Breaking the tails

[wattsup]

So, I now am breaking the law. I cannot isolate without breaking the 'seal'

The tails are my property, yet they are protected by their 'do not remove seal' in effect they are not acting legally.

They the 'board' do not provide isolation, are they breaking the 'law' I would love to take them to court. And will do so one day.

For me it makes no sense, but some customers think ahhh bloody cowboy, interfering with the supply...as though you can change a dis. board or more in my line of work installing back up generators without 'tampering'

Try explaining to a client the tails are yours, the board have no right to stop you....they just see the red writing on the label and scares the **** out of em.

On another note, I've just been informed recently giving stand by generator supply is notifiable under blah blah, yet I do not normally make any changes to any installation, I don't change the board etc, I just cut the tails...most times it is impossible without cutting seals and withdrawing main fuse. Accordingly that is illegal, is it one law for the board and one for us?

Over the years I've probably done in the region of 50 or so, no board has sued me yet

On another point I've switched to another provider (at home) they came they switched the meter to another (recent) bloodyell what about z\s readings etc they have made alterations...oh we don't bother with that ****, lol. You may laugh but under present legislation they should, in effect it is bull****, sparks know it is, leccy comps know it is, the only people whom don't is the governmentry,

But they can tax you again and create meaningless jobs

 

[spark-doctor]

your certificates are in as well, i will try and get them posted out to you tommorrow matey

Ha Ha BUSTED. Never try to blag teacher

 

[Shakey]

Ha Ha BUSTED. Never try to blag teacher

ha ha

you can run but you cant hide

 

[DYCHE4230]

just rung southern electric to enquire ....they said cut away, how liberating..........No red tape with them!!!!!! just call them afterwards and they will come round and reseal

 

[London Luke]

-------s
i cut as and when i want !

 

[EasyFox]

just rung southern electric to enquire ....they said cut away, how liberating..........No red tape with them!!!!!! just call them afterwards and they will come round and reseal

Same for me, thats if I remember to call them afterwards
It was the meter fairy honest guvnor the seal was off when I got here
I do always reseal with my own lead crimp & wire purchased from flebay many moons ago.

 

[CUDABOY]

yeah I believe you Nathan, got your DAB yet? and get your ruddy hair cut!

your certificates are in as well, i will try and get them posted out to you tommorrow matey

hair? cant cut that, long enough for a turban ,couple sunbeds and im off to council for a house,taxi,handouts etc!

 

[heathelect]

I have no problem cutting seals, health & safety is of first importance, cut em off, then ring supplier and tell them tails were loose they will then come and re seal, works every time

 

[jibspark]

Is this a good price for seals?

25 ROUND LEAD SEALS/ELECTRIC METER/TACHOGRAPHS+TOOL on eBay, also Meters, Test Measurement Equipment, Electrical Test Equipment, Business, Office Industrial (end time 24-Sep-08 11:00:06 BST)

or

25-COPPER-SECURITY-SEALS-WIRE-TOOL-ELECTRIC-METER-TAXI on eBay, also Meters, Test Measurement Equipment, Electrical Test Equipment, Business, Office Industrial (end time 24-Sep-08 10:56:08 BST)

 

[harrymonkfish]

Hi there.

I am studying for my 2330 at the moment. This post is very interesting.

Are you saying you break the seal on the cut out fuse and remove the fuse to disconnect the supply from the CU?

Are these fuses easy to remove once the cover is off?

In my house which is rented, I have a:

Supply cable
cut out fuse
current operated earth leakage circuit breaker 100mA 80A
CU

the circuit breaker doesn't state whether it is SP or DP.

It is quite an old installation. Would the CB turned off be acceptable to anyone if you wanted the work on the meter tails, as a means of isolation?

Any answers would greatly enhance my understanding of this area of an installation and would be very much appreciated.

Kind regards
Harry

Hello again.

I have just tried to contact my supplier to (hypothetically) get my supply disconnected so I could (hypothetically)change my consumer unit.

I first went to the western power distribution website which said contact your supplier.

I telephone the number on my bill. they gave me another number. telephoned that. they gave me another number. telephoned that. ended up back at customer services. great.

so how do you get a reliable way of contacting all these different companies? and how do you know who supplies who with what?

confused harry!

 

[Spudnik]

There is no substitution for safe isolation and if the only means is to pull the fuse then so be it, just remembering to ensure ALL loads are disconnected ie main switch to the CU is off.

As long as it is re-sealed afterwards then no prob.

What you must be careful of is some of the older fuse carriers can be quite stubborn when it comes to releasing the fuse and it has been known for them to fall apart as the fuse is being withdrawn.

Its a judgement call that only the electrician can make on each installation whether its safe to pull or not.

 

[mackem sparky]

i wouldnt worry bout it i cut the seals on the meter and on the bullet i know were supposed to inform the board when we have so they can re seal it but no one does

 

[kung]

hey im an ex meter recert engineer for southern electric and 80% of seals we saw were broken by sparks changing boards etc when we reported this at a team meeting they just ignord us and said dont worry about it it costs to much to take it to court so as far as im concerned id cut seals all day long as long as you turn main switch off before and if 3 ph turn off main isolators and put tape over cutout to stop things accidently toutching the live contacts and perming your hair (single ph ! 3 ph and split ph bit more than a perm) dont worry !
regards
Tony

 

[petewan]

just done c/u change, rang npower and they said cut seals, and reseal after.
job done.

 

[gunner]

do it and notify the supplier to cover yourself

 

[Sparkysteve82]

I just spoke to a meter man on this subject, and he said even though it's illegal it hasn't stopped anybody doing it, he gave me a pack of the steel threads and crimps and told me to make sure I sealed everything back up after the work was finished.