Where to put the electricity meter

[dpmiller]

4 hours ago, PeterW said:

Your only choice is SWA as you cannot install split concentric yourself (only allowable by DNO to a fuse head)

 

really? Sure you're not thinking about concentric?

[Jenki]

On 19/03/2022 at 10:54, PeterW said:

Your only choice is SWA as you cannot install split concentric yourself (only allowable by DNO to a fuse head.

Just to resurrect this and add some context.

 

After having my install(35M of straight concentric cable from pole to cabinet). I need to plan the connection to temp caravan and pods, with an  eye on the house.

General details are:

Around 35m from cabinet to pods (6mm SWA). And 75M to house, caravan in-between so say 50m.

 

To cable this  in 25mm SWA it's around £900.  

I look at the DNO straight concentric and think surely I can use this?. Then I find someone selling 100M of 35 straight concentric ( 1 core plus Neutral/ CPC combined- or PEN conductor) for £120🤗.  So I'm thinking from cabinet to house :- Switch Fuse 35mm str con - cutout to terminate Cable and 25mm Tails to CU.

Several blogs/forums say no no no. but I'm thinking that's a huge saving just do it 🤔.

To get to the point I contact NAPIT technical and they say .. do it.. as long as it's ducted and doesn't form part of a final circuit then it's fine. Result.🤩

Just need to get the cable from Kent to the Highlands 😂😂

 

[TonyT]

Best take an insulation resistance tester to check the cable before buying or get the seller to do a test and video the results 

[joe90]

Yes I had to use expensive cable from meter (in garage) to house but DNO allowed to use thin cheap stuff to supply the meter 🤷‍♂️.

[ProDave]

Technically you could use the concentric for L and N and run a separate earth alongside it.  But it is not an approved cable in the wiring regs for use after the meter, and it is DEFINITELY not okay to run a combined neutral and earth after the meter.  If you do use it, keep quiet.

 

Assuming you have a PME earth, For the house, I would be connecting to that and adding a couple more earth rods to it, one right next to the house.

 

Do NOT connect the caravan to the PME earth, that will need it's own completely separate local earth rod.

 

For delivery of a heavy item try palletways, likely to be £100 or offer the shipment on https://www.shiply.com/   I used that for a couple of large items.

[Jenki]

8 hours ago, ProDave said:

Technically you could use the concentric for L and N and run a separate earth alongside it.  But it is not an approved cable in the wiring regs for use after the meter, and it is DEFINITELY not okay to run a combined neutral and earth after the meter.  If you do use it, keep quiet.

This Is why I checked with NAPIT, and they were more than happy for me to use this supply as a PEN conductor, as long as this formed no part of final circuits. They understood this was after the meter..

 

We discussed the termination of the straight concentric cable into an additional service head cut out to make it a neat install, and then connect std tails to this to the consumer unit....

 

I was surprised..

 

8 hours ago, ProDave said:

Do NOT connect the caravan to the PME earth, that will need it's own completely separate local earth rod.

Yep understand ESQCR prohibit the connection of PME  to caravan pitches. 👍

[MortarThePoint]

On 26/07/2020 at 13:43, ProDave said:

No, that's just an isolating switch.  But you have space in the bottom right of the meter box to put one of these

 

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CGMSF100.html

 

Do you know if there is a compact a 3-phase version of this?

[TonyT]

https://cpc.farnell.com/europa-components/fs1003psnme/interlocked-fused-switch-3p-n/dp/MC02311

[MortarThePoint]

Smaller and cheaper to have a single phase switch per phase though I doubt that's allowed 

[TonyT]

Nah, you need to isolate the 3 phases at the same time, why 3 phase mcbs which are effectively single phase mcbs are joined together 

[MortarThePoint]

11 minutes ago, TonyT said:

Nah, you need to isolate the 3 phases at the same time, why 3 phase mcbs which are effectively single phase mcbs are joined together 

 

For the isolation, I guess a 100A one of these could work:

 

 

The fusing would need to be separate though