Quick question - will I need to get this meter box tidied up somehow in order to get a smart meter?

[MrTWales]

I've been looking at the Octopus Flux rates and it may be a good idea - but it does mean having a smart meter installed. I think I'm right in saying that they couldn't install it in my meter box given the lack of space? 

 

The "Man cave" box feeds a games room that is external to the house, and this is where the panels/inverter/batteries are (post build of the games room). I wonder if the "house" and "man cave" boxes would need to be replaced with one box and I'd have to get this sorted before Octopus visited to install a smart meter?

 

 

[markocosic]

Your switchgear ought not to be in the meter box.

 

Meter box:

[Cutout > Meter > DP Isolator]

 

External box:

[your own switchgear]

 

Do you need fuses or could you get away with isolators? (physically smaller)

https://www.toolstation.com/axiom-isolator-with-enclosure/p92544

 

 

Ideally you'd have an N-way board sat adjacent the meter cupboard (one mains incomer / double pole isolator; with MCBs to feed man cave / ev charge / solar pv etc and indeed house if it needs reducing to 63A for reasons of long consumer unit tails?)

 

 

That would also delete the Henley block up at the top; and give you somewhere to terminal the SWA that looks to go to another box in the top tight hand side.

 

 

Depends on exactly which meter they wish to fit but I think you'd get away with there being enough space if you can delete the "man cave" switchfuse and the henley cocks above it.

Edited April 17, 2023 by markocosic

[MrTWales]

Thanks a lot. I'll try to make sense of this later but it sounds like needing to get an electrician - but the thing is knowing what the tell them!

 

There is a consumer unit in the mancave and I think when the stallers set the solar panels up they said something about removing the "man cave box" or combining it to save room if I need more space in there. I'm not sure I'll be able to get much from Octopus so I'd want to be sure that they can fit the smart meter they need as it seems like there is a waiting list.

[TonyT]

The smart meter will be the same size as the existing meter so no drama there.

 

only issue will be the man cave  KMF unit as it looks like single core on display.

 

you will need the fuses as the cutout fuse only protects the first 2.5/3m( DNO dependent)

[markocosic]

22 minutes ago, TonyT said:

The smart meter will be the same size as the existing meter so no drama there.

 

Wouldn't be so sure.

 

Here's the list

 

https://www.smartme.co.uk/smets-2.html

 

Some models are chunky Vs what's there now - depends what the vendor wants to fit. E470s for example:

 

 

[MrTWales]

Damn they are big. This would just be whatever Octopus want to install and I doubt I'd have any say (or even know what to say!). I'll ask them for some details but I suspect I'll be waiting a while for a reply.

[MrTWales]

Well, I asked Octopus and they said "The best way to do this would be to have your current supplier send a meter operator to you to assess if the available space is sufficient."

 

I thougth that the smart meter needed to be installed by your supplier? I'm not sure what to do now - not sure that my current suppplier (Shell) will come and just check without actually planning to do an install. 

[Kelvin]

We’re with Octopus. This is the smart meter they (SMS) fitted. 
 

[MrTWales]

Thanks - that doesn't look huge but it still may be a bit tight. I've asked them whether they could use a smart meter that Shell may install but I'm not hopeful.

[Kelvin]

This it in context. This is a 3 phase sized box. 
 

.

[MrTWales]

Wow, that is a big area! I thought all meter boxes were tiny little things like mine.

 

[Kelvin]

It’s my temporary supply for the build but it will become the permanent supply when we’re done hence it’s a proper kiosk. 

[Dillsue]

Going back to your original pics, theres what looks like an armoured cable running up to the top right of your meter box.  There's a gland showing so I assume there's the corner of a junction box showing? I guess this could be the supply to the man cave??. If it is, then you can gland the armoured cable into an angle bracket fixed to the side of your meter box and connect the cores directly into the fuse switch. You can then bin the junction box and move the Henley block to where the JB was.  Plenty of room for a new meter then.

 

If I'm guessing wrong then maybe post up a picture of the entire meter box to take the guesswork away.

[MrTWales]

Thanks - I'd be lying if I said that I understood that but it sounds like a simple job for an electrician?

 

[Dillsue]

Grey box top right is for joining thick black cable to the grey cable that goes into man cave main switch. That goes completely. Black box top left is the Henley block that moves to where the grey box was.  That leaves lots of extra space above the existing meter for your new smart meter. If you need more space to the side you can move the man cave main switch to the right a bit but I dont think youd need to. 

 

Should all make sense to your spark??

Edited April 18, 2023 by Dillsue

[MrTWales]

Thanks a lot, that's really helpful. If my darn installers ever get back to me re installing the diverter then I'll see if they can do this for a few extra quid - otherwise I'll get someone else to do it.

[Dillsue]

Ok. You'll need the right spark as theres a degree of live working!!

[TonyT]

The unit marked man cave needs to stay.

 

[TonyT]

The unit marked man cave could be moved up a bit and the. Henley blocks ( top left item) could be moved underneath the man cave unit, freeing up the space above the existing meter for a larger meter if required.

 

The blue and brown conductors going into the man cave unit require a second layer of insulation, or could be changed to suitably sized double insulated tails..