[Matt01]

apologies if this has been covered off...

I'm having a wall box fitted (32amp bmw wallbox pure), the meter is at the side of the house, where I want the charger installed. The consumer unit is by the front door. The installer says he'll need to run conduit round the front of the house... I'm not too keen on this, after all it's the front of the house... My question is can you add a fuse/consumer unit into the meter box and just run straight off the main fuse??? Save the conduit on the front of the house, save effort?

 

[matt303]

Yes.

My 32A Chargemaster unit has a small consumer unit mounted under (lack of space in the meter box) the meter box with its supply connected after the meter and switch in the meter box.

 

[Loyd]

Hi Matt, we install commercial and public EV chargers and are fully qualified to install domestic chargers. I'm not looking for your business just offering advice. Your charger must be properly protected by a consumer unit containing a correctly rated circuit breaker and RCD or RCBO. The risks are very high if an EV charger is not installed and protected correctly. Use an experienced competent EV installer to install your charger - if you don't trust the advice your existing installer is giving you, find another one.

 

[Grum]

My Rolec unit (fitted by Firehawk) has its own CU with breaker in the meter cupboard. The feed comes directly off the main meter in parallel with the feed to the house CU.

 

[Jack]

@Loyd Welcome, can you update your forum signature (https://speakev.com/account/signature) to disclose your commercial interest as per forum rules. Many Thanks.

 

[Loyd]

@Loyd Welcome, can you update your forum signature (https://speakev.com/account/signature) to disclose your commercial interest as per forum rules. Many Thanks.

Will do Jack. We have no commercial interest in this post - we don't install domestic chargers but do know how it should be done.

 

[Matt01]

Hi Matt, we install commercial and public EV chargers and are fully qualified to install domestic chargers. I'm not looking for your business just offering advice. Your charger must be properly protected by a consumer unit containing a correctly rated circuit breaker and RCD or RCBO. The risks are very high if an EV charger is not installed and protected correctly. Use an experienced competent EV installer to install your charger - if you don't trust the advice your existing installer is giving you, find another one.

It's not that I don't trust the advice, just strikes me a the path of least resistance (not an electrical pun)... Can it be done

Supply enters meter box
Company fuse
Meter
Main fuse
Cable to consumer unit
Consumer unit.

Can a secondary consumer unit be added post the main fuse? This then connects to the charger....

 

[Mike Schooling]

The simple answer is yes. The only limitation really is space (and maybe spare capacity). The meter tails (which connect your meter to your consumer unit) can be tapped (using an isco block for example) and a small consumer unit fitted in the meter box.

 

[Grumpy-b]

There is no reason why a second consumer unit could not be attached after the meter / main fuses, (other than the fuses not being able to accomodate a second cable). Some installations have this with a second consumer unit for storage heating etc. Space in the meter box may be an issue. Normal consumer units are not designed for external use, which this could be if the door was left open. But such units can be bought, but again being larger may not fit into the space in the meter box. Can be done but may not be anywhere near as simple as going into the existing consumer unit, even with a long run of cable.

 

[Loyd]

It's not that I don't trust the advice, just strikes me a the path of least resistance (not an electrical pun)... Can it be done

Supply enters meter box
Company fuse
Meter
Main fuse
Cable to consumer unit
Consumer unit.

Can a secondary consumer unit be added post the main fuse? This then connects to the charger....

In principal yes it can be done. I haven't seen your existing electrical installation so can't tell you whether it should be installed in this way in your home. Your installer has seen your existing installation (or did you self survey?) and their design has not specified direct connection to the meter via a new consumer unit - they must have a reason. I suggest that you discuss the reason for their design with your installer. If you don't believe their reason is valid then get a second opinion/quote from another competent installer.

 

[Matt01]

In principal yes it can be done. I haven't seen your existing electrical installation so can't tell you whether it should be installed in this way in your home. Your installer has seen your existing installation (or did you self survey?) and their design has not specified direct connection to the meter via a new consumer unit - they must have a reason. I suggest that you discuss the reason for their design with your installer. If you don't believe their reason is valid then get a second opinion/quote from another competent installer.

Thank you

 

[bitmanev]

this is my EV installation done by Chargemaster, they installed a small box direct after the meter;

 

[GTEve]

It can be done should space allow, however your installer will have to call your supplier and make arrangements for their metering operator to come and remove the main cut out fuse while the work is carried out. It is illegal for anyone other than the DNO or meter operator to cut the seals on the main fuse.

 

[matt303]

Quite a lot of houses have an isolator switch after the meter, if so the installer can just split a feed off after the switch without needing to mess with the house fuse.

 

[PMC Paul]

Also, be aware that the board the cut-out and meter is on (or the box it is in) is normally the property of the DNO - they can be funny about adding stuff to "their" board/box.

 

[Grumpy-b]

In an external installation , the box and board are normall installed by the builder . I purchased and installed mine and the underground duct before they would come and underground my supply. In older properties with an inside meter, the board and meter are generally owned by the meter owner. Its become a real minefield of ownership. In my part of the UK, UK Power networks provide the power, I then choose who I get to supply power, they then have a supplier of meters from whom they rent the kit, and that compant then employs contractors to work on the meters. The chap who owns the palce I work out of has a 3 phase supply, that is mounted onto a UKPN pole, the meters are on a failed piece of chipboard , now owned by the meter supply company, whom he has no contract with. The electricity supply company, says its the meter companies problem, but they wont do anything unless their customer (the electricity supply company) pay for it. And so it goes on. The advice from the meter company was, let it fall off and fail, then the supply company has no choice but to pay for the replacement. My friend personal choice is to relocate the meters in a more suitable enclosure, that he is willing to build at the foot of the pole, so that the new meters and board can be better and more safely located, but as yet this is being seen as a new supply, and all concerned are wringing their hands with glee as they can then charge a lot for the work. The Electricity supply industry is supposed to be competitive, but you have no choice as to the network provider (Uk is carved up roughly as per the old regional electricity suppliers) Your supplier (Yes your choice) chooses who they rent the meter from (you have no choice and in general, meters just change ownership when you change supplier, and do change ownership as meter companies change hands and join up).

 

[PMC Paul]

My old backboard was also hanging off the wall.

The guy that came out to survey if a 3 phase upgrade was possible said it was dangerous as the weight of the cut-out (and everything else on the board) was now straining the incoming cable and immediately called back to ENW (Electricity North West) to log it. That same evening, two engineers arrived to replace the board and cut-out. (As you have said, the meter is not theirs, so they put the old meter back on)

After watching the engineers work very heavy handedly installing the new cut-out and bending the main incoming cable with their big boots, I'm sure it would have been perfectly happy to support the weight for the rest of it's life!

But hey-ho. It's all fresh and new and didn't cost me anything.