Main incoming fuse

[GU]

My electricity supplier is scottish power, I contacted them to ask for an isolator to be fitted after the meter so I could isolate my consumer unit from the main incoming supply so that I can update my cu from rewirable fuses to mcb's. They were very unhelpful and passed the buck to united utilities, who then passed it back to scottish power. In total I was passed around seven different departments and I was even passed to e:on who I have never used. How and who do I ask for a isolator to be fitted after the meter and before my cu. Also who do I ask to upgrade my main incoming fuse from a 60amp rating to a 100amp one. All suggestions would be grateful, as I have been banging my head against a brick wall with these idiots.
Cheers

 

[Steve]

Write a short letter to the people who send your bill, outlining your wishes. A letter cant be fobbed off quite so easily as a phone call.

And you'll never blow a 60 amp fuse. Thousands of homes have them. It'll take 100 amps for probably half an hour at least.

 

[GU]

Thanks for the speedy responce steve. I didn't know that a 60amp fuse could take such a lot of extra ampage.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the speedy responce steve. I didn't know that a 60amp fuse could take such a lot of extra ampage.

Yeah, the type of fuses they use are very robust, it takes a lot to melt the fusewire. But they will run warm. I metered out supply cables with the shower on, and dinner cooking and it was about 55 amps. You'll rarely go above this in any house.

 

[GU]

Is the main incoming fuse wire then, I thought it would be a cartridge. As I've never seen the main incoming fuse I'm a bit unsure.

 

[Steve]

It'll be a cartridge.

 

[ColJack]

phone them and tell them your main tails are getting a bit warm and you occasionally hear a crackling sound.. they should send someone to check the connections..

while he's there, ask him nicely if he could fit an isolator, a couple of chocolate hobnobs and a cup of tea can work wonders at getting stuff done..

 

[GU]

That seems a very good idea, I think I'll give that a shot, but I'll have to cut the seal on the main incoming fuse just in case he won't do it and I need to kill the incoming juice so I can fit a new rcd and mcb as a new shower supply, because i can't use my new shower that I've just fitted. Thanks.

 

[ColJack]

if you get a couple of meters of 25mm meter tails and ask him to change them also.. ( i'm assuming that your meter tails aren't going to be 25mm baing a 60A main fuse.. )

you could go the honesty route and arrange for a guy to come out and pull your main fuse while you do the work..
tell him that you are planning on having some more electrical work done in a few months and have been advised to get the tails upgraded and an isolator fitted to save them another trip out..

many fit an isolator when called out to pull a fuse as it removes the need to return later to re-seal it..

 

[GU]

I don't suppose you know how much the honest route would cost as due to the reccession things are a bit tight at the moment!!

 

[securespark]

Round our way, UU will not fit iso switches, so I asked them to call to isolate while I fitted a DP switch of my own & he re-sealed the cutout.

Job done!

You need a Wylex ES14 enclosure - see their catalogue - and a 100A DP switch.

 

[GU]

i was going to put the tails into a shower unit rcd protected, which is a c/w 2 pole, 63 amp, 30mA rcd and a 40amp mcb type b. I'm not sure what the c/w stands for? Just out of curiousty, how much did uu charge for doing this? Thanks for the info.

 

[Newboy1996]

United Utilities don't fit meter equipment for Scottish Power any more in Cumbria as we lost the contract!
Scottish Power will have their own guys now. Don't worry about this anyway , sparks always break the seals and pull the main fuse.

 

[Spark123]

Yep, it would be advisable to contact an electrician to replace your consumer unit for you, it appears you have bought another consumer unit for a shower?
Why not just get an electrician to replace the current consumer unit and add the electric shower whilst he is there??
This work is notifiable under part p of the building regs hence you'd be better using an electrician who is a member of a competent person scheme:
http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

 

[GU]

Thanks for the info everyone.