So what do I expect to find in this cutout & having an isolator fitted

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SimonH2

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When I went to look at the house we now live in, this is what I found in the "meter cupboard". Naturally I was drawn to the lack of seal on the cutout, the multiple connections into the cutout, Henley floating around, and the general "untidiness" of it all. Oh yes, and that submain protected only by that "63A" RCD :whistle: Having heard to warnings about some of the old metal cutouts, I decided to not touch it.
100_0866.JPG

In case it's not clear enough, here's a cropped down view of the tails etc.
100_0866 - Version 2.JPG
Once we'd got suppliers sorted out, I booked for an isolator to be installed. When the contractor arrived I was able to see what had been done.
Before I spoil the fun (there will be mirth at some of the photos to come), anyone care to speculate on how things were connected ?
 
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Looking at the rest of it, I would wager terribly. Some reversed polarity? If there’s more than one set of meter tails coming from the head, which there appears to be...then surely some stuff was unmetered? Or is that just the photo?
 
Iggifer said:
If there’s more than one set of meter tails coming from the head, which there appears to be...then surely some stuff was unmetered? Or is that just the photo?
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I was wondering whether all of those cables are coming out of the cutout, or whether, rather, some of them may be passing behind it?

Kind Regards, John
 
JohnW2 said:
I was wondering whether all of those cables are coming out of the cutout, or whether, rather, some of them may be passing behind it?

Kind Regards, John
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Yea they may be passing behind it but can’t be fixed to the board very well then!

Love the bend on the PILC too!
 
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How many things are right ? Not much! That earth clamp isn't right and the incomer isn't terminated right and that's before we get as far as the cutout

We had a metal cutout with rewireable fuses inside when we moved in, a quick call to ukpn and they reterminated the incomer onto a new plastic cutout with proper earth strap.
Ours was in generally good condition, so yours would definitely be replaced.
 
OK, in no particular order ...
The RCD "protects" a submain to another CU in the new(ish) extension.
Yes the cutout is properly fixed in place, no there aren't cables going behind it.
The contractor fitting the isolator didn't comment on the earth clamp.
There didn't turn out to be any unmetered loads - I had wondered about that.
No reversed polarity.

And yes, inside looked no better than the outside - the contractor struggled to get some of the cables out.

But I was surprised to find out what is, by design, inside the box.

Watching the guy work, I do have to wonder why on earth everyone persists in fighting with 6181Y when there are more flexible alternatives (6381Y) available.
 
I’m fairly sure one of our wholesalers has 6381Y on the shelf - didn’t realise it was any different until I started working with it and it’s a dream. About twice as many strands as standard 6181Y but easier to dress and even cut
 
You lucky b*stard. My local wholesalers just ask why anyone would want to use it :rolleyes: Have to buy it online when I get to that point.
 
SimonH2 said:
Yes the cutout is properly fixed in place, no there aren't cables going behind it. ... There didn't turn out to be any unmetered loads - I had wondered about that.
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So where do those 'additional' cables' from the cutout go?
SimonH2 said:
Watching the guy work, I do have to wonder why on earth everyone persists in fighting with 6181Y when there are more flexible alternatives (6381Y) available.
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Working with 6181Y >10mm² certainly is a bit of a fight, particularly for those of us who only have to do it very occasionally. However, is not one of the reasons for using it (in favour of more flexible cable) perhaps the very fact that it is very non-flexible - so that, once one's fighting has got it to where one wants, it usually stays there, without any need for clipping?

Kind Regards, John
 
JohnW2 said:
However, is not one of the reasons for using it (in favour of more flexible cable) perhaps the very fact that it is very non-flexible - so that, once one's fighting has got it to where one wants, it usually stays there, without any need for clipping?
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I don't see that as much of a benefit. If it's of sufficient length that the flexibility will be a problem, then surely it should be clipped anyway ? I thought it was finer stranded than Iggifer suggests, but if it's only twice the strands, then it's not exactly going to be "extra flex test lead" floppy.
 
SimonH2 said:
I don't see that as much of a benefit. If it's of sufficient length that the flexibility will be a problem, then surely it should be clipped anyway ? I thought it was finer stranded than Iggifer suggests, but if it's only twice the strands, then it's not exactly going to be "extra flex test lead" floppy.
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It was only a suggestion as to one possible reason why people persist in using 6181Y, rather than more flexible alternatives. I suspect it's more a question of 'habit', coupled with the fact that many have probably not even heard of 6381Y and/or cannot easily get it.

The majority are sufficiently short to not need clipping (or, at least, not to be clipped!) with 6181Y, but that might not so often be the case with something more flexible - but I agree that is not really much of an issue. I suppose that it's worth noting that if they are unclipped ("in free air") CCC is ~10% more than if "clipped direct" - although one will not usually need that extra CCC.

Kind Regards, John
 
Maybe the stuff we get is just 6181Y, having looked again at the spec sheets, it seems unlikely to be 6381Y. It has 14 strands as opposed to the standard 7 in normal 6181Y. I might have a meter or two left over so I’ll see if I can see some markings on it at some point

They’re described as 6181Y on my invoice anyway
 
SimonH2 said:
And yes, inside looked no better than the outside - the contractor struggled to get some of the cables out.

But I was surprised to find out what is, by design, inside the box.
Click to expand...

Did you manage to get a picture of the inside? I'd be very interested to see it if so!
 
I was waiting to see if any speculation happened over what connections might be in there - some people will be out earning a living :whistle:
All I'll say is that it surprised me, a little.
 
D

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