Mains fuse concealed in wall cavity

Mickey81 · Aug 2, 2022

Hi all.
I have a question i'm hoping some of you can advise on.
A long story short my main fuse has been hidden in the wall cavity(by the previous owners - which was not picked up on my survey before buying the house) and after pulling off the wall tiles recently to retile my kitchen I've stumbled across the access panel to this mains fuse(pictures attached).
After arranging a smart meter fitting with octopus energy the engineer came out today and won't touch it. I did think he wouldn't once he saw it.

The mains fuse is above my cooker and on the other side of the mains is the electric meter and cut off(pictures attached).

My question is.
Re-tile over it and put it back to how it has been for the last 10 years.
Report to Northern Power Grid. By reporting it I'm making them aware of this and a really am not willing or can afford to pay for this moving.
Or anyone had a similar experience could offer some advice I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks.

westward10 · Aug 2, 2022

I don't touch EV points but I am sure @brianmoooore is correct a looped service will have to be changed something to do with load sharing.
@Gavin John Hyde will probably know more.

timhoward · Aug 2, 2022

Western Power have been known to un-loop for free. No idea about others.

Baddegg · Aug 2, 2022

I had the same thing last week bizarrely, main cut out was behind a floor corner cupboard in the kitchen, back panel screwed in and behind that a stud wall plastered with the main fuse within….what really baffled me, I was called in as the owners had just bought the place and couldn’t find the main fuse, was they (previous owners) had had a smart meter fitted but there was no way the meter monkey had been near the main fuse….

Markyd · Aug 3, 2022

timhoward said:
Western Power have been known to un-loop for free. No idea about others.

SSE also

UNG · Aug 3, 2022

Mickey81 said:
Tiling around and cutting out the access panel is looking the likely option at the moment.

I think the service head needs moving or you need to redesign the kitchen, the tar leaking from the service head could be down to a build up of heat in the void when using the cooker if you make an access panel that isn't completely sealed any steam or water vapour could build up in the void when cooking and cause a failure of the supply

telectrix · Aug 3, 2022

we're doomed. we're doomed.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Mains fuse concealed in wall cavity

Vortigern · Aug 3, 2022

Maybe you could get the cut-out replaced and upgraded to PME. If so, Then you could turn it around to face to the outside wall and move the outside cabinet to give access that way and provdie a heatproof sheild on the inside. Anyway off the top of my head that is all I can think of. Otherwise it is move the range over and provide access inside. Wow, what a headache!
P.S. perhaps they could even move it into the cabinet outside and the isolator to the inside.