Just like every worksite needs power to operate, every electrical system requires a meter box to measure and record the electricity usage. One of the vital devices contained within the meter box is a safety switch - also called a residual current device (RCD) - which must abide by Australian Standards wiring rules to ensure the electrical setup is conducted properly and safely.
While electricians are as familiar with the inner workings of a meter box as they are with electrical tape and cable ties, the devices within a meter box can appear foreign to others. Below, we remove the lid to discover what’s inside your meter box.
What Is A Meter Box?
A meter box is an enclosure box installed on the external wall of residential and commercial properties that contains and protects a variety of electrical components. If a building site is without electricity, a temporary power pole can be rented from the expert team here at Poles & Holes, which includes an attached meter box.
Most importantly, a meter box houses an electric reading meter, the device that measures electrical consumption. Other components within the box include the main switch, fuses and circuit breakers such as the residual current device (RCD), which has the ability to control and stop the flow of electricity. As a minimum all Poles & Holes meter boxes have a single 15 Amp power outlet and a double 10 Amp power outlet. Usually there are more GPO's (General Purpose Outlets) but this is the minimum.
Why Are These Boxes So Important?
For safety reasons, meter boxes are extremely important to any residential building or commercial site. The safety switch, or RCD, provides protection to all the power and lighting circuits on the property, as they have the ability to detect any leakages of currents to the earth and can immediately interrupt the supply of electricity to power points. Not only is a meter box with an RCD in everyone’s best interests for optimum safety, they are also a legal obligation under Australian Standard AS/NZS 3760.
Meter Boxes for Power Poles
When you hire a temporary power pole, the team at Poles and Holes arrange the equipment within the boundaries of your building site or property to provide you with a connection to a power network. A meter box is always included in this setup to measure your electrical usage, mounted to the pole to give you safe and secure access to electricity.
Conclusion
Do you need to rent a temporary power pole for your building site in Brisbane or the Gold Coast? At Poles and Holes, not only do we offer a range of portaloo hire Brisbane services, but also competitively priced power poles to suit all projects, with the expertise to setup the meter box. Order online today, and we’ll give you a call within 24 hours to confirm your details and answer all your questions, whether it's for a temporary power pole or portable toilet hire for events.
