upgrading electricity connection

[tybach]

Western Power tell us that we need to upgrade our power supply from them. We have bought an old semi in the wilds and are installing a heat pump, apparently we need a better electricty supply. Whilst we don't feel able to argue about it, the cost is going to be around £1800, even with me digging the 40 metres of trenching. Funnily enough we don't have this kind of money kicking around

Is there any alternative? I have noticed that the current supply which comes from a pole at the end of the garden sags quite badly, would Western Power need to maintain that line at certain height and would our supply going underground be to their advantage? Are they open to negotiations?

Any help/advice would be very welcome.

Cheers!

 

[MalcofArabia]

The first question to ask is why are they insisting you upgrade your supply.

The use of a ground heat pump, I'm assuming that is what you mean, isn't that much of a drain on a supply.

Have you asked for a larger supply or as you live in the country as you indicated, have you asked them to provide an earth?

Normally the DNO only act on a customers call or enquiry, unless they discover a fault or want to upgrade some part of their system. If the work is generated by the DNO then they normally foot the bill

 

[JohnD]

I was wondering if you have designed in some kind of electrical heating or large electrical appliances

If you area a "green" sort of person I would have thought you could get by with an average load of 1 kWh/hr like I do.

Possibly if the property is out in the sticks and has been unoccupied for a long time, the electrical supply might have been cut off or become decrepit so that it needs a new installation.

BTW if you recalculate your business case for the heat pump, you might find that it is not an economic proposition if you include this extra cost. What do you anticipate the total cost to be, what do you anticipate the annual efficiency savings to be; what have you taken as your cost of capital and therefore what do you calculate the payback time to be; and what do you estimate the plant lifetime to be?

 

[Lectrician]

Details / pics of your current supply, service head, pole mounted tranny would be good, as would loading details of your intended heat pump and any unusuall loads already on site.

 

[tybach]

Thanks for the replies and good advice. We have had a few tinternet problems over the holidays so sorry for the delay in responding.

Malc of Arabia- we asked the DNO about moving our fuse box and meter, along with a small reroute of the incoming cable. During a site visit they instantly informed us that the power supply would not be suitable for 'modern appliances'. Other than the heat pump, which is soft start, we do not have anything heavier than the electric oven.

John D/ Lectrician- apparently the supply is OK, although the master fuse looks ancient the Western Power Surveyor was adamant that it was up to scratch. We do not have a business case for the heat pump- we are not on mains gas and there is no existing heating system, so we decided to go with a heat pump, trying to be green and all that... but the extra cost of a power upgrade is unexpected.

We dont have a pole mounted tranny, apparently we are served by one in the nearby village.

We are keen to get moving with this so we are on the verge of just accepting what they have told us...

 

[MalcofArabia]

By the looks of things they are charging you for moving the supply. I only re-read your post now and you say that you agreed to dig the 40mt trench, are you supplying any cable or are the DNO supplying that?

I can only think they mean by "modern appliances" is that your existing fuse is a small one. Perhaps a 60amp and if you discussed with them things like power showers and cookers and things they will make it bigger. perhaps even a 100amp.

That is perhaps why you also need a new cable run, and trenches. If they are supplying cable for 40mts, new head and with luck an earth, that 1800 pounds is looking a good deal for you.

You will though have to really start asking them what they are going to do. ask them for a breakdown of the work they are going to do and why.

 

[skenk]

See if you can find out what rating your supply fuse is (60A?)

Tell Western Power you don't want the supply moved after all (think you might have to suck this up). If they want to upgrade it let them do it at their own cost.

60A should be fine unless you have a big family and lots of high-power usage items

 

[RF Lighting]

I did a ground source heat pump a few weeks back. It needed a 50A supply on its own. plus the twin immersions in the megaflo cylinder...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Where are they buying their electricity?

Did they not have a gas supply?

 

[ColJack]

you'd be better off getting a gas tank installed under the back garden.. one of the smart ones that's been on telly, the kind that phone the gas tanker up to order some more when it's running low..
presumably you have road access to the place?

 

[Lectrician]

What exactly does WPD's offer say? What does the charge and characteristics page say?

 

[1john]

I didnt think western power would move your fuse box, also, if it is a fuse box, it wont need moving, it will need replacing, as may some or all of the existing cabling You should get a periodic inspection report done on the wiring before you decide what route to take.