Polycarbonate enclosures protect the heart of submetering systems

The situation
CanMeter, located in Ottawa, Ontario, is the largest supplier of electricity submetering systems to the Canadian campground and RV park industry. Housed in custom enclosures, these meters mount at breakers or distribution points, are customised for each application, and can easily be installed by a local electrician.

CanMeter systems provide diverse voltage capabilities, and have a communications output for remote monitoring and easy viewing of numeric readouts keyed to an individual site. CanMeter makes it possible for campground owners to monitor and recover campsite electrical usage economically.

The challenge
CanMeter utilises enclosures for housing and reliably protecting its submetering systems. The meters require enclosures with NEMA and IP67 ratings. According to Peter Vuicic, owner of CanMeter, polycarbonate is the enclosure material of choice for a number of reasons.

“Compared to PVC enclosures, which have inadequate inherent strength and will shatter, most polycarbonate enclosures can survive hammer blows and other abuse,” Vuicic notes.

“After all, bulletproof panels and police and military riot shields are made from polycarbonate. In our business, a lockable, secure enclosure that will stand up to vandalism is a huge asset.”

The company was having difficulties, however, with finding a supplier for enclosures that functioned as required... 

Read the full article in DPA's August 2025 issue