Main fuse in meter

[Compfix]

Hi
I needed to pull the main fuse in my meter box outside (to take the cover off my consumer unit).
It had a little wire seal,but when I tried to break the seal I broke the loop on top of the fuse.

Can anyone tell me where I can get one from also the the wire seal.

Plus can I get in trouble of the electric board ?.

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hi
I needed to pull the main fuse in my meter box outside (to take the cover off my consumer unit).

Why????????????

It had a little wire seal,but when I tried to break the seal I broke the loop on top of the fuse.

Oh dear.

Can anyone tell me where I can get one from

You can't.

also the the wire seal.

You can't.

Plus can I get in trouble of the electric board ?.

Yes.

 

[Compfix]

Thanks for the quick reply.

The reason I wanted to pull the fuse in the main meter was I intended to replace the consumer unit (its the old fuse wire type)and there is no way to turn the power off other than pull the fuse.

What sort of trouble am I in with the electric board ?

Thanks

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Depends how hard a line they take with you.

In theory it is criminal damage, but they might just make you pay for the call-out to replace it.

You have to bite the bullet and tell them.

You also have to think about why you were planning to replace the CU yourself:

Do you know about the legal requirement to notify LABC before you start?

Do you know what type of supply you have, and therefore what type of CU you need?

Do you know the regulations for earthing and main bonding?

Do you know the requirements for testing your circuits, and do you have the skills and access to the appropriate testing equipment to do this?

 

[Compfix]

Again thanks for your quick reply.

Powergen are coming out to fix seal and fuse, they didn't seem too bothered that I broke it (I played the old I made a mistake card on phone).
They didn't mention money but no doubt it will cost me something.

One more thing how much would it cost approx to have someone to replace the consumer unit (I've got the unit already).
I live in the manchester area if there any volunteers to give me a quote?


compfix

 

[Steve]

£300-£500 depending on how many circuits, ease of access, type of install, many factors to consider. Also consider he might not want to use your unit because he doesn't like the brand. Most electricians have their favourite that they stick to and get good at installing it. Also consider that the specifics of your instalation may require extra parts or components for the consumer unit that you have purchased.

 

[Compfix]

Thanks for the info it might be more cost effective to take the "part p" exams myself I think



Cheers to those who helped and also those who scared the sh*t out of me !.


compfix

 

[JohnD]

The study may not be too difficult, if you have the right aptitude nd background, but the cost of the testgear required to verify that it meets the standards now required makes uneconomic, IMO, unless you are going to make a living out of it.

 

[Compfix]

Fair point
I have a BTEC HNC in electrical/electronic engineering but I do not work in that field and obviously do not have the experience in household electrics but I might just do the courses because I find it interesting.

Just out of interest what test gear would you need ?



compfix

 

[JohnD]

I don't do it myself, but when I looked at the tests now needed for a completion certificate, I found I couldn't measure resistance to half an ohm, and I couldn't inject a test voltage for insulation resistance (although I do have a meter that does this, and also an RCD time/current tester, both are quite old, not to current standards, and out of calibration). The new testers automatically run through a sequence of standard tests for you. A lot of it is just testing of continuity and resistance, though there is a lot of it, and it would take an amateur a long time, with the risk of having missed something or made a mistake through lack of familiarity in this field.

It is possible to submit plans to your local authority and pay for them to inspect and test under building regulations (as you would if you were a DIY housebuilder having your foundations and drains inspected) but in most cases it will be less trouble to find a well-recommended qualified electrician who is a member of an approved self-certification scheme.

Sadly, changing a consumer unit is now quite a significant job, not because it is difficult to fit and connect, but because you have to test and certify everything it is connected to... which is to say, the entire installation

 

[dingbat]

The new testers automatically run through a sequence of standard tests for you.

You sure about that John?

 

[JohnD]

No because I haven't done it*, but I understood that was the case (at least to some extent).




(* so as reliable as the Pope's knowledge of marital relations)

 

[jeepmadmike]

some supply authoritys no not charge to replace seals and are happy to do it if u changed a board, i've got a SWEB seal crimp tool and some of there anti tamper tape so its not an issue for me!

 

[JohnD]

some supply authoritys no not charge to replace seals and are happy to do it if u changed a board...

Yip, "in the old days" I did it myself with no bother and no charge - I found them very helpful and co-operative - but am not qualified or equipped to issue a completion certificate as now required.

 

[dingbat]

John, there are a number of multi-function testers on the market, with varying degrees of sophistication. But the machine can't read your mind and know how many circuits you have to test and decide when to move onto the next test in the sequence.

What you can get, however, is an automatic RCD tester (stand-alone, or as part of a multi-function tester) which does that particular sequence of tests automatically, leaving you free to stand by at the DB resetting the RCD after each trip. (Rather than having to walk back and forth between the DB and tester.)

(But, come the day when a fully automatic tester appears I want one that does the lot; disconnection of circuits, linking of phase/cpc, restoring of circuits and accessories, etc... Come to think of it a fully automated periodic inspection machine wouldn't go amiss, either... especially if it could automatically assign departure codes! )