Consumer Unit / Garage Electrics

[TheTransplanter]

You would do well to pay more attention to what westie says than what others say.

I wouldn't doubt anyone's knowledge especially when its not my trade, but for the layman aesmith sums it up quite well

That's what I was thinking. Fair enough on the original connection agreement, but I couldn't see anything giving an on-going obligation to inform of changes let alone detailing the exact changes that are notifiable. I wonder how a householder would ever become aware of such a requirement unless they were involved in the original connection. For example our house would have been connected at least 50 years ago.

I can see how it would work if it was only changes in hard-wired equipment that were to be notified, as you'd normally have a electrician involved. But notifying for new portable equipment seems crazy.

 

[JohnW2]

I wouldn't doubt anyone's knowledge especially when its not my trade, but for the layman aesmith sums it up quite well

That's what I was thinking. Fair enough on the original connection agreement, but I couldn't see anything giving an on-going obligation to inform of changes let alone detailing the exact changes that are notifiable. I wonder how a householder would ever become aware of such a requirement unless they were involved in the original connection. For example our house would have been connected at least 50 years ago.

Unfortunately, and odd though it seems to me [as a (legal) layman], it may not be quite as simple as that. The Introduction of the 'National Terms of Connection' ( click here ), which apparently apply to all provision of electrical supplies in the UK, says:

If you have not entered into any contract with your network operator in respect to a particular premise, but you are either the owner or occupier (or both the owner and occupier) of those premises, you are required to accept these terms pursuant to Section 21 of the Electricity Act 1989 (and you will be taken to have accepted these terms unless and until your premises are permanently disconnected from the network or you agree different terms with your network operator).

Go figure!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Ahtyrrell]

Better give the DNO a call them I'm about to do some vacuuming and haven't notified that that I will be using a motor over 1kw

The clause in the contract talks about fixed loads

Network constraints. Our obligations under this agreement are subject to the maximum capacity and any other design feature of the connection. You must contact us in advance if you propose to make any significant change to the connection or to the electric lines or electrical equipment at the premises, or if you propose to do anything else that could affect our network or if you require alterations to the connection.

A 3hp compressor should not cause any problems on the network I can use one in my garage that is fed via a 4mm armoured and with 8 strip lights on and there is no noticeable dimming so that part of the contract is hardly relevant

 

[JohnW2]

The clause in the contract talks about fixed loads ... A 3hp compressor should not cause any problems on the network I can use one in my garage that is fed via a 4mm armoured and with 8 strip lights on and there is no noticeable dimming so that part of the contract is hardly relevant

You may well be right. I've never owned or used a 3hp compressor, and therefore haven't got a clue as to what start-up current it would draw and what effect that might have on the network. There clearly is a pretty subjective judgement call as to what loads might 'affect the network'. However, I don't think that one can use 'fixed loads' as a criteria - there are industrial plugs and sockets rated high enough to carry currents which could well 'affect the network' if used on domestic supplies

However, as others have said, westie and his colleagues are the ones who, from first-hand experience, should be able to tell you what sort of loads have, in practice, been seen to 'affect the network'.

Kind Regards, John