Moving existing supply

[Casterbridge]

Having the existing supply moved up the wall a tad. The letter tells me that the electricain will have to install new tails. At the moment, the current supply has fuses with a seal. When they move the supply, is it now standard practice to install an isolation switch as well? Otherwise how will we be able to install new tails if the fused are sealed?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

When they move the supply, is it now standard practice to install an isolation switch as well?

Varies from DNO to DNO, but probably not.

Ask yours. Ask your electrician if he knows if they will install one if you provide it.

Otherwise how will we be able to install new tails if the fused are sealed?

If you need new tails because of the move, won't he need to dovetail with them? Or surely you'll be without power.

 

[17thman]

The electrician will just pull the fuse, like 90 percent of electricians do.

 

[securespark]

Reminds me of this:

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=35074#35074

 

[sparkwright]

If I'm reading your post correctly, you are having the supply meter etc moved, and the consumer unit is staying where it is.

Why not get your electrician to be there when the electricity board is there?

Or bung the electricity board employee a few quid and he may replace the tails, if he thinks your installation looks reasonably ok.

May pay to buy some grey sheathed 25 mm tails first, as the electricity board tend to use brown and blue tails, which as far as I can tell don't get used on the consumer side, though I may be wrong.

 

[Iggifer]

May pay to buy some grey sheathed 25 mm tails first, as the electricity board tend to use brown and blue tails, which as far as I can tell don't get used on the consumer side, though I may be wrong.

I used them in my house, purely because I think they look nicer than grey. I don't think there's a specific reason they're not used more on the consumer side, other than grey tails are much easier to come by

 

[Casterbridge]

Thanks all. To clarify, I have bought a new flat and the supply is in a ridiculous place close to the floor. They will be moving it up the wall, and the CU will have to move also, at some stage. No immediate need for power, ands I haven't appointed a spark yet, I'm just trying to plan things a bit. The letter I have says they are not respponsible for the consumer side, which I understand. I am paying the DNO to make the alteration, but if they leave me with just fuses sealed I'll have a propblem, cos I won't want anyone to break the seals if you're not supposed to!

 

[JohnW2]

To clarify, I have bought a new flat and the supply is in a ridiculous place close to the floor. ... I am paying the DNO to make the alteration ...

I think I must be missing something. Why is the fact that the supply is "in a ridulous place close to the floor" a problem for you (rather than the problem of the DNO themselves or, perhaps, meter readers/operators) to the extent that you're prepared to pay to have it moved?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Casterbridge]

Beacuse I want to use that space.

 

[JohnW2]

Beacuse I want to use that space.

Ah, right - so not so much a ridiculous place (the DNO are presumably happy with it), but a place which doesn't suit you. That makes sense.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Casterbridge]

UPDATE : DNO saoid they provide an isolator which is sealed DNO end and open other end for spark to connect up to.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Perfick.

 

[JohnW2]

UPDATE : DNO saoid they provide an isolator which is sealed DNO end and open other end for spark to connect up to.

That sounds like a good outcome!

Just as an observation .... if, as one would expect, the isolator is to be installed after the meter, I'm not sure that the DNO has any right to put their seals on it - they're always saying that the meter and anything beyond it (sometimes even the tails from supply head to meter) is not their responsibility!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Casterbridge]

Ah OK - I'll try and take a picture of what they leave me once they have done their bit next week, as I may not have interprested what they said correctly. I basically said that I was worried I would be left with sealed fuses and I'd have to call them out again when spark arrives, or arrange a spark to attend when they are there, and he said that wasn't necessary as they leave an isolator sealed one end and available for us the other end!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Maybe they mean of a design like the one Mr Blobby has, where you don't need to open up the enclosure and become exposed to terminals which you have no way of making dead (apart from pulling the fuse) to access the outgoing terminals.

Thinking about it, if the DNO provide the isolator they would have to use one where people were not obliged to contravene EAWR #14 in order to connect to it.....