Service head change coming up!!!!

[Lectrician]

Im with RF here - Isolators are pointless!

 

[GaryMo]

They're not pointless. They're very useful for an electrician who wishes to upgrade a consumer unit and tails without pre-arranging a visit to pull the main fuse.
Isn't that an advantage to having an isolator?

 

[RF Lighting]

How often does a consumer unit require replacement?

I can't think I've ever seen one installed in the tails supplying a rewireable type CU. If you are there to fit a nice shiny new CU, then is it really worth fitting an isolator for when the CU needs updating in another fifty years time?

By this time, the isolator may well no longer be suitable anyway.

 

[GaryMo]

As I said earlier, I can see your point.
But they're installed for a reason, the reason being to fully isolate the consumers installation which can be a benefit.

 

[JohnD]

also single point of isolation for multiple CUs

I have worked in places with a tangle of switchfuses and DBs with no easy way to turn the lot off esp in an emergency.

 

[Click-Sure]

I too am with RF on isolators. What narks me off is when central put seals on MY henleys!

As far a single point of isolation is concerned for multiple CU's, I find that gets done by a switchfuse anyway.

 

[flyingsparks]

I regularly cut seals on henley blocks after the meter, would they worry about this as it is after the meter, and so technically it should be fine to do this..?? Also anyone know if you can buy seals and crimpers?!?

 

[GaryMo]

Have a look on eBay.

 

[Lectrician]

They're not pointless. They're very useful for an electrician who wishes to upgrade a consumer unit and tails without pre-arranging a visit to pull the main fuse.
Isn't that an advantage to having an isolator?

Thats ****** isn't it. By the time the CU needs changing, the isolator will too. As I said. Pointless.

 

[GaryMo]

They're not pointless. They're very useful for an electrician who wishes to upgrade a consumer unit and tails without pre-arranging a visit to pull the main fuse.
Isn't that an advantage to having an isolator?

Thats **** isn't it. By the time the CU needs changing, the isolator will too. As I said. Pointless.

We do many basement conversions which generally end up on a separate consumer unit. Existing consumer unit (which may have been recently changed) has no spare ways. If an isolator had been fitted then we wouldn't have to phone for a fuse pull or cut seals or end up fitting an isolator ourselves for single point of isolation.
They're not pointless at all, that assuming you agree that having one in this situation would be an advantage.

 

[Space cat]

If, for whatever reason, you don't want an isolator in there, surely a Henley block is worth having? You've got spare terminals for extra CU's and if you do need to change one you've only one live connection to break. If you must work live (because you don't like breaking seals) it's much better to leave a live terminal than have a live wire end drifting about.

 

[Click-Sure]

Hmmm, Fitting live 25mm springy tails into a henley block.

Not without a decent pair of hot gloves!

 

[plugwash]

Putting a live tail into a dead henly block does indeed seem rather dangerous.

A dead tail into a live henly block seems relatively safe though as long as the tools are insulated.

 

[securespark]

if they had to call out the meter people to cut and pull the main fuse then they...would have to produce test results before they put the fuse back in...

In my experience, the most the DNO's ask for (if that) is a Comp Cert, where you sign to say it's done to regs. Anybody can sign it. All they want is a cert taking responsibility for the consumer's side away from them.

In the good old days (15th Ed.), the inspectors really did inspect & would not reconnect if they were not happy with what you had done.

 

[mdbalson]

In a old Reader's Digest Concise Repair Manual (from 1977, it was my grandad's), which I have at home the electricity section is only 8 pages, saying what types of circuits there are in a home, how to strip flex, electrical safety measures, & how to read the electric meter. Also in the book it says if you need more circuits in the house, to consult the electricity board.

How things have changed