Electricy Meter Being Changed, Isolater

[RB2004]

Hi, Just wondered, but somebody is coming down next week to replace the Meter with a new one, if i ask for an isolater to be installed between the Meter and the Consumer unit, what are the chances of them installing it?

Is it a requirement for the electricity company to install one if requested?

just considered getting one installed at the same time because they have to pull the main fuse to do that.. and with an isolater it means when the consumer unit is changed later on it will save some hastle. Because it will have to be changed at some point as its using the old style fuses still.

 

[Lectrician]

I wouldn't bother - I hate them.

When you have your CU changed, the spark can leave the new tails henleyed to the old, send a connection notice to your DNO (Western Power), and they will charge you £25 to connect the tails to the meter.

 

[firegazer]

We had a meter changed to a key meter and they installed an isolator as a matter of course (eon).

 

[Lectrician]

WPD wont - They hate them as much as I do.

 

[RB2004]

Whats so bad about them?

 

[Lectrician]

Whats the point of them?



They take up space.

It is a loose link in the chain to go wrong.

Why will you ever need one again once the CU has been changed?

What happens when you need to replace the isolator? Do you get a second isolator fitted

 

[RF Lighting]

Do you get a second isolator fitted

Surely it would infact be a third isolator

I hate them too.

 

[kai]

How on earth do you replace the main service fuse holder or "service head" in the event of failure ? - do you fit another service fuse holder upstream of it?

 

[Lectrician]

Nah - you turn the substation off . And when you want to replace the substation.....

 

[RB2004]

well its ok for the people working on the feed into the house, because they are supposed to be approved contractors, and can pretty much cut or change what they like providing its done to the required standard.

But when it comes to changing a consumer unit electricians arent supposed to cut the seal on the main fuse, nor is anybody else, unless approved to do so. So thats why would i would of thought it makes more sense to have the isolator there. So when the consumer unit is changed, dont need to tamper with the seal, or pay a charge for the electricity company to come down disconnect it, then re-connect it after.

That might be what you usually do, wire the new tails into the old box, but the owner of the house still has to pay for them to be connected to the meter. And if theres an isolator there, and if the company was willing to fit it for free.. just thought it would of made things easier for everyone, and save 1 more cost.

Lol, but im obviously wrong if so many people are arguing against it.

 

[JohnD]

I think they're great!

gives you a single point of isolation (when there may be more than one CU, very common)

makes it safer if anyone has to poke about at the CU for any reason

unlikely to wear out or go wrong very often.

 

[Lectrician]

well its ok for the people working on the feed into the house, because they are supposed to be approved contractors, and can pretty much cut or change what they like providing its done to the required standard.

But when it comes to changing a consumer unit electricians arent supposed to cut the seal on the main fuse, nor is anybody else, unless approved to do so. So thats why would i would of thought it makes more sense to have the isolator there. So when the consumer unit is changed, dont need to tamper with the seal, or pay a charge for the electricity company to come down disconnect it, then re-connect it after.

That might be what you usually do, wire the new tails into the old box, but the owner of the house still has to pay for them to be connected to the meter. And if theres an isolator there, and if the company was willing to fit it for free.. just thought it would of made things easier for everyone, and save 1 more cost.

Lol, but im obviously wrong if so many people are arguing against it.

When we quote for a CU change, we price the £25 for the DNO into the quote. The DNO bill us.

Once a CU Is changed, the fuse will not need pulling again.




John - for multiple CU's, yes, they are a good idea.

 

[frendzarin]

I think the advantages of installing a 100Amp isolator
between C/U and Kwh meter far out weigh the disadvantages
for quite obvious reasons to us all here ,its also highly
unlikely that a 100Amp iso will malfunction as during its whole
lifespan it is probably utilized maybe 4 or 5 times ,you would usually
isolate from the consumer unit to de -energise the property ,to sum up its a
much bigger assett than a hinderance for installers.

 

[Adam_151]

EON are a bit of a strange one, they seem to be obcessed with isolators, they'll install them on all new supplies 100A and below, on both SP and TP, even if there are tails hanging nearby, the spark will then have to go back to the meter box and tail into the isolator.

Never seems to be an isolator fitted when you could do with one tho!

 

[OwainDIYer]

Meter change I had, the bloke worked live leaving the phase tail carefully bent out of the way.

I wondered why he didn't pull the main fuse, it's not like it was still sealed