No Smart Meter

Somebody has put the consumer unit on the meter board.  The only option is to move the consumer unit to one side to make room.

Surely if the cut out was installed the right way up there would be enough room below for a smart meter, the tails would be out of the way for starters.

the ones who benefit most from smart meters are the DNO's/grid. if you wanted a smart meter to check your own consumption, you can buy energy monitors from Amazon that clip over the tails from around £70, far cheaper than moving the CU or re-designing the smart meter to fit your property!

The black object to the bottom left is an energy monitor.  TBH I don't find it of much use as I have a very good idea what each appliance uses.

Whist there is no current advantage to the consumer from having a “smart” meter I am concerned about being left behind when we get differential tariffs for such things as charging BEVs

Well arguably the meter board is big enough for the DNO cut out and the metering companies meter, and the necessary radio telemetry for a smart meter, but the customers consumer unit - that grey Volex thing, should not be on it - I presume no-one actually asked for or obtained the DNO permission to add that to the board. Normally they insist on a certain clear area to be left around the metering in case a check meter or other test gear is ever needed, as well as the rear-ward clearances needed for live working safely on the cut-out should that be needed.

The ‘proper’ fix is to replace the CU with a REC2 isolator and to put the CU above or beside  the board or in another room. I fully understand why this is not convenient  now however, as the thing is already in place.

Mike

dcbwhaley: 
. . . It also begs the question of why the spec for the smart meters didn't insist that the have the same footprint and cable entries as the meters that they are replacing. . . 

They do, as I am sure your DNO and Meter Operator will tell you - the cutout and meter together should sit on a piece of A4 paper in “landscape”. However, you currently have what looks like an Actaris meter, which takes up about half of the standard size allowed. Your new consumer unit should not be on the DNO’s meter board! 

Regards,

Alan. 

Am I allowed to put the Rec2 Isolator on the DNOs board?

Strictly you need to ask them. In reality,  if it is done in a way that is at least as good as they would have done it, and leaves them enough space for their kit, no-one will care, a REC2 and an earth terminal are common small items to find on the board, along with henley blocks.. After all they have not actually asked for that CU to be moved, but I presume the metering guys have seen it. I do not know your DNO (find out page six of here ) but they all have rules about meter boards and space (e.g this doc from SSE has a typical sketch on page 11)

Mike

The consumer unit has been in that position since the house was built in 1795.

There is room to move it six inches to the right without much effort.

I have booked another visit from the smart meter fitters and will discuss the alternatives with them

dcbwhaley: 
 

The consumer unit has been in that position since the house was built in 1795.

Rare to find a piece of electric kit that has lasted so long. You might want to look it over for the signature “ipso fecit Ben Franklin” and the attachment point for the kite.