Though a majority of the population honestly pays bills in the UK there are few people who tamper with connections and meters to suit their usage. This has forced authorities to mandate that it is the consumer’s responsibility to make sure that the meter gauge fitted in their homes record exact usage. Any discrepancies found during official inspection can warrant initiation of fraud investigation and consumer misconduct proceedings. External electric meter boxes are bare minimum safeguards a consumer should have in place to ensure fair recording. Protecting the meter External meters are subjected to rain, snow and variations in temperatures that can affect their functioning. Water can erode lead connections and damage gauge device. The meter should be housed in a box to protect it from moisture and rusting. If authorities note that your usage is not commensurate with the reading, they could suspect tampering. Without an electricity meter box, the meter is vulnerable to tampering. A meter box should house the meter under lock and key. It should be durable and tamper-proof. Boxes come with a timber backboard to prevent electricity conduction but have a metal shell to make them strong. Robust designs use glass reinforced polyester to prevent moisture induced corrosion. Selecting meter type There are broadly two main types of external electricity meter boxes based on box installation. Flush fitted box are fitted over a cavity in the outer wall into which the meter is placed. The box acts as housing. Most houses commonly have flush fitted box with cavity created during construction. However where a cavity does not exist or cannot be created, a surface mounted box is installed. Both types of boxes come in varying sizes from standard size to large size boxes used for industrial grade three phase meters. Metersshould be installed at accessible positions and should conform to ESI Standard 12-3. Broken cabinets can attract penalty. Buy from reputed sellers Onus of protecting the meter is on the consumer as it is installed on the former’s premises. Therefore it is essential to get a durable external electric meter boxes from a reputed seller. Good equipment dealers sell boxes designed to meet ESI standards. They are moisture proof and fire-retardant. Boxes are manufactured in standard dimensions making them suitable for different meter models. Brass hinges and pivots are provided while sellers also stack box replacement parts like hinge pins, latch and meter box key.
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