Move Meter to consumer unit feed

[Leahill]

Good morning.

 

I need to feed a power source to my desking area and I have run an armoured cable from decking to the outside service head cabinet.

 

The desking termination is going to a IP66 outdoor double socket and secured using a 20mm gland. The feed end of the armoured able goes into the outside service head cabinet were the service head and meter are located. The service head then feeds the Meter and the Meter then feeds the internal consumer unit using two separate tail ends (Blue & Brown). I've fitted a new 2 way consumer unit with RCD which the decking cable is connected to using a 6amp RCD. Rather than feed to supply to the decking consumer unit by way of the internal consumer unit I want to know if its possible (allowed) to have the Meter feed that goes to the internal consumer unit fed into a 2 x 5 way distribution block so that it then feeds both the internal consumer unit and the decking RCD consumer unit.

 

Thanks

Edited June 13, 2021 by Leahill

[tonyshouse]

Generally you are not allowed to put any additional equipment in the meter box. You should feed new stuff from the existing consumer unit or fit new things next to it 

[MikeSharp01]

You can, subject to appropriate skills / certifications and safety approaches, do what you like after the meter but generally NOT in the meter box. Many of us here have put second meter boxes adjacent to the main one, taken a feed into that and then split it out using and isolating switches to the various consumer units around the building.  Here are our two, when the meter was installed I got the power company (In out case UKPN) to install to the isolator, bottom right and then we could do the work in the second cabinet with the power isolated anytime we like. The second cabinet has the two building isolators and a local service (garden power sockets & lighting, car charging and drainage services) consumer unit. 

[ProDave]

If there is room in the meter box I would do it,.  You split the tails with a pair of single pole 5 way henley blocks (those black things bottom right of first picture above)  I hate, and never use the 2 pole henley blocks Dangerous things imho.

 

The split tails feed into a 2 way RCD mini consumer unit then out to your outside stuff.  Ig it is feeding a socket I would use a 16A mcb.

 

The big BUT here is to do this you need to be competent and understand how to isolate the tails out of the meter in order to do this safely.  That is the bit where you are probably better off getting a sparky to do it.

[Bramco]

22 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If there is room in the meter box I would do it,

So are you saying that you can put the mini consumer unit in the meter box if there is room?

 

Western Power will provide our connection part way to the new house and rather than having the meter box stuck on the side of the house, we were planning to have a freestanding one in the base of a hedge part way up the drive. We'd then needs feeds to the garage and house CUs. We'd need power in the meter box to power an energy monitoring device to drive PV diversion, so I was hoping we could install a large enough meter box that could also house a mini CU.

 

Simon

[ProDave]

1 minute ago, Bramco said:

So are you saying that you can put the mini consumer unit in the meter box if there is room?

 

Western Power will provide our connection part way to the new house and rather than having the meter box stuck on the side of the house, we were planning to have a freestanding one in the base of a hedge part way up the drive. We'd then needs feeds to the garage and house CUs. We'd need power in the meter box to power an energy monitoring device to drive PV diversion, so I was hoping we could install a large enough meter box that could also house a mini CU.

 

Simon

When you need that much kit, it is far better to put two standard meter boxes side by side, one for their stuff and one for yours, as in @MikeSharp01 post above.

[Bramco]

Ok cheers.

[Nickfromwales]

 

Additional mini CU in there for outbuilding and EV car charger point. No issues there whatsoever, fill your boots. That's a double-pole Henley block in that pic, and great for instances where every ounce of space is precious. They've been around for years, and I'm a fan of them as bunches of single pole ones take up lots of footprint / space. Look how neat that is with the double pole one  Bingo bango.

Edited June 13, 2021 by Nickfromwales

[MikeSharp01]

23 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

That's a double-pole Henley block in that pic

Horses for courses - I am with @ProDave on this one. 

[Nickfromwales]

11 minutes ago, MikeSharp01 said:

Horses for courses - I am with @ProDave on this one. 

If the (horse) shoe doesn't fit.......  

Edited June 13, 2021 by Nickfromwales

[ProDave]

9 hours ago, Nickfromwales said:

 

Additional mini CU in there for outbuilding and EV car charger point. No issues there whatsoever, fill your boots. That's a double-pole Henley block in that pic, and great for instances where every ounce of space is precious. They've been around for years, and I'm a fan of them as bunches of single pole ones take up lots of footprint / space. Look how neat that is with the double pole one  Bingo bango.

Looks great.  My guess is all "your" kit was added after the meter was in?  I suspect if you put all that kit in the empty box first then waited for the DNO to come and fit the meter they would have had a hissy fit.

 

P.S the reason I dislike double  pole Henley's is I found one once damaged. The web separating the two blocks is not very thick and I found a broken one where the two blocks were very close indeed to touching each other.  Just keep an eye on that and treat them carefully.  That is never going to be an issue with singles.

[Nickfromwales]

I made sure the DNO had instructions to install their equipment tight to the left hand side. Everything was measured and drawn out so I knew it would all fit, prior to sending cables x,y & z to that location prior to the meter installation. 
Agree the integrity of those DP Henley blocks need to be preserved during installation, but there’s no denying that in some instances the effort is not just worth it….but completely unavoidable.

[ProDave]

What I heard from a meter monkey once, was they throw a hissy fit of you have taken up space in "their" box because if there is ever a dispute, they need room to fit a second check meter.

[Leahill]

Hi All,

 

So because of regs I wasn't planning on touching the service head part nor the meter outputs, I was going to put the new consumer RCD in (6A) and terminate the armoured cable to the 6A Fuse (more than enough for what feeds it) and then call somebody in to move the tail ends to the new 2way junction box. 

 

What I wasn't sure of is if I was allowed to actually install the new consumer unit into the cabinet and its sounds like some people have and others have gone to the expense of fitting a second cabinet which for me is a no option

 

Thanks all for your great input.

 

 

Les.

[Nickfromwales]

Don’t fit the cu yourself, just get the SWA into the cabinet and leave that to the sparky to do. 
Most sparks would likely refuse to energise a DIY fitted installation, let alone test and certify it. It will likely cost you money, not save it, for you to do work in preparation.

Know your limitations, and where regs and ‘the right thing to do’ lay. 
FYI, I would walk from that job if I turned up to connect it and you’d fitted the CU. It’s not worth the risk putting your name to such a small job for the inherent liability.