Meter cupboard repair

This is linked to my other thread about silicone render. The wall to be treated includes a meter cupboard (originally gas and electricity, now electricity only). This was covered by a rather tatty home-made cabinet, and on removing it I found this:

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A crumbling wooden frame with (on the electric side) an even more crumbling backboard.

I plan to remake the frame just around the electric meter and brick up the old gas cupboard (the inlet is dead) and fit a new front cover. I'd also like to replace the backboard, but to do so I'd have to open up and release the two boxes which I have a suspicion is illegal (not to mention dangerous). I'm perfectly willing to get in a qualified person to do it, but is it a job for an electrician, a builder, the local electricity board, or all three?

Many thanks.

Reply to
Bert Coules
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I am pretty sure that the board that the meter and incomer are mounted on become the suppliers responsibility once they are fitted.

It certainly would be illegal for anyone other than the supplier to remove the meter and incomer to change the board. However I have moved hundreds of them as have hundreds of electricians. But finding one is not easy.

Good luck.

Reply to
ARW

Finding an electrician willing to do it, you mean? Well, the old board, though crumbling round the edges, does seem to be holding everything securely. Perhaps I should just leave it. And maybe give it a coat of something?

Out of interest, does the board have to be made of any specific material?

Thanks.

Reply to
Bert Coules

In all the houses I have owned the meters and incomers are mounted on stout plywood backing boards admittedly indoors. I was very surprised to see on my daughters new build which has exterior cabinets to find like yours the b acking board to be chipboard and untreated in anyway. This arrangement reli es on the cabinet to make it weatherproof and considering the number of the se cabinets you see with either a damaged lock or doors missing there must be many with back boards in a similar state. I think I would construct as w eatherproof cabinet as you can and let your electricity distributor worry a bout the back board.

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

I'd leave it as it is. The wiring looks pretty well self-supporting. And if it sags you can always tie it to a hook on the top of the cupboard with twine. It will cost quite a lot to do, and you might as well wait until someone replaces the meter. But they may not bother to fix it then!

Reply to
Roger Hayter

All new builds that I have worked on have external meters apart from ones in conservation zones.

Reply to
ARW

Thanks, Richard and Roger. I'll tidy up the worst of the damage and then leave well alone I think.

There are reasonably priced complete plastic meter cupboards which I believe I can adapt. Something like this:

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which seems to have a good, close-fitting door and is probably better than I could make myself for the same price. I'd have to remove the back plate/mounting board, which is a tad ironic, but even so...

Reply to
Bert Coules

Its really a job for your LEB and would cost quite a lot, but....

If you got hold of a proper modern meter cupboard and got it all ready to fit, then requested a smart meter be installed....

As you have the gas in place apart from the meter, why not fit a proper cupboard for that too? You would be able to fit it without disturbing the pipe and you could install it whilst waiting for the electric side to be subsequently sorted out. Its a shame to lose the service by bricking it up and it would also save you a lot of work.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

Bert Coules formulated the question :

A rather more expensive solution, but might a pair of these box covers solve the problem, from the same supplier as above?..

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Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

"Illegal" Pah... Under what Law? What actual crime is being committed?

It's "illegal" like brainwashed people spout on about it being "illegal" to work on gas appliances and domestic wiring etc etc.

I've happily cut the lead sealed security tags and pulled the 100A fuse from the incoming supply in order to fit a whole new back-board.

Power company had to come in shortly after to replace cable from road to fuse when the builders severed it with a digger. No questions asked they just put a new seal on everything.

:)

Reply to
0345.86.86.888

You are braver than I...

Reply to
Bert Coules

Harry,

Thanks for the thought, but nearly £130 as opposed to under £30 is really more than I want to shell out.

Reply to
Bert Coules

Harry,

Now that is a very interesting notion.

Ah, my original post could have been clearer. The dead gas inlet was replaced years ago by a new supply pipe in a completely different place, which is why I feel perfectly OK about bricking up (or otherwise closing off) that side of the original cupboard.

Reply to
Bert Coules

As a minimum, you could be charged with tampering with the meter and have the power cut off, but in practice nothing will be done.

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Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

Bear in mind that the Smart Meter installers are only trained and equiped to install Smart Meters.

Reply to
DerbyBorn

fix meter with two woodscrews and move four wires from Meter A to Meter B.

Really, sandwich makers in Greggs have a more in-depth training course.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

On the subject of blocking up the now-disused side of the original cupboard, I have a number of those very lightweight aerated breeze-type blocks doing nothing. Would they be suitable as a surface for the base coat of the render or are they too absorbent?

Thanks.

Reply to
Bert Coules

I find that thought rather perturbing.

They'd have to be on the Gas-safe register, wouldn't that qualify them as gas fitters? Not sure about the electric. Which special incantation gives them carte blanche to pull the board's fuse and disconnect a meter if they aren't qualified electricians?

Reply to
Graham.

They do a different course in pulling fuses with the suppliers permission.

It's 10 screws and a bit of 25mm meter tails [1]. Oh and a sticker to say that they have not tested your electrical installation only the supply to it.

It's not hard work or rocket science.

[1] And a 3mm hexagonal screwdriver (Allen key in English) on the new builds for the DP isolator. The Rec2 has changed it's design.
Reply to
ARW

I found some hex head bolts in a Henley block which was a bit perturbing as I didn't have any insulated allen keys to do them with.

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

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