Moving Consumer unit and meter
Discussion
Will preface this that i know of very little about home electrics and this is just a "is it even reasonabily viable" before speaking to electrictions etc.
Just moved into a new home and everything going swimmingly although the kitchen has a rather large not overly offensive but could be better cupboard containing the meter and consumer unit. Below which is a very small radiator which struggles to heat the kitchen.
Unfortunately there isnt really anywhere else in the kitchen for a radiator to go so we are left with what can we do in this corner. In a perfect world i would like to have the whole corner to myself but feel this may be asking too much but what are my plausible options with this.
a couple ideas i am pondering but no idea of the plausability
1) Moving all of it higher up on the same wall and possibly a flush consumer unit and a much smaller cupboard/boxing. presuming theres no rules on how close a radiator can be this could mean a vertical radiator on existing wall or larger radiator underneath. on my initial research I read about modern regs for consumer unit heights prevent shoving it high up to the roof. 1.2m high max?
2) Moving the whole lot to the wall to the left above existing radiator. similar theme of flush consumer unit and minimizing amount of space taken up. Radiator moves to wall where existing cupboard is.
3) Ideal idea. Moving whole lot into the utility/entry vestibule (3rd photo). This backs on to kitchen and seen through the glass door in earlier pictures. this gets the whole lot out of the kitchen and frees up the whole corner.
4) crazy idea. i read this somewhere but dont know where and dont quite believe it. Said person did a complete flip 180 and mounted everything externally in relation to where it is mounted internally. The wall currently mounted on backs into the garden and wouldnt be horrendus to have it outside if meant could get rid of that cupboard. but something says this is a silly unworkable idea.
All of these ideas presume the CU and meter can actually be moved in terms of cables being extended/modified/existing length available without going into silly bills. As said this is a preliminary what realistic options do i have type query.
Just moved into a new home and everything going swimmingly although the kitchen has a rather large not overly offensive but could be better cupboard containing the meter and consumer unit. Below which is a very small radiator which struggles to heat the kitchen.
Unfortunately there isnt really anywhere else in the kitchen for a radiator to go so we are left with what can we do in this corner. In a perfect world i would like to have the whole corner to myself but feel this may be asking too much but what are my plausible options with this.
a couple ideas i am pondering but no idea of the plausability
1) Moving all of it higher up on the same wall and possibly a flush consumer unit and a much smaller cupboard/boxing. presuming theres no rules on how close a radiator can be this could mean a vertical radiator on existing wall or larger radiator underneath. on my initial research I read about modern regs for consumer unit heights prevent shoving it high up to the roof. 1.2m high max?
2) Moving the whole lot to the wall to the left above existing radiator. similar theme of flush consumer unit and minimizing amount of space taken up. Radiator moves to wall where existing cupboard is.
3) Ideal idea. Moving whole lot into the utility/entry vestibule (3rd photo). This backs on to kitchen and seen through the glass door in earlier pictures. this gets the whole lot out of the kitchen and frees up the whole corner.
4) crazy idea. i read this somewhere but dont know where and dont quite believe it. Said person did a complete flip 180 and mounted everything externally in relation to where it is mounted internally. The wall currently mounted on backs into the garden and wouldnt be horrendus to have it outside if meant could get rid of that cupboard. but something says this is a silly unworkable idea.
All of these ideas presume the CU and meter can actually be moved in terms of cables being extended/modified/existing length available without going into silly bills. As said this is a preliminary what realistic options do i have type query.
Edited by PaulWoof on Tuesday 15th October 19:48
Audis5b9 said:
that is an option. can just make out the end of the counter top in one of the photos behind the bin. had planned to remove the cupboard underneath and add a sort of curved end cap to make a breakfast bar at the window and just concerned it would be covering a potential radiator space there but if moving what is there is not plausible then that is the most likely option.In terms of moving the meter being the tough part. since already being pestered for smart meters. Is it something that couldnt potentially be dealt with if going that route. If they could decomission the old meter or am i stuck with it even with a smart meter?
PaulWoof said:
In terms of moving the meter being the tough part. since already being pestered for smart meters. Is it something that couldnt potentially be dealt with if going that route. If they could decomission the old meter or am i stuck with it even with a smart meter?
There's still the issue of the so-called 'cutout' i.e. the fuse and housing (that grey block) that terminates the incoming supply cable. Moving that is well outside the scope of even the friendliest biscuit-bribed smart meter fitter.For a mere (roughly) £1.5k you could get your friendly national power grid outfit to relocate the meter and supply outside into a surface mounted box...
Your local leccy supplier will relieve you of several hundred to connect said meter and bring supply into the utility room to the left of current position
You can spend hundreds on a local sparks to connect everything to the new consumer unit
Job jobbed
Your local leccy supplier will relieve you of several hundred to connect said meter and bring supply into the utility room to the left of current position
You can spend hundreds on a local sparks to connect everything to the new consumer unit
Job jobbed
That looks pretty do-able actually with the amount of spare cable coming down...
I'd move it to the utility area fairly high up - if its a new house and an old / original consumer unit you'd want to refresh it anyway and get everything tested so the real cost is with the meter / incoming supply being moved...
I'd get a few quotes and go from there
I'd move it to the utility area fairly high up - if its a new house and an old / original consumer unit you'd want to refresh it anyway and get everything tested so the real cost is with the meter / incoming supply being moved...
I'd get a few quotes and go from there
Patio said:
For a mere (roughly) £1.5k you could get your friendly national power grid outfit to relocate the meter and supply outside into a surface mounted box...
Your local leccy supplier will relieve you of several hundred to connect said meter and bring supply into the utility room to the left of current position
You can spend hundreds on a local sparks to connect everything to the new consumer unit
Job jobbed
About the right figures, although your lucky in that you've not got a smart meter so the national power grid outfit (DNO) may move and reconnect the meter for you saving you the leccy supplier bill.Your local leccy supplier will relieve you of several hundred to connect said meter and bring supply into the utility room to the left of current position
You can spend hundreds on a local sparks to connect everything to the new consumer unit
Job jobbed
Mine was around £200 (a few years back) to move the smart meter to the outside box and reconnect.
Amazingly the DNO, Leccy company and my sparky did all turn up as agreed and all went smoothly. I had visions of being without electric for days.
If I was thinking of moving the whole lot (incoming supply/main fuse/meter/CU) I'd be thinking about future-proofing for the addition of PV solar/batteries/EPS and EV charging if relevant.
Last thing I'd want to do is spend a fortune just to fit a larger rad in the kitchen and then in years to come have to do it again to facilitate a renewable solution. Just a thought
Last thing I'd want to do is spend a fortune just to fit a larger rad in the kitchen and then in years to come have to do it again to facilitate a renewable solution. Just a thought
tux850 said:
PaulWoof said:
In terms of moving the meter being the tough part. since already being pestered for smart meters. Is it something that couldnt potentially be dealt with if going that route. If they could decomission the old meter or am i stuck with it even with a smart meter?
There's still the issue of the so-called 'cutout' i.e. the fuse and housing (that grey block) that terminates the incoming supply cable. Moving that is well outside the scope of even the friendliest biscuit-bribed smart meter fitter.Cost me £600 for Electricity North West to move my supply from the inside of a garage onto an outside wall .On the same day got my electrician to wire to a new consumer unit in the same position as the old one. I had to dig out the cable and mount the box they had supplied myself (to save the cost of them doing it )
)I had the meter moved and a new consumer unit fitted at my last house while the kitchen was being done.
Western Power Distribution moved the meter etc from the kitchen wall to an outside box.
I had to buy the outside box from them (about £40) and my builder fitted it into the wall. I was having the back door replaced by a window, so he just left a space in the outer skin for it.
The actual meter move and tails was done free of charge, "because the cutout and meter are very old, and an outside box makes reading it easier".
Sparky attended the same day, and fitted a new CU. It only had to be moved a foot or so to fit inside a new wall cabinet, so the existing cables were fine. That cost me £300.
It was 20 years ago though.
Western Power Distribution moved the meter etc from the kitchen wall to an outside box.
I had to buy the outside box from them (about £40) and my builder fitted it into the wall. I was having the back door replaced by a window, so he just left a space in the outer skin for it.
The actual meter move and tails was done free of charge, "because the cutout and meter are very old, and an outside box makes reading it easier".
Sparky attended the same day, and fitted a new CU. It only had to be moved a foot or so to fit inside a new wall cabinet, so the existing cables were fine. That cost me £300.
It was 20 years ago though.
SP Energy networks are the DNO. Guide price is £872 on moving meter and connection point. dno if it could be less, more likely more but its gonna cost either way.
https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/moving_yo...
Does say i can move upto 2 meters on the same wall the supplier can do this without the DNO being involved. but i dont know if thats just the meter or can i move main fuse/isolater etc all 2 meters on the same wall and if so can i shove it up to towards the roof or do the regs stop that
The property is fed by overhear wires being a rural property. Hopefully this could mean not having to do any trenching etc
https://www.spenergynetworks.co.uk/pages/moving_yo...
Does say i can move upto 2 meters on the same wall the supplier can do this without the DNO being involved. but i dont know if thats just the meter or can i move main fuse/isolater etc all 2 meters on the same wall and if so can i shove it up to towards the roof or do the regs stop that
The property is fed by overhear wires being a rural property. Hopefully this could mean not having to do any trenching etc
Iberdrola acquires €5 billion valued Electricity North West in the UK https://www.iberdrola.com/press-room/news/detail/i...
They also own SPEngergy , foreigners own most of UK infrastructure these days
They also own SPEngergy , foreigners own most of UK infrastructure these days
The Three D Mucketeer said:
Iberdrola acquires €5 billion valued Electricity North West in the UK https://www.iberdrola.com/press-room/news/detail/i...
They also own SPEngergy , foreigners own most of UK infrastructure these days
You ok hun?They also own SPEngergy , foreigners own most of UK infrastructure these days
As suggested already, you appear to have an incoming supply cable from above so that would make moving the fuse and meter up the wall relatively easy.
1) As you'll need the fuse moving then that will require DNO to do it. We are also in the process of a supply move and we found the DNO (SSE here) quite reasonable when it came to a single phase meter move without needing to replace the current (aerial) supply cable.
2) There are regulations/guidelines from the DNO about how high up the meter/fuse can go - you'll probably find a pdf document on the DNO website giving details, similar to this: https://www.ssen.co.uk/globalassets/library/connec...
3) You will have to liase between DNO and your electricity supplier to get the meter moved on the same day as the supply / fuse, and also find a local electrician available on the same day to reconnect (and/or move) your consumer unit. Unfortunately that is where your cost will be, as it looks like you have a plastic cased consumer unit that will have to be replaced if they touch it to do anything.
1) As you'll need the fuse moving then that will require DNO to do it. We are also in the process of a supply move and we found the DNO (SSE here) quite reasonable when it came to a single phase meter move without needing to replace the current (aerial) supply cable.
2) There are regulations/guidelines from the DNO about how high up the meter/fuse can go - you'll probably find a pdf document on the DNO website giving details, similar to this: https://www.ssen.co.uk/globalassets/library/connec...
3) You will have to liase between DNO and your electricity supplier to get the meter moved on the same day as the supply / fuse, and also find a local electrician available on the same day to reconnect (and/or move) your consumer unit. Unfortunately that is where your cost will be, as it looks like you have a plastic cased consumer unit that will have to be replaced if they touch it to do anything.
Audis5b9 said:
Yeah, I'd second this. Personally I would probably look to locate a new radiator - perhaps a triple convector to maximise output - in the position where the bin is (move that into the corner). That area under the window looks like dead space but would give the radiator breathing room to do its job (convecting and not radiating despite its name!) and being under a window can help reduce temperature differentials too.You could even increase the size of the current meter cupboard (without modifications to the electrical installation) and use it for additional storage.
Edited by tux850 on Thursday 17th October 14:36
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff