Screw template for new Smart Meter? Have restricted space for replacement electricity meter.

My initial reaction is ‘no way’. Let’s start from this government guidance:
  

Of course a competent meter engineer could probably make do with less space, but your situation looks beyond the pale. The solution that leaps out is to move the CU out of the box, perhaps to a surface mount above the box. 

There are several different types of smart meter, but SMETS2 meters tend to fit into a rectangle 130mm wide and ~115 mm tall. Then there’s a comms hub normally intimately coupled to the top of the meter. It is possible in extreme cases to mount the comms hub elsewhere (up to 1.5 m away), but its interface to the meter probably adds another 60mm in height. Three mounting screws follow  IEC standards, but good luck with finding those.
 

Thanks for your help ​@Firedog.

​@Tomicity good morning, and thanks for your post. I don’t think this is something that’s solvable for our engineers alone I’m afraid. Have you spoken to your District Network Operator about this? It might be the case that they can move the supply so that the meter can be placed somewhere else, and we could then arrange to put a smart meter in place on the same day. I’m going to call on our meter expert ​@Lukepeniket_OVO, who may have some helpful advice for this situation.

Thanks for your input ​@Firedog.

I was hoping for a solution that doesn’t involve redesigning and rewiring the contents of the cupboard, but I accept that may be the only way. Relocating the CU outside of the cupboard might be a good compromise option - but there is no room above (the cupboard is flush with the ceiling). There may be some room to the right of it however.

​@Ben_OVO thanks for your reply. I have had the DNO visit but they couldn’t do anything there and then. They thought it’d be quite a job to relocate the supply and whilst doable, it is complicated by this being a rented property and having multiple parties involved (me - the tenant; the landlord; a potential private electrician to carry out changes on the consumer side; OVO for the meter installation; and the DNO to disconnect/relocate/connect the supply).

I was thinking that if I could at least find a mounting template/diagram for the new meter (showing the screw hole locations) then it’d be clear what space was required and then how much work would be needed to get that space. If ​@Lukepeniket_OVO is able to assist with this or in any other way then it’d be greatly appreciated.

​@Tomicity I said there was an IEC standard, but I’ve no idea what it says. I did find this mounting diagram for a Landis & Gyr SMETS2 meter, which won’t be far off what other varieties require:

If you can find a suitable spot for the CU, and assuming ​@Lukepeniket_OVO thinks that might be a solution, then you would preferably have the (landlord’s) electrician on site at the same time as the meter engineer, so they could agree on tails. Otherwise the engineer could just terminate the tails in Henley blocks for the electrician to connect up afterwards. You’d be without power from the time the engineer arrives until the electrician leaves, so it’s a good idea to try and coordinate!

Hey all,

Sorry for late reply I was gathering some evidence in the background, in a nutshell this job can absolutely go ahead and its an issue we come up against quite often. 

Even through there isnt much room on the existing board there is soo much we can do to ensure we do have room, here are some examples of what we have done previously.

as you can see we can attach a new meter board to the existing board to help with fixings for the meter, this also saves us needing to drill the wall.

If you want the job to be rebooked and I can handhold it to ensure it is exchanged could you let us know here =] The forum team will then grab your account number and ill get one of my colleagues to call you =]

thank you