO will allow their cutout fuse to protect 3m of tails and no more). So you need to have an electrician on site when they do the changeover. The switchfuse is not permitted in the meter box, so you will need either a cupboard backing on to it, or a section of wall where it will not look out of place, if neither is possible then a second meter box could be installed for the switchfuse (this is normally as a last resort option)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

On reflection, I could just carry on and pour the slab, build the walls with a new meter box installed and get the power company to connect up at a later date.

To do so without their agreement first, and without realising how much they will charge, would be folly.

Assuming the mains power is coming in at the front of the property they can connect up directly to the new one and disconnect the old one.

Assuming. You know what they say about that.

Get in touch with the DNO now - you have absolutely nothing to lose, something which can't be said if you put up a building and make decisions about electricity supply provision on the basis of assumptions.

You will also need your electrician to decide how to run cables from the new meter position to the CU.

 

[Devonish]

I'll make a phone call to them. Many Thanks

 

[Jackrae]

With "smart" meters there should be no reason the supply company requires to visually read your meter at "regular" intervals; so why should it need to be on an outside wall.

 

[Devonish]

With "smart" meters there should be no reason the supply company requires to visually read your meter at "regular" intervals; so why should it need to be on an outside wall.

The wife said this as well.

 

[EFLImpudence]

You may not want a smart meter.

Why do you think they are offering incentives if you have one?

 

[Spark123]

Last time npower read my meter it was also a "electricity meter inspection", "This is the last time our metering agent visited to make sure your meter was safe".
In other words, probably to make sure I hadn't tampered with it.
I imagine they'll want to do similar with all meters.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Off-topic but you've got two downstairs bedrooms with now toilet on the ground floor. That might not comply with Building Regs, and may be extremely inconvenient in practice.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Aren't they a study and a games room?