When an electrician changes meter tails...

[MeterMonkey]

why doesn't he change the tails from the Cut Out to the meter too.

They are not allowed in either piece of equipment, but if they are gonna change one side, they might as well change the other too!

 

[securespark]

No, because to change the tails twixt cutout and meter requires some dismantling of and delving around in the cutout.

 

[Click4]

as above, and opening the cutout is dangerous as it contains live components also, anythng up to the meter is property of the DNO.

some dont even change from meter, as it involves breaking the seal on the meter.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Another question could be "Why did the electrician change the meter to consumer unit tails?" .

Was it necessary?

 

[MeterMonkey]

I know messing around in the cut out is dangerous, but I see alot where theres a new shiny CU and new 25mm cables going into the meter, with seal missing on both sides.

why is breaking into the suppliers equipment acceptable, but breaking into the DNOs isn't ?

Another question could be "Why did the electrician change the meter to consumer unit tails?" .

Was it necessary?

I understand why tails get changed, it doesn't make it any more legal to do so.

Im not here to pick a fight with sparks that do it.

Just winds me up that they will change only one set of meter tails even though they are breaking into dno and suppliers equipment.

EFLI, lets say hypothetically.. you changed the tails from the meter to CU, would you make it 'dead' before hand or work live?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Some meters (not many) do have accessible outgoing terminals.

 

[Click4]

I know messing around in the cut out is dangerous, but I see alot where theres a new shiny CU and new 25mm cables going into the meter, with seal missing on both sides.

why is breaking into the suppliers equipment acceptable, but breaking into the DNOs isn't ?

Probably because, the same people who break into the suppliers meter to change tails also break the seal on the fuse to pull that first... so they consder that safe to do.

But breaking into the DNO equipment is a little more risky due to it requiring partial dismantling, and when that is done it cant be shut off.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Just noticed the question to me.

I would make it dead but have never gone into sealed meter.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I know messing around in the cut out is dangerous,

Depends on your definition of 'messing about'.

why is breaking into the suppliers equipment acceptable, but breaking into the DNOs isn't ?

It's not a question of that.

I understand why tails get changed, it doesn't make it any more legal to do so.

A lot of them get changed unnecessarily because of misreading/miswritten OSG.
That was my point.

Just winds me up that they will change only one set of meter tails even though they are breaking into dno and suppliers equipment.

Why?
It's not our job to replace the DNO's equipment.

 

[TonyS]

Legalities aside, what is the difference between a fuse way in an industrial DB in a production environment and a service head? You can’t just turn the board off just because you’re a bit windy that one side is live. I’ve no qualms about either.

 

[westie101]

Legalities aside, what is the difference between a fuse way in an industrial DB in a production environment and a service head? You can’t just turn the board off just because you’re a bit windy that one side is live. I’ve no qualms about either.

Because when you open a cut-out you may well be exposing live parts, parts that you have no means of making dead, parts that you a quite possibly not trained to work near or adequately shroud (how many electricians have the equipment needed for live working)

At the end of the day it is NOT your or the customer's property, you do not have permission to break the seals or work on a cut-out or meter! In what world do you live in that you feel you can just do it?

 

[MeterMonkey]

Cables from the cut-out to the meter are the responsibility of the supplier, not the DNO.

In fairness, all new installs are installed with an isolator, so the need to enter a meter are no longer needed, but perhaps legislation should be changed so that suppliers are required to provide an isolator at the next exchange of the meter.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Cables from the cut-out to the meter are the responsibility of the supplier, not the DNO.

Ok. same difference.

In fairness, all new installs are installed with an isolator,

Are you sure? Everywhere?

so the need to enter a meter are no longer needed, but perhaps legislation should be changed so that suppliers are required to provide an isolator at the next exchange of the meter.

We've been here before and some of us think an isolator should be fitted but apparently the suppliers do not want it therefore...

There is never a need to enter the meter.
If new tails are necessary a temporary connection can be made until the supplier can fit them to the meter.

However, the fact that the (presumably) smaller original tails, along with the supply cable and cut-out to meter tails, will still be there brings me back to my question of whether larger tails are actually necessary.

 

[MeterMonkey]

we at BG do new installs with isolators, every time. If some numbnuts hasnt installed an iso, then he would probably get the sack.


Larger cables are on deemed necessary if the fuse is too big to the cable size.

25mm - 100amp
16mm - 80amp
10mm - 60amp.

 

[EFLImpudence]

we at BG do new installs with isolators, every time.

Glad to hear it. Very sensible.

Larger cables are deemed necessary if the fuse is too big to the cable size.

25mm - 100amp
16mm - 80amp
10mm - 60amp.

Obviously.

However, conversely, as I have been saying, if the fuse is not too big for the cable size then fitting larger cables is unnecessary and a waste of time, copper, money and resources.

Also bearing in mind that the sticker or embossing on the cut-out may state 100A (the same as an isolator) while inside is a 60A fuse,