Andersen Charger Installation from Meter Cupboard - Advice Please!

[M3P_W8]

I contacted my DNO (SSEN) to see what they would charge to shift the main fuse and meter 9cm to the left to maximise the space available for the Andersen Installers.

To summarise, the DNO will move the main fuse only (as expected based on the posts above). I am therefore required to arrange for my supplier (EON) to come on the same day to move the meter.

SSEN has quoted £188.77 (including VAT) to move the main fuse.

I will contact EON to see how much they will charge to move the meter by 9cm, but this is all starting to feel like more hassle than it is worth.

Andersen have said that if they are unable to fit what they need into the meter box, then they would install an IP compliant box underneath it. Whilst I'm keen to avoid this due to the aesthetics, the hassle involved with creating the space in the meter box is starting to feel like even more of a headache.

I'll continue to update this thread as things progress in the hope it helps others who might find themselves in a similar position.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

If you get pushed to the point where another enclosure is needed, then I'd be inclined to fit a small recessed one into the wall, adjacent to the meter box. I'd also try and get this done before the Andersen installer comes to fit the charge point, as the chances are that you'll get a neater job. It's a pretty straightforward job to just cut a hole in the outer skin of a wall and recess a small box in, but I would guess that 99% of installers would prefer to just surface mount a box, because it's quicker for them.

TBH, if I was doing this install then I'd fit two single pole Henley blocks below and to the left of the meter, just above the cutout, like these ones:

that are available from Screwfix for about a fiver each: https://www.screwfix.com/p/5-way-sp-100a-service-connector-block-25mm/82608) as they allow both top and bottom cable entry (three at the top, two at the bottom).

I'd isolate and dead test, cut the existing tails where they run down the left hand side of the meter and terminate them into the top centre position on each block. I'd then connect the other cut end of the existing tails into one of the two bottom positions on each block, plus a couple of short lengths of 25mm² flexitail from the other bottom position on each block to a small enclosure fitted in the lower right hand corner of the box.

The enclosure I'd use would be the same as the small one I posted a photo of earlier in this thread. I'd make both cable entry points at the top of this enclosure, so that it can be fitted as low down in the corner as possible, with a tails gland top left of it, taking the tails plus the CPC and a suitable cable gland top right to take whatever type of cable the installation needs. I'd probably fit both an RCBO and main switch to the small enclosure, but only because a main switch is very cheap, and slightly better as a means of isolation, IMHO.

 

[M3P_W8]

Thanks again Glan gluaisne for all the advice.

I live in a new(ish) build and whilst probably irrational, I'm not too keen on the thought of cutting holes in the brickwork (It's recon. Cotswold stone so bricks are large and fairly uneven). That said, I can understand how it would look a lot neater as from what I can tell those 'small' consumer units still have a good bit of depth to them.

I still need to get hold of my supplier to see what they will charge me to move the meter 9cm over to the left. Once I have that information I'll hopefully be in a better position to decide what to do.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Might be worth getting a local electrician to fit a couple of single pole Henleys, as suggested, to the left of the meter, just spliced into the existing tails, tidying up the way the tails are routed in the process. The Andersen chap then would have an easy job, just fit a small enclosure in the lower right corner and run the cable out to the charge point. Probably half an hour's work and a materials cost of under a tenner to do this prep work.

 

[M3P_W8]

Might be worth getting a local electrician to fit a couple of single pole Henleys, as suggested, to the left of the meter, just spliced into the existing tails, tidying up the way the tails are routed in the process. The Andersen chap then would have an easy job, just fit a small enclosure in the lower right corner and run the cable out to the charge point. Probably half an hour's work and a materials cost of under a tenner to do this prep work.

I like the idea. It's just that neither of the two local electricians I contacted previously to ask if they would do the prep work were particularly enthusiastic, with one flatly refusing to help and the other insisting I got permission from the DNO.

.. looking at the dimensions of those single pole Henley blocks, I think they might be a touch too big. I have about 9 cm of board available to the left of the meter and fuse and with each of those blocks being 4.7cm wide its borderline!

 

[Glan gluaisne]

The trick is to stagger them vertically, that will gain at least 10mm of width, maybe more, so they should fit without a problem. It's almost a DIY job, as long as you could ensure safe isolation, do a dead test and make sure the screws in the blocks are torqued up correctly (they need to be pretty tight).

 

[M3P_W8]

The Supplier (EON) is quoting a flat fee of £157.86 to move the meter.

So along with the £188.77 the DNO (SSEN) are asking for, it will be necessary to pay the grand total of £346.63 to have the main fuse and meter moved 9cm to the left on the existing board if I ultimately decide to go down this route!

The main reason for choosing the Andersen charger was its looks. It is bad enough having to dilute the aesthetic appeal by running a cable along the wall to it (which has to be done as there is no feasible option to feed it from behind!). I really do not want to dilute it further by having an external CU attached to the same wall nearby the meter box.

So it seems at least like there are two options:

1. Find an electrician to fit a couple of single pole Henley blocks to the small gap to the left of the Main fuse and meter for the Andersen installers to connect into which might leave sufficient space for a small CU or RCBO enclosure to the bottom right of the meter box. - Price unknown!
2. Pay £346.63 to the DNO and Supplier to move the Main Fuse and Meter by 9cm which would almost definitely allow the Andersen installer to fit everything they need within the meter box.

It pains me to say it given what has already been spent on the charger and installation, but I think I'm leaning towards Option 2.!

 

[M3P_W8]

So the DNO and Supplier arrived today to do their thing.

The DNO arrived at 8am to shift the fuse by 9cm which took all of around 15 minutes! This left us without power until the Supplier arrived around mid-day to move the meter and isolation switch also by 9cm taking around 15 to 20 minutes, after which power was restored.

I am now £346.63 worse of, but with more space in the meter box for Andersen to do their work next week.

Before:

After:

I'll provide a further/final update once Andersen have completed their work next week. Hopefully this will be helpful for others who might find themselves in a similar position in future.

 

[Glan gluaisne]

Useful that he's taken the time to note the measured value of Ze in felt pen. Be useful if this was standard practice, as it's a faff to have to isolate the supply and disconnect the PE to measure it again when doing any work that needs a chit.

 

[M3P_W8]

To bring closure to this, the Andersen engineer visited on Monday to install my new charger.

To summarise. on inspection it was determined that the supply to my garage was sufficient for the charger to be fed from the consumer unit already present in there. So the circa £350 spent on moving equipment in my meter box was completely unnecessary!

I do however have a lovely clean looking install in my first-choice location:

I guess I'll have to make use of the new space in the meter box for those Powered Gates I've had my eye on!

A big thank you to all those who contributed to this thread, especially @Glan gluaisne for the thorough and detailed replies.

Just the long wait till May now before I get the car and can test it!