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August 21, 2023
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How can I install independent supply to private electric gates?

  • August 21, 2023
  • 22 replies
  • 729 views

Hi, Can anyone advise on how to remove supply of electric from one house and have independent supply to gates. Situation is,  we have 5 houses in a gated community. For some reason the builders ran the electric supply from one house to a meter at the gate. This has worked ok up to now, the householder is billed in normal way, takes a reading from meter at gate, works out the cost of gate usage and charges the management company (which is the 5 houses). The householder that has the supply now wants to vacate his property and while it’s empty switch off all power at his mains, leaving no power to the gates. He’s not prepared to leave the fuse to gates on. So we need to find best way to get power to the gates. We’ve looked at solar power but been advised that, looking at photos, we won’t have sufficient sun in the area the gates are. Any advice would be gratefully received, thank you

Best answer by Blastoise186

Updated on 28/07/26 by Ben_OVO

Hi @JANE1867 ,

Just a heads up, I don’t work for OVO.

Tbh this sounds like a solution in search of a problem. Digging up the grounds and messing with the required cabling will not only involve an electrician, but also your DNO and a suitable energy supplier. I can tell you now that even without an official quote… It won’t be cheap.

You need to get together and consider whether this really is the right option, or just wait for the current householder to leave and then get the management company to flip the power back on just to the gates, while leaving the rest of the consumer unit disabled. Chances are, that’d be much cheaper. I feel like the current householder is being a bit selfish here, but that’s a discussion you all need to have between yourselves.

If you do want to split it off - and it may not be worthwhile just for a set of electric gates that barely use much juice - then you’ll need to tread carefully. I must warn you that going down such a route would leave the gates totally out of action during the works.

Ultimately, here’s the deal. Once that householder leaves the property and closes his account with the energy supplier, he no longer has control over the supply and strictly speaking, he would have no further say about what happens to it. Control would automatically go back to the estate agent, landlord, housing association, management company or insert legally responsible entity here who may be willing to restore supply. In effect, once you leave the property and say, sell up or terminate the tenancy agreement, that’s it - you’ve left the place and have no further power over anything that happens there as it’s not yours anymore. That power immediately and automatically passes over to whoever the new owner/tenant/entity is.

This sort of work needs to be first arranged with your District Network Operator. OVO can only carry out new meter connections for domestic household supplies:

 

 

22 replies

Shads_OVO
Retired Moderator
Retired Moderator
October 30, 2024

Hi @Mieko,

 

I can see that one of our forum volunteers has already given some great advice here. Hope you’re able to get this sorted.

 

Please let us know how you get on. It might be useful for anyone else in the same position. 

Nukecad
Super User
Super User
October 30, 2024

Not a smart meter, or a seperate supply, but something to consider and much less expensive..

If the gates are on a seperate circuit then I'm wondering if a solution here would be to get a private sub-meter/check-meter fitted just for the gates?
ie. Your own meter just metering what is used by the gates circuit for you to see and record (photograph) so that you could show that usage to your neighbours.

Maybe something like these:
https://www.tester.co.uk/rdl-qc4-60a-single-phase-electro-mechanical-meter-w-digital-display-reconditioned
https://www.jwsmartmeters.co.uk/shop/din-rail-mounted-meters/single-phase-din/sdm230dr-mid-single-phase-digital-kwh-meter/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxID2q5LB8QIVku3tCh3LFQlDEAQYDyABEgIsL_D_BwE

Talk to a local electrician about getting one fitted.

You would still be charged by your electricity company for the electricity used, but your own private/check meter will then tell you just how much of it was used for the gates only.
You would then need to negotiate/agree with your neighbours on how to split the cost of that gate usage.

 

Edit- Just another possible option.
If the power needed for the gates is low enough that it could be fitted with a plug and plugged into a normal domestic socket then you could use a simple smart plug to monitor what it is usimg.

I said, Hey - Watts going on.