Blue tariff metering cabinets

Site enclosures and metering cabinets

Metering cabinets, also known as site meters, are essential temporary equipment for your construction projects. These electrical cabinets are indispensable for ensuring a secure temporary power supply at construction sites, events or industrial facilities. Specially designed to measure and manage energy consumption, they enable a site to be connected to the public power grid for the duration of the work, before the final switchboard is installed. Whether for a construction site, a funfair or a nuclear power plant, metering cabinets offer a flexible, standards-compliant solution. In this article, we explain why this equipment is essential, and how to choose the right one to meet the requirements of your electrical installation.

What is a blue-rate metering cabinet?

A metering cabinet or site meter is a temporary electrical device essential for connection to the public power grid. These site meters provide an essential temporary power supply before installing a permanent solution. Depending on your specific needs, the metering cabinet is fully configurable. It can also be used to power market stalls, campsites and other temporary events.

In general, the electrical box is equipped with an EDF circuit breaker or a differential switch. It can also include single-phase, tetraphase or three-phase plugs, a meter, and additional protection to secure your electrical equipment. To commission your cabinet, you'll need to submit a connection request to edf. Make sure your equipment complies with the NF C 14-100 standard, so that your request can be validated.

To optimize the operation of your site, you can add a mobile box that connects directly to the main site box. In short, if you need electricity on your site, installing a site box is a must.

What's the difference between a metering cabinet and a distribution cabinet?

Metering cabinets and distribution cabinets have distinct functions in temporary electrical installations.

A metering cabinet is a temporary device that enables ENEDIS to supply electricity to a worksite until a permanent meter is installed. These cabinets are generally fitted with an integrated meter, circuit breakers and a differential switch, ensuring the safety of the electrical installation.

Not to be confused with the distribution cabinet, which is used to distribute electrical power throughout the site. This type of professional cabinet is used to connect various electrical equipment (tools, machines, etc.) and supply power to different work areas. Distribution cabinets generally include sockets, circuit breakers and safety devices such as emergency stop buttons. They are ideal for temporary installations requiring numerous connections.

Why install a site meter?

Installing a site meter is essential for supplying temporary power to a site during construction work. This device provides a power supply before the installation of a permanent solution, ensuring that work can proceed without interruption. A site meter is often required for new buildings, renovations or temporary events, and can also be used to control electricity consumption to optimize costs. It must comply with safety and connection standards (NF C 14-100) to be accepted by grid operators such as EDF.

What are the maximum wattages and currents for the different subscriber tariffs?

Electricity subscription rates vary according to the power required, and fall into three main categories:

• Blue Tariff: For power ratings from 3 kVA to 36 kVA. It is often used for small temporary installations, medium-sized worksites, or events requiring a modest power supply. The blue tariff is available in single-phase (3 to 12 kVA) or three-phase (6 to 36 kVA).
• Yellow Rate: For installations with higher power requirements, from 36 kVA to 250 kVA. This tariff is suitable for large-scale construction sites, temporary industrial installations or large-scale events. Discover our yellow tariff metering cabinets.
• Green Tariff: For power ratings above 250 kVA, this tariff is generally reserved for permanent industrial installations or large-capacity infrastructures requiring a continuous, high-capacity supply.

These classifications enable you to choose the most suitable metering cabinet for your site's requirements, while ensuring that your installation complies with the relevant regulations.

What makes up a worksite cabinet?

A worksite cabinet is electrical equipment designed to provide a temporary power supply on building sites or temporary installations. It generally consists of the following components:

• A circuit breaker: protects the electrical installation by cutting off the current in the event of an overload or short-circuit, guaranteeing safety on the worksite.
• A differential switch: this device detects current leaks and automatically cuts off the power supply in the event of a problem, thus preventing the risk of electrocution.
• Energy meter: measures electricity consumption and tracks associated costs.
• Terminal blocks: for secure connection of electrical cables, allowing power to flow in and out.
• Electrical outlets (single-phase or three-phase): these are used to connect tools and equipment needed on the site, such as drills, concrete mixers or generators.
• An emergency stop button: to ensure worker safety, this button immediately interrupts the power supply in the event of an emergency.

Various metering cabinets are available, including single-phase and tetraphase blue tariffs, and with or without electrical distribution. These are made up of two sides, with a distribution box on one side and a metering box on the other.

Our entire range of site cabinets is housed in metal frames. This system makes for a very sturdy cabinet that will stand the test of time. They also feature a lifting ring and handles for easy transport. As standard, the cabinets are green, but the color can be customized if required.

What are blue-rate metering cabinets used for?

Blue tariff metering cabinets are widely used in a variety of sectors requiring a temporary power supply:

Construction and renovation sites: metering cabinets are essential to ensure temporary power supply during construction, before the permanent switchboard is commissioned.

Temporary events: at festivals, fairs, exhibitions and other events, meter cabinets are often needed to power temporary installations such as stands, stages or rides.

Industry and maintenance: they are used for temporary installations in factories, power stations or maintenance sites, particularly during large-scale works.

Tertiary sector and local authorities: meter cabinets play a key role in temporary urban redevelopment projects, street lighting or municipal events.

Railway sector: on track maintenance sites, these cabinets provide a secure power supply for equipment, guaranteeing the safety and efficiency of operations.

How do you choose the right metering cabinet for your project?

The choice of a metering cabinet depends on several key criteria:

1. Electrical power requirements: defining the maximum power required is crucial to choosing the right tariff (single-phase or three-phase). Blue tariff metering cabinets cover requirements ranging from 3 to 36 kVA, depending on the characteristics of the installation.
2. The nature of the site or event: it's important to take into account the type of installation (indoor or outdoor) and the conditions of use. For example, on a building site exposed to the elements, we recommend choosing an enclosure with a high degree of protection (IP54 or higher).
3. Safety standards: make sure the cabinet complies with current regulations, in particular NF C 14-100 and NF C 15-100, to guarantee the conformity and safety of the installation.
4. Connection type: the choice between a single-phase (230 V) or three-phase (400 V) installation will depend on the equipment used on site. Power requirements and the type of equipment connected will determine this configuration.
5. Customization options: depending on the specific needs of the project, it may be useful to choose a customized metering cabinet, equipped with additional features such as a security lock or a multi-rate meter to track consumption by period.

These criteria will help you select the most suitable cabinet for your needs, guaranteeing reliable and safe power supply to your temporary sites.

Blue tariff metering cabinets are essential solutions for ensuring a reliable power supply on construction sites and temporary installations. In addition to these metering cabinets, we also offer other types of cabinets to meet all your needs: distribution cabinets for on-site power distribution, and source inverter cabinets for easy switching between different power sources.

All our products are 100% customizable to perfectly fit your projects, whatever they may be. Our team of experts is at your disposal to advise you and design the lighting and power supply solution best suited to your specific needs. Contact us for prices and quotations.