100 amp isolator

[ACDC]

Want to install 100 amp isolator switch between meter & consumer unit prior to installing new cu. I am having trouble finding an on-line electrical store which sells isolators. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Lectrician]

OK, all wholesalers sell them.

A 60AMP switch fuse may be more easily locatable, and should be OK with a standard domestic maximum demand.

Why do people feel they want an isolator between the REC and the CU?? It is just another link in the chain to go wrong (espicially if installed incorrectly or ammaturishly).

If you install a new CU, this isnt going to need replacement for years, so why the isolator? And yep, I appreciate you may need to remove the CU cover, but most CU's when installed correctly have sheilded live parts.

Seems like more cost, more work, and something else to go wrong to me.

 

[ACDC]

If I install isolator, then I can get the service fuse back in sooner.
Also, I haven't decided which side of the split load cu to put the cooker, central heating and immersion on yet, and I may change one or more of them over after installation. I would rather completely isolate the cu, but without the inconvenience of having to keep pulling the service fuse.

 

[Damocles]

Anything wrong with using isolator as in CU? screwfix, tlc sell isolators singly and also enclosures for double pole switch modules.

 

[Lectrician]

That would be fine, as long as you keep with in the rec's maximum tail length

 

[kai]

You can buy stand alone 100amp double pole isolating switches, and a 2 module wide din-rail enclosure box to mount it in - that should do the job nicely.

 

[ACDC]

Thanks
I'm still having trouble finding an isolator in an on-line store. Plenty of sites selling cu's and mcb's but cant find any isolators

 

[Damocles]

e.g. screwfix d53010-75 double pole isolator. d32311-77 IP40 enclosure, at www.screwfix.com

They do others. Also try tlc-direct

Screwfix are currently screwdup due to moving their warehouse. They only seem to be online from 2AM to about 10AM.

 

[plugwash]

something like
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MK5604.html
and
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MK5500.html

note that you don't want to bend 25mm cable in a box that size so drill holes to line up with the terminals then just thread the tails in straight

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Thanks
I'm still having trouble finding an isolator in an on-line store. Plenty of sites selling cu's and mcb's but cant find any isolators

I'm starting to worry that despite repeated explanations, you still haven't grasped that an isolator is just a switch, and what you do is to buy a 100 or 125A incomer, and a 2-4 module DIN rail enclosure to put it in.

Items sold as isolators tend to look a bit like this:

 

[Adam_151]

Don't the electricity board supply and fit this, a few years ago we had our cu moved (requireing longer meter tails) the electrician said that while they sometimes just remove the fuse without permission of the electricity board, that the correct way was to contact the electricity board and they would install an isolator free of charge (we contacted them, and they did indeed install the aforementioned isolator)

 

[ACDC]

Thanks Plugwash for the web links.
I could contact the rec and see if they will do it, but there again, the hardware isn't that expensive and I'm up for the satisfaction of doing the job myself.
( Also more convenient than taking time off work to let them in!)

 

[kai]

Note that EDF energy networks, no longer install main isolator switches officially, so you have to arrange or fit one yourself, they advise me.