Mains power cable on surface

And just to put the cat amongst the parrots, I have known a situation where the SP would not connect a new service to a rewire as part of a big extension until the steel trunking which the new tails had been run in was removed.

Why the need for a box to terminate SWA?
 
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And just to put the cat amongst the parrots, I have known a situation where the SP would not connect a new service to a rewire as part of a big extension until the steel trunking which the new tails had been run in was removed.
:)
Why the need for a box to terminate SWA?
... because I can't personally think of an acceptable way to 'terminate' SWA directly into a supplier's electricity meter - can you?

Kind Regards, John
 
:)
... because I can't personally think of an acceptable way to 'terminate' SWA directly into a supplier's electricity meter - can you?

Kind Regards, John
The topic of terminating SWA and the different methods available has been discussed on this and other forums ad nauseam, I'd have no problem employing one of those 'alternative to a superfluous box' methods.
 
The topic of terminating SWA and the different methods available has been discussed on this and other forums ad nauseam, I'd have no problem employing one of those 'alternative to a superfluous box' methods.
It is, indeed, a well-discussed topic.

However, in this particular case I would be intrigued to learn what "alternative method" would be appropriate (and reasonably tidy/'good practice') for terminating SWA into a utility company's meter. Can you educate me, at least with some hints?

Kind Regards, John
 
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So, would putting the tails inside steel conduit and then into the wall be OK?
 
So, would putting the tails inside steel conduit and then into the wall be OK?
Yes, but both would have to go into the same steel conduit.

As has been recently discussed, an alternative would be to replace the tails with steel-wire armoured cable ('SWA'), which could be buried directly in the wall without conduit - although, as I have been saying, thought would then have to be given to how the SWA would be connected to the meter. I personally would probably run the SWA to some small box/accessory in the meter cabinet and then take a few inches of conventional 'tails' from there to the meter, but SUNRAY seems to believe that there is a 'simpler' (as yet to be revealed :) ) way in which it could be done.

Kind Regards, John
 
It is, indeed, a well-discussed topic.

However, in this particular case I would be intrigued to learn what "alternative method" would be appropriate (and reasonably tidy/'good practice') for terminating SWA into a utility company's meter. Can you educate me, at least with some hints?

Kind Regards, John
One could add sleeves to the conductors to provide the 'additional sheath' or use a proprietry boot or something like this
fusebox-n-meter-5-jpg.236791
would be acceptable too.
 
One could add sleeves to the conductors to provide the 'additional sheath' or use a proprietry boot or something like this .... would be acceptable too.
Yes, one would have to do something like that, but it would be rather 'messy' and I'm far from convinced that everyone would regard that as 'good, let alone 'best' practice.

Of much more practical importance is the question of whether a 'meter operative' would be prepared (or even 'allowed') to connect such 'tails' to a meter - at least, without a lot of argument/fuss - and I am, again, far from convinced that they would. For that reason alone, I personally would probably not do it.

Whilst, as we have agreed in the past, there is probably too much obsession with always using 'proper SWA glands', with alternative methods of installation perfectly reasonable/acceptable, in this particular case, with the connection being to "someone else's equipment", I would personally be very hesitant to consider an approach which could be unexpected/unfamiliar/unconventional in the eyes of many/most of those who might find themselves maintaining the connections.

Kind Regards, John
 
I must be missing something here :?:
The DNO can do what they want, but we can't.
We can't take SWA straight into the meter, and no Meter guy would install it.
What is the issue with terminating the SWA properly and running tails from what ever enclosure is used isolator, switch fuse, old baked bean tin....
 
I must be missing something here :?:
I don't think you are missing anything.
We can't take SWA straight into the meter, and no Meter guy would install it.
Quite -0 well, very probably not ... as I wrote ...
... Of much more practical importance is the question of whether a 'meter operative' would be prepared (or even 'allowed') to connect such 'tails' to a meter - at least, without a lot of argument/fuss - and I am, again, far from convinced that they would. For that reason alone, I personally would probably not do it....
What is the issue with terminating the SWA properly and running tails from what ever enclosure is used isolator, switch fuse, old baked bean tin....
Again, quite so. To quote myself again ...
... I personally would probably run the SWA to some small box/accessory in the meter cabinet and then take a few inches of conventional 'tails' from there to the meter, but SUNRAY seems to believe that there is a 'simpler' (as yet to be revealed :) ) way in which it could be done.

Kind Regards, John
 
We can't take SWA straight into the meter, and no Meter guy would install it.
What is the issue with terminating the SWA properly and running tails from what ever enclosure is used isolator, switch fuse, old baked bean tin....
Correct, WE can't terminate SWA in a meter, just as correctly WE can't terminate any wire into a meter, however I fail to see why no meter guy would. There are adequate proprietry methods of makeing single insulated wires sheathed for the purpose.

Personally I'd say adding an unnecessary joint in an equally unnecessary box is not best practice.

Terminating into an isolator etc is a whole different situation. If i saw a SWA terminated in a bean tin I'd go to the ends of the earth to identify and name and shame the pratt.
 
OK.

In my experience, you have as much chance of metering terminating cores from SWA into a meter, as they would terminate into a bean tin, even if it is Heinz. :)

Thinking about it though, a Corned beef tin would sit flatter on the board.

:whistle:;)
 
Correct, WE can't terminate SWA in a meter, just as correctly WE can't terminate any wire into a meter, however I fail to see why no meter guy would. There are adequate proprietry methods of makeing single insulated wires sheathed for the purpose.
Maybe you "fail to see why" no meter guy would do that, but the question is not about the "why" - it's about "whether or not they would" (regardless of the 'why').

If you believe that many, maybe even most, meter guys would do it, that would suggest that you have a lot less experience of meter guys than even I have, which I find fairly hard to believe. However, I have seen such people refuse to change meters for far sillier (and less justified) reasons than those we are discussing - so I definitely would not put any money on them being happy to connect your (SWA) 'tails'.

Kind Regards, John
 

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