Hence effectively your exact installation (not typical of most properties) is really a back to back arrangement with the meter on the rear side of your household switchboard. The two are effectively one although the wall provides separation, of access. The incoming and switch board wiring including the connection to the meter would therefore all occupy the same electrical space. Worth the discussion.
I was not keen to expand on details of the meter isolation as it is not so obvious to those who do not have that knowledge.
The separation of the link from your meter is different to requirement ( c ) in the following as it is not on the same board as the meter. Also note the alternative for a CB on the line side, although as far as I’m aware not the norm for domestic installations.
Hopeful intruders also turn off the power just prior to entry during daylight, I guess to take down CCTV and / or monitoring apps using the home router to communicate when there is no UPS.
BTW the meter box at our place in WA has only the meter, no fuses or breakers to interrupt power.
Apologies, i was talking about an isolating switch (e.g. mains switch) rather than the plug isolator.
Yes, the original was back to back (either side of the wall). Works included (which would have predated fhe current guideline)…a new bi-flow meter (for PV), tarriff 33 meter (for solar HW), new switchboard etc were installed. We also had an extension which required additional circuits. Thus trigger for the work.
Possibly due to differences between states, or over time as preferred designs are updated by the supply authorities. Each state has it’s own regulators, who make their own interpretations and set local recommended practices. Same but different from someone who has regularly worked in more than one state.
The electrician confirmed that it is possible to have separate meter and switch boxes. He indicated that there is a growing trend especially where individuals have ‘fortress’ type properties whereby it is not possible to gain access without the resident letting one in (a single gated type house). The meter box is placed on the front wall along with a sealed isolator in accordance with the relevant national standards…and all switching is behind the gate and usually within the dwelling/building. Newer meter boxes are a generic locked cabinet type.
It was also raised that there is a push from some network operators (e.g. distribution companies or meter companies) to have meters installed on the front wall of dwellings or on a side wall within a few metres (2m) of the front facade of a building. The electrician indicated that this really serves no purpose other than making meter reading/meter access easier to the utility companies. He said that with many large number of circuits within most new residential dwellings (multiple for power points, lighting, pool, aircon, HW, and others) as well as protection devices such as earth leakage protection etc, the size of the switching panel is becoming quite big and the cabinets to house both meters and switchboard are also increasing in size. He said if utilities push for the meter to be at the front of a dwelling, splitting of the meter and switchboard may become more common as many residents may not wish for a rather ‘ugly’ big cabinet to be placed in view for all and sundry.
He also noted that for Queensland, old lift type cabinets do’t meet current new cabinet requirements and any new or upgraded cabinet must be a side swing door. Possibly the meter readers are worried about the effort to lift a top swinging door and it falling onto them…
He also said that the industry is also discussing the removal of switch isolators on the roof adjacent to PV panels as they have been more of a problem than their worth (they were originally installed to allow roof isolation access for fire control/isolation in the event of a fire). What he has indicated is that unprotected/uncovered isolation switches have caused more fires than previous then the switches were not mandatory. He also said that uncovered switches will become a potential issues when the plastic becomes brittle and results in water ingress to the switch - an easy way to have a loss of supply or a fire).
He indicated that when the roof mounted isolator switches were introduced, they started installing them under the panels protected from the weather. After a electrical safety audit of some of their work, they were told they had to return to previously installed systems to relocate the switch away from the panels in a position for easy access. He raised concerns about weather and likely failure over time…but concerns were ignored. He is now pleased, albeit belated, that the placement of the switches on the roof are potentially being removed. He also said that the industry is pushing for their removal in the future. He did suggest that anyone with a roof mounted switch exposed to the weather, to have it covered to reduce future risks associated with its installation. He also mentioned that they have been covering the switches for new PV system installs as they are concerned about the risk of it sitting out in the weather.
The last point was a increasing proportion of his work is sorting out problems by ‘fly by night’ type PV installation companies within the industry. It is either cheap, poor quality equipment which has failed or systems failing due to the way they have been installed.
