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

[JohnW2]

I was waiting to see if any speculation happened over what connections might be in there - some people will be out earning a living All I'll say is that it surprised me, a little.

Fair enough. I wait with bated breath

On the face of it, if those 'additional cables' actually are connected to something within the cutout, and if they 'go somewhere' (they clearly don't go to the meter), it's difficult to see how they cannot be carrying un-metered electricity (which you have said they aren't)

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

I was waiting to see if any speculation happened over what connections might be in there - some people will be out earning a living
All I'll say is that it surprised me, a little.

I have a photo of inside that cutout somewhere, let me find....

 

[John D v2.0]

I have a photo of inside that cutout somewhere, let me find....

 

[SimonH2]

I have a photo of inside that cutout somewhere, let me find....

Oi, how did you get into my house

 

[securespark]

Choc blocks?

 

[wundaboy]

Did the contractor fit the isolator and forget about the submain (or the submain neutral at least)?

 

[SimonH2]

Did the contractor fit the isolator and forget about the submain (or the submain neutral at least)?

No, but you'll love the artistic element of his work

OK, so this is what was in the box :

So now we see that there's an extra terminal in there that the metered live has been taken to, and then from there to the Henley on the left where it's split for the two boards. The Neutral for the submain goes in on the left, loops right round the box, and is shoehorned into the bottom of the neutral terminal - the contractor had a bit of a fight getting it out !

Anyway, after a while he was finished :

Ignore the grey cables, they're mine to sort out in due course. The blue and brown cables are his handywork He said he couldn't get the live cable in the top of the box

He did spend rather a lot of time with the seals - he said that he's required to seal everything he "touches", so has sealed the load side of the isolator and the Henleys. But after some time spent fiddling he could not get a wire through the hole on the cutout itself - so put on his notes "sealed with tape". Not that I would ever consider removing that tape

A little about the contractor. He's an ex meter reader, who seeing the writing on the wall took up the offer of training to go off and fit meters.

 

[Iggifer]

Even the after picture is making my eyes bleed

Nearly as bad as this

 

[wundaboy]

Dear god.... The 'after' picture is worse!

I'm assuming it's safe enough but aesthetically it's pure hell. Has that been carried out "in a workmanlike manner"?? (Not that it applies to them....)

 

[Iggifer]

I'd be inclined to report the service head to your DNO. Clearly doesn't comply if the seal is a bit of peeling off tape. You might get a nice new head out of the deal.

And yea I'd be tidying that all up at the first opportunity.

 

[JohnW2]

I'd be inclined to report the service head to your DNO. Clearly doesn't comply if the seal is a bit of peeling off tape. You might get a nice new head out of the deal. And yea I'd be tidying that all up at the first opportunity.

I'm a bit confused. I rather presume that this 'contractor' who recently fitted the isolator (and created that aesthetic nightmare) was working on behalf of the 'supplier', but I was under the impression that no-one other than the DNO themselves were 'allowed' to touch a metal service head? Is that not the case?

Kind Regards, John

 

[John D v2.0]

I'm surprised they are prepared to do any work on a metal cutout with uninsulated and not isolable live parts with no IP rating when the cover is open.
Id have thought it'd be a two person team job and probably to replace it

 

[aptsys]

Looks great. Nice to see someone taking pride in their work.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm surprised they are prepared to do any work on a metal cutout with uninsulated and not isolable live parts with no IP rating when the cover is open. Id have thought it'd be a two person team job and probably to replace it

Quite so.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Iggifer]

I'm a bit confused. I rather presume that this 'contractor' who recently fitted the isolator (and created that aesthetic nightmare) was working on behalf of the 'supplier', but I was under the impression that no-one other than the DNO themselves were 'allowed' to touch a metal service head? Is that not the case?

Kind Regards, John

Yea exactly. But because the suppliers fitter was unable to seal it, it doesn’t comply with 24(2) of the ESQCR so needs either sealing or replacing.

Technically the meter fitters report should get passed along to the DNO but in reality, that may not happen for weeks, if at all.

I’m not sure what that particular suppliers procedures are, but he’s worked on it considerably! Those ones don’t look as bad as the ISCO cut outs but I still wouldn’t fancy it