Distance between meter and cut out

[mesbest]

My main cut out and meter is in a small cupboard above a kitchen sink. The CU is in the utility room next door. The tails are approx 2 meters long. The DNO has said there is not enough room for a smart meter in the small cupboard.
Is it allowable to fit the smart meter next to the CU in the utility room as long as the tails do not exceed 3m? Or is there a max allowable distance from the cutout to the meter? I can't seem to find any regulations that apply.

 

[SJD]

Looks like you have a good excuse to not have a smart meter!

 

[davesparks]

This will be governed by the policies of the individual metering companies.

But why would you want to have a smart meter?

 

[mesbest]

This will be governed by the policies of the individual metering companies.

But why would you want to have a smart meter?

I have solar panels with a feed-in tarrif. Without a smart meter I only get paid for 50% of the energy the panels produce, rather than paid for the energy they actually feed back to the grid.

 

[richy3333]

Isn't it the case you get paid FIT on the basis of what the panels produce and then if you do not have a smart meter it is assumed that 50% of that goes to the grid (and you use 50%) and you get that payment also. Thats how mine works.

 

[7029 dave]

The meter should be fitted within the area of the cutout for safety reasons.

 

[Cbelectrics]

Golden rule is 3 metres. If I remember rightly it’s because the dno will not guarantee safety for anything more than that

 

[davesparks]

The meter should be fitted within the area of the cutout for safety reasons.

What safety reasons? Can you quantify 'safety' in this instance?

 

[7029 dave]

What safety reasons? Can you quantify 'safety' in this instance?

In the Avent of fire, if the meter is burning, smoldering let's say due to tampering the cutout fuse can easily and quickly be pulled. Isolation basically. If the meters 20 meters away no point of isolation.

 

[brianmoooore]

Supply companies are likely to object to long tails between meter and cut out on anti theft grounds. The longer the tail and the more times it passes through areas hidden from view, the more likely it is to develop unauthorised tee joints.

 

[Zerax]

Looks like you have a good excuse to not have a smart meter!

Having a smart meter saves me a fortune... I've never really got my head around why there's so much resentment towards them...

 

[davesparks]

Having a smart meter saves me a fortune... I've never really got my head around why there's so much resentment towards them...

How does the smart meter save you a fortune?

 

[Zerax]

How does the smart meter save you a fortune?

Because it gives me access to 6 hrs every night of electricity at 7p/kWh... and with 90% of my electricity usage in those 6 hrs... my average rate for all electricity is about 9.5p/kWh. Without a smart meter, I'd be paying over twice that !

 

[nicebutdim]

Because it gives me access to 6 hrs every night of electricity at 7p/kWh... and with 90% of my electricity usage in those 6 hrs... my average rate for all electricity is about 9.5p/kWh. Without a smart meter, I'd be paying over twice that !

The DNO in NI doesn't fit smart meters, yet off-peak tariffs are available. Prior to the advent of smart meters in GB off-peak tariffs were available.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

Having a smart meter saves me a fortune... I've never really got my head around why there's so much resentment towards them...

I think it's more towards what the future brings with them and their ability to measure true power. Half remember a video from bigclivedotcom that went through it. How a phone charger on a normal meter might be 1p a day to run and on a smart meter it could measure a different way and charge you 10p a day. Figures are exaggerated obviously.

Edit: Found the video.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G32NYQpvy8Q