Using a private contractor to move gas or electric meter

[ey143]

I understand that you can hire privately the same people who contract on behalf of the gas board and UK Power networks to move your supply to an outside wall.

My builder tells me that these guys do this on the quiet and that they charge only a few hundred compared with the official route which might be over a grand.

Has anyone ever done it privately (and I'm not talking about your builder or someone dodgy but the same professionals just doing it on the quiet)?

Thx.

 

[westie101]

Yes they do it on the qt, totally without permission by the DNO.
Risks them being dismissed and the consumer being disconnected

But hey if you want to take the risk, best not talk about it on a public forum!

Oh and if any of the work is oon the public highway that opens another huge can of worms in the legallity of it

 

[RF Lighting]

Maybe the op is thinking of contestable works?

 

[westie101]

Maybe the op is thinking of contestable works?

Possibly but

My builder tells me that these guys do this on the quiet

Suggests something different.
I don't believe service alts are contestable in any case

 

[Lectrician]

A lot of DNO fellas do PJ type work for simple service moves. If you or a friend has a friendly DNO neighbour, you may be in luck. You can't go ringing up the DNO and asking for numbers though

Officially, of course, you shouldn't even dream of such a method.

 

[westie101]

http://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/in.../documents/Did_you_know_you_have_a_choice.pdf

Can't see service alts here & in any case the work has to be discussed with the DNO

 

[ey143]

There's no way I would allow anyone to touch any connections on the highway or street. If I was to get it capped off there that is it, then I would do it via the official route.

But moving a meter say 1-2m to an outside wall, I'm told that a lot of people do this privately / quietly. Not to be confused with private contracting firms that I can opt to do it apart from UK power network (via the official channel).

My builder says he uses the same guy for all his jobs and he comes in a van with the logo and everything. In and out within an hour or two with a new white cabinet.

 

[westie101]

Except the only safe way to do a move such as that is by cutting the cable live and rejointing it to a new piece of cable to the new position. Fine the guy will probably be quite able to do that.
But experience shows any cable, joint and termination will not have been paid for i.e. obtained from the DNO without their knowledge.

As I say it is up to you but do not try to justify it

 

[bernardgreen]

Service alterations that involve moving the cut out on a live supply are not the same as a new installation where the supply cable and cut out are installed BEFORE the cable is conencted to the network.

Moving a live cut out can be extremely hazardous as the cable will be LIVE all the time and protected only by a fuse in the network that could be as high as 800 amps. ( that is 200 kilowatts if the cable is shorted during the move.

How old and inflexible is the supply cable ? will it tolerate being bent into a new route without the insulation crumbling and a short circuit occuring. ?

 

[ey143]

We have two supplies. One was installed in the late 1980s the other I don't know, probably original pre 1950s for our 1930 house.

 

[flameport]

My builder tells me that these guys do this on the quiet and that they charge only a few hundred compared with the official route which might be over a grand.

Have you actually got a quote for moving it, or are you just assuming it will cost that much?

 

[bernardgreen]

For what is it worth my new supply cost £ 900. That included jointing the new service cable to the street cable under the grass verge.

I had fitted the box, dug the trench and installed the duct for the supply cable.

Had the joint been under the road then road closure permits, etc etc would have added to the cost.

It will be very expensive for you if things go wrong and the DNO have to come out to restore power to other houses when your "private" contractor shorts out the network.

Of course they will NOT re-connect your service but instead present you with the bill for all the expenses incurred by them due to your actions.

As people are saying. Your choice.

 

[Lectrician]

If you're going the PJ route, but have already had a quote, I would stick with the quote..........

 

[Lectrician]

Service alterations that involve moving the cut out on a live supply are not the same as a new installation where the supply cable and cut out are installed BEFORE the cable is conencted to the network.

Moving a live cut out can be extremely hazardous as the cable will be LIVE all the time and protected only by a fuse in the network that could be as high as 800 amps. ( that is 200 kilowatts if the cable is shorted during the move.

How old and inflexible is the supply cable ? will it tolerate being bent into a new route without the insulation crumbling and a short circuit occuring. ?

Yep, but the DNO PJ guy will be more than able to decide if to reroute, or install and joint to existing.

 

[ey143]

But the private guy IS or WILL be the same guy that the UPN will send out anyway, so the quality should be the same. You make a valid point though that if something goes wrong who is liable.