Shop premises

[Taylortwocities]

Ray, you are going to need to talk to the DNO.
Smart meters have not yet been rolled out in volume, there's variants and some of this is region specific
Anything else is speculation. What, how and other things will all depend on how you want to do things and how the DNO are willing to provide you with the service. They do things their own way and don't use the same regulations as us electricians.

 

[diyer56]

They use wireless data. Not telephone

https://www.ovoenergy.com/ovo-answe...eters/how-do-my-smart-meters-communicate.html

The linked document describes the use of the mobile telephone network for transmitting data back to the provider. The wireless network (Zigbee) works within your home to link the meters (and remote displays) together.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Pre-payment meters are out then.

Nobody wants those, and the only people who have them are ones with no choice if they want to have any electricity at all.

Unless your plan is to let your new flats to benefit claimants, your pool of prospective tenants will become very small indeed.

And no doubt hanging for ever and not taking to the right man.

Fantastic, OK, barely acceptable or PP - it makes no odds as you have no choice.

 

[Ray Tay]

I no intention of renting to benefit claimants as I will be living there. But the option is there. It will be done to a high spec. My wife will have the shop, but if she gives it up it must be self contained.

My thoughts are to have all the meters in a bank in the shop basement, as it would be cheaper using my own spark to run LNE wires to each flat, rather than pay a fortune to the DNO to run a riser. Anyhow the DNO is the next stop.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Metering several flats in a common "landlord's cupboard" is quite common.

 

[kai]

Having a central Landlords cupboard, containing the meters and a 100 amp switch-fuse to each flat is the easiest method. The DNO would need only be involved with one point of entry there, instead of dealing with separate flats, with the additional expense that may entail.

 

[Steve]

If the basement is accessed via the shop, I would leave the meter and supply arrangement there alone. Ask the DNO to provide two supplies on an outside wall in meter boxes for the flats (ideally somewhere near where the existing supply enters the building). The cost for this to the DNO will not be much more than to "tee" off the cellar supply in the cellar as long as you dig the hole and provide the meter boxes.

This way, everyone is happy. The meter reader and the tenants if they ever have to get a key meter. Having the meters for the flats in the shop cellar is not an option IMO. If the shop is shut, nobody has access to the meters. I don't think the DNO would allow it now. Don't forget you aren't going to be there forever and the DNO can't design their network based on your preferences/habits/opening hours.

Smart gas meters exist, commercial premises have had them for years to monitor consumption, and they are being rolled out with smart electric meters where both are linked and transmit data in one lump.

 

[Ray Tay]

Tanks Steve. Yes, the basement is accessed via the shop. The premises are terraced, so no outside wall. Only front and back. There is access to all flats from the back, but whether they have a cable adjacent outside is doubtful. Or run their cable through the basement and to the outside wall at the back?

External electricity boxes? I can't recall ever seeing one. I have seen many gas meter boxes which look ugly and the doors fall off and look even uglier. I would avoid gas meter boxes like the plague as they make a building look downmarket.

 

[flameport]

External electricity boxes? I can't recall ever seeing one

They are a standard item on virtually every house built in the last 30 years.

Electricity in the white one, gas in the brown one on the ground.

 

[Ray Tay]

I see. A Bryant house as well. That electricity meter box is "in" the wall. On existing old properties I don't think I have seen one bolted to the wall, like those ugly awful gas meter boxes

 

[kai]

Bolted-on meter boxes are available to retro-fit on existing properties.

 

[Ray Tay]

Don't have space for them, so in the basement.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Have you got a Plan B ready in case the DNO refuse to have them in the basement, and insist on them being somewhere always accessible?

 

[Ray Tay]

I will have to take one step at a time. There's nowhere on the front of the building as it is a shop front with a door to one side.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Have you got an appointment for the DNO to visit yet?
They are very busy and timescales for them to do any work can be VERY long.