RAL coloured meter boxes?

[Crofter]

I've been planning on having the meter inside the house, but stumbled across some guidance from the DNO the other day which suggested that they may be reluctant to do this. I can see how it would be useful to have it outside, to avoid relying on estimated readings.

 

My only real concern about having the meter outside is that it would mean placing an ugly white box just beside the front door, which would look awful in my nice larch cladding!

There is 75mm of batten space within the wall so I guess that's insufficient to hide a cabinet and cover it over with a little larch door.

Next best bet would be a powder coated cabinet in a RAL colour to match the doors, windows, and roof (dark blue/grey). I've not found anybody selling such a thing, though.

 

Anybody got a source for a coloured cabinet? And anybody got experience/advice on putting the meter inside the property?

 

Thanks

[PeterW]

They are GRP - get a rattle can of the paint the colour you want it and spray it. 

[Crofter]

18 minutes ago, PeterW said:

They are GRP - get a rattle can of the paint the colour you want it and spray it. 

Not a half bad idea! I thought they would be plastic and any attempt to paint one would end up looking scruffy in no time.

[jack]

1 hour ago, Crofter said:

And anybody got experience/advice on putting the meter inside the property?

 

Ours is inside - the main supply comes up through the slab in our plant room.  Our DNO (SSE) moved it there without question.

 

If they admit that they're "reluctant", then they admit that they'll do it.  If they could stop you, you can be sure they'd say so!

[ProDave]

Your house is on stilts on a slope. Put a meter box underneath round the back somewhere where it's hardly visible. Just build an extra bit of wall underneath to put it in.  

 

Agree that SSE will fit an internal meter. The house I am wiring at the moment has the new meter inside in the garage, and the one I did at the back end of last year had it inside in the plant room 

[Crofter]

Doesn't the meter have to be within 3m of the CU? I'm already too far ahead to practicably change the position of the CU, which is on the 'uphill' side of the house.

 

I think I might just stick with the original plan and have the meter put inside, beside the CU.

[Temp]

10 hours ago, Crofter said:

My only real concern about having the meter outside is that it would mean placing an ugly white box just beside the front door

 

We didn't want ours next to the front door so we put it around the side. The energy co said they were happy provided the meter reader could get to it without needing a key to open a side gate.

[PeterW]

3 minutes ago, Temp said:

The energy co said they were happy provided the meter reader could get to it without needing a key to open a side gate.

 

So what happens if your drive has gates...??? Not unusual these days so I would think the MOPs are having to rethink the meter reading argument (unless they go smart meter only if they can't access...?)

[Temp]

39 minutes ago, Crofter said:

Doesn't the meter have to be within 3m of the CU?

 

No but if the meter tails are longer than 3m you need a switch and fuse near the meter. Ours are about 4-5m. We put the switch and fuse in the same cabinet as the meter but I heard some DNO want a separate cabinet for "your" switch and fuse? No idea why because with modern meters there is loads of room.

[Temp]

5 minutes ago, PeterW said:

So what happens if your drive has gates...???

 

Ditto water meters - we usually park our car over ours.