CASE STUDY · SWITCHBOARDS · TOWNSVILLE
Moving a meter board to the front of the house before solar and batteries
Before solar and batteries could go in, Ergon required this home's old meter board to be upgraded and moved to the front of the property. We prepared the new board the day before, then completed the change when Ergon came out.
Moving a meter board to the front of a Townsville home before solar. 44 sec, filmed on site on 29 July 2026.
Read what is said in the video
Electrician At this customer's house we're upgrading and relocating the meter board to prep for solar and batteries. Come and check it out.
Electrician So this is an old meter board. Part of the requirements for Ergon is an upgrade, and also relocating the meter board to the front of the property.
Electrician Here we've got [our electrician] prepping the switchboard for the meter relocation, getting it all prepped the day before, and then we'll upgrade it when Ergon come out.
Electrician So if you've got a switchboard that looks like this, or you're just unsure about it, give Mountain Man Electrical a call.
Lightly edited for reading. Crew names and one line about other electricians are left out.
The job.
Why the meter board had to move
They wanted solar and batteries. The home had an old meter board inside, with a separate switchboard added beside it at some point to hold the safety switches.
What we recommended
Ergon requires a board like this to be upgraded and moved to the front of the property before solar and batteries are connected. We prepared the new board a day ahead of Ergon's visit.
What we did
- 1Mounted and wired the new meter board enclosure at the front of the property the day before.
- 2Upgraded and relocated the meter board when Ergon came out.
- 3Left the home ready for its solar and battery installation.
FROM THE JOB
Photos from the day.
AT A GLANCE
Job details.
- Old setup
- Meter board inside, separate safety switch board beside it
- New setup
- Upgraded board at the front of the property
- Why
- Ergon requirement before solar and batteries
- Prepared
- The day before Ergon's visit
QUESTIONS FROM THIS JOB
Moving a meter board before solar.
Answers from the meter board job, filmed 29 July 2026.
Why did the meter board have to move before the solar went in?
On this job, Ergon required the old meter board to be upgraded and moved to the front of the property before solar and batteries could be connected.
How long is the power off when a meter board is moved?
We prepared the new board the day before, so on the day Ergon came out we only had to finish the change over. That keeps the time without power as short as we can make it.
How do I know if my meter board needs an upgrade?
If your meter board is inside the house, or has a separate safety switch board added beside it like this one did, have it looked at before you plan solar. Tell us about it in a quote request and we will check it first.
Planning solar on an older home?
Send us a photo of your meter board. We will tell you whether Ergon will need it moved or upgraded first.
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