Eon not able to install smart meter due to insufficent cable lengths in current install

ccaasjf

Hiya,

 As part of signing up to 'Eon Next Pledge Tracker' I agreed to have a Smart Meter installed, the install arrived this morning only to tell me that it was impossible to do with my current consumer box wiring due to the fact the cables are too short for them to install one and not sufficient space in the current trunking.

In the last 2 years the whole flat has had a re-wire, the current cable lengths are sufficient for the current install, and I don’t see it as my responsibility to get an electrician back to alter them.

 For example is there any requirements in the current NEICIC regulations that provided direction?

 Any advice is appreciated.

Thank You

Simon

BarelySentientAI

There is a clause in the Electricity Act 1989:

"The meter shall be installed on the customer’s premises in a position determined by the authorised supplier, unless in all the circumstances it is more reasonable to place it outside those premises or in some other position."

It goes where they want it.  If your wiring doesn't reach, that's your problem.

ccaasjf

Here is a picture of the current install.

p00hsticks

BarelySentientAI said:

It goes where they want it.  If your wiring doesn't reach, that's your problem.

Although I'd argue that if the current meter isn't faulty and the customer has agreed to have a replacement meter fitted but the supplier for whatever reason says they are unable to do so, then the customer should probably still be allowed to stay on the tariff without having the meter replaced unless it's an essential requirement to have a smart meter to operate the tariff (and at first glance that doesn;t seem to be the case for the Eon Next Pledge Tracker... 

ccaasjf

They are saying the following:

1) The cables are too short running from the consumer box.
2) For them to use a block to extend them there is insufficent toom in teh trunking to do so.

BarelySentientAI

p00hsticks said:

BarelySentientAI said:

It goes where they want it.  If your wiring doesn't reach, that's your problem.

Although I'd argue that if the current meter isn't faulty and the customer has agreed to have a replacement meter fitted but the supplier for whatever reason says they are unable to do so, then the customer should probably still be allowed to stay on the tariff without having the meter replaced unless it's an essential requirement to have a smart meter to operate the tariff (and at first glance that doesn;t seem to be the case for the Eon Next Pledge Tracker... 

Yeah, I'd agree with that.

ccaasjf said:

They are saying the following:

1) The cables are too short running from the consumer box.
2) For them to use a block to extend them there is insufficent toom in teh trunking to do so.

I also agree with both of those points.  Looks like an unfortunate consequence of the re-wiring actually being too neat.

Chris_b2z

Surely it must be the supplier's responsibility to find a solution even if it means covering the cost of installing longer meter tails. What will they do when the existing meter fails?

doodling

Hi,

Chris_b2z said:

Surely it must be the supplier's responsibility to find a solution even if it means covering the cost of installing longer meter tails. What will they do when the existing meter fails?

I'm pretty sure that the tails from the meter to the consumer unit belong to the property owner so it is the OPs tails that are too short.

There is an element of chicken and egg here as an electrician won't deal with the end of the tails that enter the meter whilst the meter installer probably won't want to go messing around in the CU.

My suggestion would be to get Eon to install an isolator and then get an electrician to wire tails from the isolator to the CU.  You'd need to get your electrician poised to go as you'd be without power between those two steps.

When the meter installer came to do the work, what did he suggest as the solution?  Would he have been willing to install longer tails to your CU if you had provided the tails, made lots of tea and broken out the good chocolate biscuits?

As an aside, I assume that the main supply fuse is located elsewhere as I can't see it in the photo?

Mister_G

When Eon came to fit my smart meter a couple of years ago, I asked the fitter to fit an isolator and 25mm flexitails which I supplied.

For a cup of tea and a few chocolate biscuits it was "no problem"!

molerat

Should that screw / disc on the front have a seal on it ?  Did the electrician doing the rewire move the meter ?

Zandoni

Speak to Eon and see what they say, they may foot the bill.