Help. Very Old Main fuse...need to isloate CU and Meter.

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i may be wrong, but looking at the 4 pic i would say that isnt a cable but conduit possible coming from main fuse internal, contact dno , DONT interfere with it, i know what happens when things go wrong, i have 24 years exp with sweb/wpd, the dno will have to replace cutout , renew cable if not capable of 15kva at no cost, you're not allowed to isolate at the cutout unless authorised by the dno. --------, you may be able to get an earth from them too
 
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Whilst I have argued against BAS about (not) giving of pragmatic advice to those needing to solve urgent problems, here I strongly support him. Do not touch. Molten metal is not nice - have a look at some plastic surgery websites - and exactly this type of situation has led to people being blinded.
The asbestos is dangerous, so if you- hopefully - leave it to the DNO, then wipe up any dust with a damp cloth rather than use a vacuum cleaner.
 
Ask the nice DNO person if you can keep the bits as your local museum might like them. Or ebay them.

They really are museum pieces.
 
Ask the nice DNO person if you can keep the bits as your local museum might like them. Or ebay them.

They really are museum pieces.

My thoughts as well, and if you want to make a few bob i'm sure any local steampunk fans would love to pay a few bob for something like that to give some item a genuine vintage look and i'm sure with some work you could make it safe to use
 
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Without being offensive or abusive in any way. Do not touch that ceramic based main fuse. It may blow up in your face. Very unreliable which gets worse with age. The DNO should've upgraded that around the turn of the 1920's (guesstimate).
The thing that amazes/terrifies me is that the meter we see (with its digital display, albeit electromechanical) was clearly fitted a hell of a lot less than 90 years ago (can someone 'date' the meter - 80s, maybe?), using what appear to be puny conductors from the cutout.

Kind Regards, John
 
The thing that amazes/terrifies me is that the meter we see (with its digital display, albeit electromechanical) was clearly fitted a hell of a lot less than 90 years ago (can someone 'date' the meter - 80s, maybe?), using what appear to be puny conductors from the cutout.

Kind Regards, John

The meter looks to be early 90s.

Standards have changed alot since then and DNOs usually arent too fused about cutouts unless there is exposed lives/overheating.

I call in plenty of upgrade jobs that arent in a dangerous situation.

Only reason for not working on a meter is either a wired main fuse or dodgy looking porcelain fuse.
 
The meter looks to be early 90s.
Thanks - wasn't too far out, then!
Standards have changed alot since then and DNOs usually arent too fused about cutouts unless there is exposed lives/overheating. I call in plenty of upgrade jobs that arent in a dangerous situation. Only reason for not working on a meter is either a wired main fuse or dodgy looking porcelain fuse.
The one we're talking about presumably qualifies as that? Even in the early 90s, should they really have allowed the neutral fuse and (what appear to be) very thin cables to persist, even if they turned a blind eye to the nature/state of the cutout?

Kind Regards, John
 
surely the neutral may have been fitted with a solid link
 
surely the neutral may have been fitted with a solid link
It may have, but I'm not sure that to have a 'solid' (but removable) link (rather than a 'fusible' one) would be much more acceptable than a fuse, would it? - it would still be possible for someone to remove that link but leave an intact fuse in the L, thereby creating a dangerous situation.

Kind Regards, John
 
I can't believe some fool would actually open that cutout and contemplate using it to isolate, let alone replace the tails (which are not their responsibility).

This needs dealing with by the DNO, and not some incapable DIYer who obviously has no idea how dangerous electricity can be.

Going by the lack of respect for electricity, I would not advice the DIYer to swap the CU either.

I would be concerned about the state of the rest of the installation.
 
Just a quick note. Thanks to all those who helped in a constructive manner, I appreciate your advice and will follow it. I wont be touching the mains fuse cut out, I opened it to see exactly what I was faced with as its very old and difficult to find any information on it. I am aware that legally Im not supposed to do this, but I did. And now hopefully in future anyone who references it and is stuck with the similar problem we know exactly what they are faced with inside and what to do. I certainly was not intending to stick my finger, screwdriver or head in there or try to disconnect it once seen. I shall be contacting the DNO in due course to get the whole lot upgraded. These houses were built in 1855 and Im guessing that this is very old kit from when it was first installed. To all those who feel it necessary to name call or finger point, its a shame and doesnt really achieve anything other than spread bad feeling around and stop people using forums to find out solutions to problems that they may otherwise attempt regardless.

cheers
 
You had the correct, constructive advice, and you rejected it:
Yeah thanks for that Im aware of that... im also aware that this can take weeks which I dont have for various reasons. But thanks anyway
And carried on saying that you wanted to fiddle with the thing:
I can see that the tails are nowhere near the correct diameter, which is why Im wanting to change them all including CU
 
The adverse and strongly worded critical advice was necessary to prevent you suffering serious injury and/or having a serious fire. If the cut out falls apart and the incoming supply cable shorts out then it is likely to be several seconds before the fuses in the supply to the whole street trip out. ( sometimes it may be minutes ) During that time the end of the cable burns with the equivalent of at least 25 one kilowatt heaters concentrated at the end of the cable. If you are lucky it stops fairly quickly but when it doesn't flames and molten metal are thrown out like a roman candle firework. If it burns down to floor level and then continues under the floor boards then you have a serious risk of the house catching fire. Now do you see why people express concern at your actions.


I opened it to see exactly what I was faced with as its very old and difficult to find any information on it. I am aware that legally Im not supposed to do this, but I did

With respect but doing something you know is illegal suggests you are not making sensible decisions and seeking information by opening something about which you have no information while knowing it may be dangerous to do so tends to suggest you are a hazard to your own safety.
 
With respect but doing something you know is illegal suggests you are not making sensible decisions and seeking information by opening something about which you have no information while knowing it may be dangerous to do so tends to suggest you are a hazard to your own safety.
Or in other words, you're an idiot.
 

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