Age of supply
- Thread starter MarcoM
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That would seem reasonable. 1980s wiring, per se, should be fine for a good few more decades, but that CU could certainly do with 'upgrading'. How much rewiring would be needed really depends upon youir 'requirements' (in terms of additional sockets, cooker circuits etc. etc.
I would think that's probably a 21st century meter, but it's hard to tell more than that (it could have been installed 'yesterday') - but others might have more definitive ideas. The tails look as if they are probably a similar vintage - certainly OK for a long time to come.
Kind Regards, John
Not far offWrong again.
Mind you, it might well not have been installed until the 21st century!
Kind Regards, John
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The general answer is that the DNO has to be called out to remove and then replace the service fuse. I believe that in some areas, some electricians have been given permission by the local DNO to break seals. In many other situations 'something else' appears to happenok ne,t question, do i need to get the elec board out when electrician installs new cu or can those seals be taken off by said electrician?
I would think almost certainly TN-C-S ('PME'), but some joker has put 'Warning' labels over the sticker which says something about Earthing! In theory, if it is TN-C-S, there should be a label saying something about 'PME' ('Protective Multiple Earthing') somewhere around there.
Kind Regards, John
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I have a pair of similar fuse boxes in my house, both 4 fuse versions and both supplied from their own RCD, nothing wrong with them, other than to fit a RCD it would have to cover whole box so with a fault you have no power, because I have two boxes I can get away with it.
In theory the DNO should fit an isolator so you can switch off supply to change the box, practice around here is electricians break the seals and the home owner then phones up DNO and says the electrician has fitted a new consumer unit and I note now the seals are broken. And they will normally replace next time meter is read.
If you were to go by the book, then DNO disconnect, then electricians fits new CU and then tells the DNO who will insist he is present when re-connected so costs a fortune.
So what really happens vary from area to area. Where there is a history of electric theft they are hot on broken seals, but other areas they don't seem to bother as long as you tell them broken, rather than they find it broken. But local electrician will likely know what local DNO is like.
In theory the DNO should fit an isolator so you can switch off supply to change the box, practice around here is electricians break the seals and the home owner then phones up DNO and says the electrician has fitted a new consumer unit and I note now the seals are broken. And they will normally replace next time meter is read.
If you were to go by the book, then DNO disconnect, then electricians fits new CU and then tells the DNO who will insist he is present when re-connected so costs a fortune.
So what really happens vary from area to area. Where there is a history of electric theft they are hot on broken seals, but other areas they don't seem to bother as long as you tell them broken, rather than they find it broken. But local electrician will likely know what local DNO is like.
If the electrician is putting a new CU in and maybe pulling the cut-out fuse, it might be worth adding a separate isolator in-line with the tails. I added one a few years ago, very handy to be able to completely isolate the CU supply to upgrade it and safer when messing about inside than the CU own main isolator.
I’m sure pulling the fuse every 30+ years is ok when cu changed
An isolator separate from the CU has other uses. I presently have two CU it will come in handy when I decide to replace the two with an upgraded single CU, with no need to interfere with the cut-out fuse.
Probably true - but, as has been said, there are other situations (other than CU changes) in which an isolator is useful ...
... for example, particularly now we are moving to metal CUs, it is safer (particularly for DIYers) 'fiddling inside a CU' when the incoming tails are dead.
Kind Regards, John
Humm I think its actually a requirement to have one if you have 2 cus.
To have 1 isolation point.
Just so long as the local kids don’t turn off your supply from outside!
To have 1 isolation point.
Just so long as the local kids don’t turn off your supply from outside!
Well I guess if you live in that sort of area....
My isolator is outside, in the meter cupboard, located alongside my drive and I think it very unlikely anyone might interfere with it. There, it cuts the supply to most of my tails from the meter. Rather oddly, the last two smart meter installers have taken it upon themselves to apply a seal to >my< isolator.
I have a bag full of seals and a crimper in my workshop.
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