DNO way (as I've been doing clearly so for over 40 years).
ALL LIVE, NEUTRAL & EARTH CLEARLY SHORTED TOGETHER TO EACH OTHER marked with a lable on them as well
Preferably visible as well
The make can vary if you want but make sure that both leads have got fuses at the remote test end, not the meter ends
Like this
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/multimeter-test-leads/0204583/
Also go for a high accuracy AC type, we often are attending voltage complaint issues where they can be...
The only cure is to replace the incoming service cable. So if you want part of the garden dug up and some redecorating the DNO would replace it, but you would be paying for those bits
Yep, the 3 phase main will no doubt be a paper insulated oil insulated cable so there will be some migration downhill of the oil in warm weather. The joints and terminations do have oil blocking equipment in side them
So nothing to worry at all
Aye so scary!
Try considering a 1/2 mile length of 2 x 0.2 sq inch 3 core copper at 11kV, not uncommon buried in the public streets of this country (or combinations of other sizes up to 1/2 sq inch and (below also) up to a mile of so n length))
Before you fit them, ask and answer this question.
If the supply goes off in the street or just to the house how are they going to be opened if you or your family wants in or out of the property in any conditions?
Finding a supply without an earth connection is far from unusual.
It is often where the original earthing arrangement was from the metal water or gas supply pipe that have been changed to a plastic pipe.
Back then there was no realisation that the house earth was being provided by these other...
Given as well that the DNOs are not under any requirement to provide this protection in the first place as well.
Of more interest is the chance that the DNO pretty obviously forgot about it, as did the customer by the look about it!
It is an accepted national option to do a temporary repair in this way, but only for a short time of 2 or 3 days, after which a permanent repair must be done. It looks as if this has been one that has got missed by the DNO to get the permanent repair done, and others not to know that such things...
If SWALEC are accepting responsibility for the equipment, why are you still talking about investigating the fault?
If it is on their equipment you need to have no further involvent with it, and could infact be breaking the law to do so
Yes that unit is of a type that would be connected by a DNO so is not of a type you should even be trying to find a fault on, it is their responsibility
Looking at some of your examples it seems in every case you had left the neutral connected so an intermittent N-E fault on any of them circuits could still cause the RCD to trip
Seems to me that if the DNO fitted this as a temporary repair it is still their responsibility to maintain/repair/remove it.
So I would suggest your first point of call would be to their 24/7 number for them to rectify this work that should never have been left like this for more than a few days.