Moving a meter and cut out

[westie101]

The cable won't be taken out of the cut out

What sort of cut-out is it? Is it one that is a risk if disturbed? You do not know!

But you have to dismantle the cut-out to unscrew it which will expose live parts that you have no means of isolating and could have up to a 630A fuse protecting it, you short it out the fuse will not operate, you will be severely injured and may never work again or even worse be one of the few electrical fatalities a year!

Moving it like that puts stress on the cable terminations which can cause them to fail, if it is a lead sheathed cable you will also introduce stress into the cable crutch which can cause a failure, if these occur as you move it you are risking injury. If after you are risking a fire
I have attended situations where this has occurred!

If you do damage it doing it yourself the DNO will have to attend as an emergency and charge you a heck of a lot more (if it were me I'd disconnect your supply for breech of contract and illegal interference) if for a subsequent fault they may still find evidence you moved it and charge you for the repair.

Get a quote (a quote is free) and then plan a safe solution, often a bit of work moving the consumer unit means that a move is not needed!

 

[Happyharry24]

It's a 80 amp serious 7 cut out the grey one fed with armoured coax style cable which was put in 5 years ago replacing overheads[/quote]

 

[westie101]

Ah aluminium live core in all probability, they are so good at snapping just beneath the terminals if disturbed, leaves you with a live end loose and very near the neutral - makes a nice big bang if it touches!


Look, just do not do it, it is NOT your property and you have no rights to interfere with it or work on it!!

 

[bernardgreen]

It's a 80 amp serious 7 cut out the grey one fed with armoured coax style cable which was put in 5 years ago replacing overheads

The fuse you can see is 80 amps is AFTER the cutout. The cable from the street to the cut out has a much larger fuse, as Westie says it could be a 630 amp fuse,

When you move the cut out, which might be the last thing you do, you might break the insulation leading to a 630 amp short circuit. That's will have the same heat output as 150 one kilowatt fires, It will be like that until the substation 630 amp fuse blows and blacks out a lot of houses. Those fuses blow slowly so you may have a house on fire as well as the severe, possible fatal, burns to your body.

 

[Happyharry24]

Ok best leave it to the robbers then

 

[westie101]

It will be like that until the substation 630 amp fuse blows and blacks out a lot of houses. Those fuses blow slowly so you may have a house on fire as well as the severe, possible fatal, burns to your body.

If the fault is at the end of a service cable the chances are that any substation fuse above 315A will NOT blow even for a short circuit.
The fault will continue until it burns itself open circuit. Even a 200A fuse as used on overhead systems would be hit and miss if it blew!

Bear in mind that the DNOs are not allowed to make a profit on this work and must be able to show this to the regulator.

 

[MeterMonkey]

Yes it is I'm not being robbed so will do it myself

Get us some before an after shots, Of your face, or whats left of it.

Thanks

 

[securespark]

you talking like a prat

I don't know what makes you think you can start insulting professional people (who offer their time, help and advice FOC) simply because you don't like their (honest) answer to your query.

If you can't be civil, go ask your questions elsewhere.

 

[Vicario]

I was charged by the (now defunct) EDF Power Networks to come to do a survey with a view to upgrade my cutout. Not sure if their successor charges. Surely there must be a common policy amongst DNOs.

 

[JohnW2]

Surely there must be a common policy amongst DNOs.

I don't really see why (unless a regulator forces things on them) - they are different commercial entities, with different commercial policies, directors and shareholders.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Happyharry24]

Well i recieved my quote today it's £950, apparently you have to pay that before an engineer visits the site, I had an amazing conversation with the uk power networks today,they tell me that they are non profit making when moving the service fuse locations, I also asked them of what work has to be carried out apparently a new cable has to be jointed on the public highway and I'm responsible for the trench through my front garden, i asked why the hell do they want to do all that when the new location is closer to where the cable enters the property! I'm waiting for a phone call

 

[EFLImpudence]

It's strange, isn't it, how, when a company becomes big enough, they become the 'boss' and the 'customer' has to do what they demand.

My customers don't seem to send me money so that I will deign to visit them.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is anything we serfs can do about it.

 

[Happyharry24]

I'm getting a call from the estimator so I will let rip then

 

[Iggifer]

westie has already explained why a new cable is needed, the old one is fragile and will likely break when moved so it's safer to run a whole new cable, which will be good for another 50+ years.

You can let rip to the estimator but besides perhaps making you feel better, it's not going to change a single thing, £950 is a pretty decent price from what I've heard so I would just pay up and get it done.

ELFI - if you were the only electrician a householder had access too, then you could demand money up front before a site visit, it's not like you can just ring a different DNO if you don't like the price of the one you've got. You're stuck with them & their 'pay up front policy'

 

[Happyharry24]

The existing incoming cable is 5 years old, do you think something that young will break ?