Having a visit from the Local Electricity Company.

[bigzed]

To replace the Cut-Out on my supply cable, after I rang them to say it was leaking what looks like Tar. The wiring is very old, the previous owner must have had summat done a while ago coz there is a Consumer unit with circuit breakers in it but after looking at stuff on the .net, it seems like I haven't got the correct cables coming from the meter to the Consumer unit. there is only one twin rubberised cable coming from the meter to the Consumer unit ( Seems to be nearly the same size as the old cooker cable we had ) & all the info on the .net seems to point to they're supposed to be seperate cables of a much bigger size ?

I was just wondering if it would be worth mentioning this to the fitter who comes down to do the work, or would he automatically tell me if it was wrong ? The company in this area is YEDL.

If anybody could point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it because when i get my appointment date, I can take the time off work if I need to "help" the fitter make a decision

Thanks very much.

 

[RF Lighting]

I have had occasions where the installation has been in such bad condition that the DNO have refused to reconnect it. If this is the case then they replace the cutout, re tail the meter, and connect the load side of the meter to a 100A DP isolator.

It is then your responsibility to either have the installation brought upto standards, or take on the responsiblity for it in an unsafe condition.


This is rare though. Normally they don't seem too bothered providing it is not desperately dangerous.

 

[bigzed]

Thanks for that reply. The one thing I forgot to mention was that I also asked how much it would cost to move the meter from the stud wall in the gas cupboard, to the party wall, to make it easier for me to have a new staircase fitted in the future and they quoted me £334.88.

The thing is, the pack they sent me explaining what needs to be done keeps mentioning about excavations etc. outside the property but I don't want the meter moving outside, just from one wall to the other, within the gas cupboard. Do the Electricity Companies have a minimum fixed charge for work like this, or is it possible that the operator I spoke to misunderstood my request ?

Thanks again.
PS, RF Lighting, I see that you have "get yer pics out for the lads" as your signature, so here is the current set-up I have in the house :-

Can anybody see any glaring errors there ? Apart from the lack of plaster I'm getting ready for the staircase replacement.

The house was built in 1904 btw - it's a two-up two-down mid-terrace.

 

[RF Lighting]

Apart from the 'tails' from the meter to the CU, which you know about, it looks in ok condition, but it is hard to say without carrying out a proper test and inspection. <edit> having said that there looks to be some cable coming out the bottom of the CU which is all taped up


You may still have to dig up outside, as looking at the age of your supply cable, attempting to move it will possibly cause the insulation to break down, and the cable to go bang.

The DNO would install a nice new cable to your new cutout and relocated meter. They would cut off the old cable outside underground, and joint the new cable onto the supply there.

 

[JohnD]

like you say, it has not the correct tails between the meter and the consumer unit. You will find you can buy these in 25 sq mm at a DIY shed or electrical supplier, one metre each of brown and blue insulated (or red and black would be OK as you have an old installation, though it is obsolete now).

I doubt the company fitter would be willing to connect them to your CU, even if you offer to cross his palm, but if you prepare them, with a 100A DP isolator so he can connect them to the meter, and you can connect the load side of the isolator to the CU later (switched off!) or if you can find n electrician willing to do it for you, that would IMO be useful. This is fairly easy to do, but if it is not work you are familiar with, come back for more detail on how to do it, or how to find a suitable electrician.

I would fit an earth block and provide some 16mm Green and Yellow as well, the fitter will quite likely provide a new earth terminal. but will need you to have a wire ready for him to connect (they like to seal the terminals these days)

What does that red label say on the meter board?

 

[RF Lighting]

It's just a standard "YEB, Warning, It is dangerous an and offence to interfere with this equipment" sticker

 

[bigzed]

You may still have to dig up outside, as looking at the age of your supply cable, attempting to move it will possibly cause the insulation to break down, and the cable to go bang.

Is there any chance then that the fitter will suggest that the U/G Cable underneath the house should be replaced regardless seeing as it's prolly over a 100 years old ?

I doubt the company fitter would be willing to connect the new tails to your CU, even if you offer to cross his palm, but if you prepare them, with a 100A DP isolator so he can connect them to the meter, and you can connect the load side of the isolator to the CU later (switched off!) or if you can find n electrician willing to do it for you, that would IMO be useful. This is fairly easy to do, but if it is not work you are familiar with, come back for more detail on how to do it, or how to find a suitable electrician. I would fit an earth block and provide some 16mm Green and Yellow as well, the fitter will quite likely provide a new earth terminal. but will need you to have a wire ready for him to connect (they like to seal the terminals these days)

I don't have a problem fitting/terminating any switchgear. I have had some (very) basic electrical training as part of my apprenticeship as a Telecom jointer but I understand the safety precautions and can handle terminating cable, which is the most important thing I would have thought. So is there a chance that if when the fitter comes down and sees some pre-prepared cabling, he'd be willing to connect it up for a consideration ?

Thanks for all the replies btw, it's appreciated.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The thing is, the pack they sent me explaining what needs to be done keeps mentioning about excavations etc. outside the property but I don't want the meter moving outside, just from one wall to the other, within the gas cupboard.

Which involves moving the cutout, which involves rerouting the supply cable, which is buried in the ground...

Do the Electricity Companies have a minimum fixed charge for work like this, or is it possible that the operator I spoke to misunderstood my request ?

No - they just don't have to worry about being competitive.

Still - it's not much. Have you had the quote for moving the gas meter yet?

Can anybody see any glaring errors there ?

Bit of a shortage of RCDs.

The T/E coming from the meter to the CU (who did that?) has had too much sheath cut away - basically it's not the right sort of cable.

What's that box in the neutral tail for?

It's very untidy....

 

[bigzed]

Which involves moving the cutout, which involves rerouting the supply cable, which is buried in the ground...

This may well not be the case in my house coz the cable is well exposed under the flooring. It's laid on top of the general crap under the house.

No - they just don't have to worry about being competitive.
Still - it's not much. Have you had the quote for moving the gas meter yet?

I've got a Corgi guy coming in next week to do that. The main feed pipe is movable so all he's got to do is alter the feed from the meter for me. He wants £125.

Bit of a shortage of RCDs. The T/E coming from the meter to the CU (who did that?) has had too much sheath cut away - basically it's not the right sort of cable.

I can only presume that the previous owner got that done ( or did it himself ) re: the Consumer unit connection. I just found out off the ,net that the cable doesn't seem to be of the right size. Shortage of RCD's ? I thought you only needed one to protect the whole system if required. The seperate fuse unit on the right of the pic is a feed to the Jacuzzi Bath. I was told that that was OK.

What's that box in the neutral tail for?

Can't help you there. That's part of the existing YEDL Wiring.

It's very untidy....

Couldn't agree with you more on that one

 

[bigzed]

Quick question about the Jacuzzi Connection. Could that be put into a larger Consumer unit or does it have to be installed separately ?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Either. It will need to be RCD protected.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I've got a Corgi guy coming in next week to do that. The main feed pipe is movable so all he's got to do is alter the feed from the meter for me.

Is that allowed?

Shortage of RCD's ? I thought you only needed one to protect the whole system if required.

But you haven't got any...

And 1 for the whole system is a very bad design - as a minimum you should have a split-load board with an RCD for the sockets, shower, (and in your case the Jacuzzi), etc.

The seperate fuse unit on the right of the pic is a feed to the Jacuzzi Bath. I was told that that was OK.

That's just an RCD, as your CU doesn't have one.

Quick question about the Jacuzzi Connection. Could that be put into a larger Consumer unit or does it have to be installed separately ?

It's already on an MCB in your CU - isn't it marked? If your CU had an RCD then you wouldn't need that external one.

Caveat - I bl**dy well hope it's on an MCB in there, and not just connected straight to the main switch, as that would be a Very Very Bad Thing™.

What's the rating of your spa bath? Is it outside?

 

[bigzed]

Hmmm - methinks that I may well have opened a BIG can of worms (literally) here I took the front off the consumer unit to have a look what was inside, I think it may have been prudent to do this earlier as here is the
result :-

The taped-up single wires are a feed to the shed, which after some searching I found is laid under the floor and goes through the bathroom wall into a basic fuse box inside the shed. At least it's bigger cable ( 4mm I think ) I suppose. Inside the shed there are two double sockets and a double fluorescent fed off a 20 and a 10 amp wired fuse respectively. This comes from one of the 32A mcb's inside the CU, as well as one of the Rings in the house. The Jacuzzi feed ( inside btw ) is also fed off another of the Rings, via the RCD unit on the board.

Doesn't look too good does it ?

I was thinking about fitting another larger CU in the future. Seems like that is prolly a good idea now I have no problem doing the work myself, it's just that I didn't realise a split load CU would be a requirement. Do I understand this correctly that the CU inside has two separate Bus-Bars so that certain circuits can be protected by an rcd as well as the mcb's ?

I was looking at some that were 12 spare ways after fitting both the Isolator and the RCD. That gives me some leeway for any future expansion.

In answer to your Q about the gas, I don't know for certain but the Gas Fitter explained that he is allowed to touch the pipework FROM the meter into the house & seeing as that the Main Feed into the meter is already wedged against the joist, trying to force itself towards the party wall ( I hope that explains it !! ), it won't be a problem to just let it be freed and move itself towards the wall.

I don't know off-hand what the rating of the Jacuzzi pump is but I do know that the paperwork is kicking about for it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.

Thanks again for all the replies, it's helping a lot.

<edit>Just realised that the lighting ccts are protected by 16A mcb's, isn't this a bit of overkill ? There are at most 6 60W bulbs on each cct, that's only 1-1/2 A load. Wouldn't 6A units be more realistic ?

 

[plugwash]

Yeah lighting should be on 6A breakers. Other than that the CU looks messy but not horrible.

I would try to get at least the worst of the mess tidied up before the DNO guy comes and have some fresh 25mm tails and 16mm single earth ready to replace that totally unsuitable cable that currently runs from the meter to the CU.

 

[bigzed]

Yeah lighting should be on 6A breakers. Other than that the CU looks messy but not horrible.

I would try to get at least the worst of the mess tidied up before the DNO guy comes and have some fresh 25mm tails and 16mm single earth ready to replace that totally unsuitable cable that currently runs from the meter to the CU.

Well, from the info that you guys have provided me with up to now, I am beginning to think the same way. I am pretty anal where it comes to wiring tidiness, ( wiring up equipment racks in Strowger Telephone Exchanges taught me what is neat and what is not ! )

So, from suggestions on here, if I wire up a 100A Isolator & Earth Block ( Would this have to go in a 3W CU or do they come as complete units ? ) complete with 2X1M 25mm tails & a 16mm Earth Wire, do you think the Leccy fitter would change out the existing crap ?