Meter backboard

[Omi]

Hello,

 

Scottish Power have asked for:

 

"Please provide and attach a suitable sized backboard (single phase 500mm x 700mm x 12mm) made of fireproof material (compressed wood not MDF) to the wall at the proposed meter location for the termination of our equipment."

 

But I cannot seem to find a backboard meeting those size requirements at any of the usual builder's merchants? Perhaps I'm not looking for the right thing. What do people normally use for a meter backboard?

[Bonner]

I used a fibreglass cabinet like this, with 12mm ply back board

 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273799954572?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338781477&toolid=10029&customid=EAIaIQobChMIzOTntou08wIVkM13Ch3PMA70EAQYGSABEgKdbfD_BwE&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1IYqadMMeS7WqSSjMKFclqQ6

 

[Onoff]

Meter board from CEF. Butt two together to get a bigger size. You can also get little spacers for mounting off the wall. Handy for getting cables up behind. 

 

Tbh some CEF branches are better than others. Best to order online for collection at a local store then you can check for lumps knocked off it!

 

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/search?q=Meter board

 

Or from here:

 

https://www.jointingtech.co.uk/Meter-Boards-FR-Chipboard

[Roys]

I’ve used 12mm ply usually mounting on a 3 sided frame made out of surplus 50x25mm tile batten. As onoff says the standing off allows cables to go into the back of the consumer unit.

[Onoff]

9 minutes ago, Roys said:

I’ve used 12mm ply usually mounting on a 3 sided frame made out of surplus 50x25mm tile batten. As onoff says the standing off allows cables to go into the back of the consumer unit.

 

Wootton backboards are impregnated with a retardant solution. 

[Omi]

Thanks, that's really helpful.

[TonyT]

Normal ply all the time 

[Dan F]

In our case SSEN quite happily installed a 3-phase supply onto the ply backing, but when it came to the supplier installing the meter they point blank refused to install it without a fire-board behind it.  They returned the following week with a small board which they put behind their meter.

 

[SuperJohnG]

I have SPEN coming next Monday....I deliberated what to get for it but just bought the Wooton backboard from CEF it's 18 x 12 inches or 500 x 300mm in proper money. Sure it'll be fine. 

 

It's like the have provided a spec for something that doesn't exist or is readily available in the right size

[Onoff]

2 minutes ago, SuperJohnG said:

I have SPEN coming next Monday....I deliberated what to get for it but just bought the Wooton backboard from CEF it's 18 x 12 inches or 500 x 300mm in proper money. Sure it'll be fine. 

 

It's like the have provided a spec for something that doesn't exist or is readily available in the right size

 

A minimum size maybe?

 

Isn't it some Scots DNOs etc insist on red ducting too rather than the "normal" black? 

 

Copious tea, coffee and a selection of biscuits etc usually smooths any works. Maybe chuck in a curve ball like Garibaldi or Tunnocks to focus attention elsewhere. 

[SuperJohnG]

Just now, Onoff said:

 

A minimum size maybe?

 

Isn't it some Scots DNOs etc insist on red ducting too rather than the "normal" black? 

 

Copious tea, coffee and a selection of biscuits etc usually smooths any works. Maybe chuck in a curve ball like Garibaldi or Tunnocks to focus attention elsewhere. 

 

 

I have a red 32mm solid duct, which was supplied by them so yep! 

 

I expect even if I used ply whomever turned up won't care, when they came to put the cable in under ground I was on the limit of the 60m allowed from transformer, but I ended up adding 10-15m going around the plot edge rather than across it so I can build another house in the garden in 30 years which nobody batted an eye lif at, in fact it was their idea..

 

By the way tunnocks is standard protocol up here....

 

[Onoff]

1 minute ago, SuperJohnG said:

By the way tunnocks is standard protocol up here....

 

I was meaning the caramel wafer but I've a feeling you're going to say it's tea cakes?

[SuperJohnG]

Just now, Onoff said:

 

I was meaning the caramel wafer but I've a feeling you're going to say it's tea cakes?

Anything tunnocks. I had two tea cakes today ...the dark chocolate ones though.

 

A regular lunch I keep at the plot in the container is a snowball (favourite) or wafer.

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, SuperJohnG said:

the caramel wafer

A draftsman used to bring in a bag of 'mis-shapes' every month or so. I suspect his aunty knew what caused this mishap, but omitted to advise the management.

After 10 of them they lose their appeal.

£1 for 5 in Pound shop anywhere in GB now, so losing their image a bit.

[Onoff]

Caramel wafers here ever since you could get them from the "proper" milkman 50 years ago, carried on his EV.

[CaptainDram]

Can anyone clarify on the red ducting, this is supposed to go from where to where? 
 

I'm about to get some left at my plot.

 

Was all you needed to supply the backboard, Meyter box and then install aforementioned ducting?

 

thanks

Edited February 26 by CaptainDram