Service head change coming up!!!!

[oharaf]

After reporting our fused neutral a couple of weeks back to YEDL. We heard from "Freedom Electrical" they have been to 'survey' the service head.

A mummsie looking lady came, looked at it and said "It's metal, thats old" then jiggered off.

Later she phoned and they are coming 28th May.

Apparently they will be cutting the supply cable some where in the front garden!!!!!!

Anyway, will have to be around so will photo as much of the work as I can.

Quite excited, her indoors says I'm a right sad b@stard

 

[RF Lighting]

It seems that YEDL now sub out alot of there cutout changes / moves to freedom.

All their lads I've worked with seem like nice fellars

 

[oharaf]

What do you reckon the chances of getting them to fit an isolator!!!!

Good to hear that RF, good fellas always make for better work and conversation

 

[RF Lighting]

The last couple of Jobs I've done with them, they have supplied and fitted an isolator without me even requesting it.

Not that thats a good thing in my opinion, but good news for you

 

[GaryMo]

RF, I'm sure you have good reason but I'm curious as to why you think an isolator isn't a good idea?

 

[ColJack]

an isolator makes it all to easy for a DIY'er to change their CU's without following the proper testing and reporting proceedures..

they just switch it off and head down to B&Q to get a new CU and change it..
if they had to call out the meter people to cut and pull the main fuse then they probably wouldn't bother, or would have to produce test results before they put the fuse back in..

the same can be said of just cutting and pulling the fuse themselves, but then at least the meter people would flag that the next time they visited..

 

[RF Lighting]

RF, I'm sure you have good reason but I'm curious as to why you think an isolator isn't a good idea?

You've got an isolator in your CU.

Having another isolator next to this one is pointless, and it is just 4 unnecessary high current connections to go wrong.

 

[GaryMo]

I personally think an isolator is a good idea.
DIY'ers will always find a way around it.
Do you personally know of any come backs for cutting seals?
Meter readers aren't bothered in the slightest.

I'll tell you a little story and before you all start, yes I know I shouldn't have done but I did
A few years ago, a colleague had carried out a first fix on a conservatory with me returning to second fix, test and certify.
I disconnected all outgoing earths and measured Ze. It was around 0.4ohms but I couldn't tell if the supply was a TN-S or TN-C-S.
So, I pulled the fuse and unscrewed the front cover of the cutout to see if the neutral to earth link had been moved over for a PME supply. As the cover was removed somebody walked up behind me (external meter box) and said, "excuse me, could I read the meter please?". I'm sure my heart stopped at that point!
Anyway, he read the meter, said nothing and drove away. Nothing ever came of it. Supply was TN-S and measured Ze of 0.4ohms was within spec .

 

[GaryMo]

Having another isolator next to this one is pointless, and it is just 4 unnecessary high current connections to go wrong.

I know of many properties with multiple consumer units where an external isolator would help with the whole single point of isolation regulation.

I certainly see both Cols and reasons by yourself as valid though.

 

[RF Lighting]

Meter readers aren't bothered in the slightest.

 

[GaryMo]

Well, MOST then!

I suppose you could argue that the tails are part of the consumers installation and they should have the option of full isolation for any electrical work (namely upgrade of tails for a CU change) to be carried out by a competent person without requesting the presence somebody to pull the service fuse.

 

[Roo]

IMO an isolator marks the point of whats the customers and whats the DNO's.

I'm not allowed to go into a CU under our procedures, but the customer (or somebody working on their behalf) can't cut seals by law.

So if I come across (for instance) a job with cloth VIR tails I can replace between cutout and meter, but without an isolator couldn't replace between meter and CU.

A spark (legally) wouldn't be able to replace them either as it would mean cutting the seals.

With an isolator I can replace between meter and isolator then next time a sparks in they can replace between isolator and CU.

As for people not caring if seals are cut....

I think it's common sense, if they are cut and theres a shiny new CU then I'll just seal it back up when I'm done.

If they are cut and theres a feed from a lamp post etc then the heavies get sent in.

 

[streetlighter]

Ive never seen a seal on a REC street lamp cutout, But the Lucy ones have the hole for one on the carrier.

 

[Trog]

Our local one must be a don't care as there have been no seals on the main fuse for at least two years, when the meter was changed and possibly longer. We have been here twenty years, and as far as I know the meter change was the first time that the fuse has been pulled, in that time.

Looks as if who ever did it took a brute force approach, as the fuse appears to have been pulled out with the seals on. As the lugs the seal wires go through on the fuse holder are all broken off.

 

[GaryMo]

I questioned a United Utilities guy who came to remove some logging equipment yesterday at a factory I'm currently rewiring about the cutting of seals.
He said cutting the seal on the main fuse isn't a big issue unlike cutting seals on the meter. Obviously he's speaking from experience and not on the behalf of United Utilities.