Distance from red link to consumer unit

[Nicholas]

Hello,
I don't usually do domestic work but have a friend who needs work done.
he said an electrician he had out a few months ago said the distance from the red like and meter was to far away from the consumer unit. Is there a regulation covering this?

thanks!

 

[snowhead]

Do you mean length of tails from meter to Consumer Unit?

 

[trev]

What red link?

 

[Leesparkykent]

What red link?

The only thing I could think of was maybe the red bullet in some cut outs which is a solid link not a fuse, have seen it when a ryefield board has been installed.

 

[trev]

Ryefields in domestics Lee?

 

[Nicholas]

Yea the solid link that feeds the meter. Sorry for the confusion thought everyone called them red links.

not sure if he means the length of tail from meter to unit. Or just the general distance between the two.
they are only a couple meters away from each other. The meter and red link is in the front porch and consumer unit in the hall way. The distance the tail travel is about 10meters. Up into floor space and back down to consumer unit.

 

[Leesparkykent]

You don't have a service fuse then?

 

[trev]

Should have a switch fuse on them.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Ryefields in domestics Lee?

Thats what I thought, but was thinking could of been a flat fed from a ryefield.

 

[Nicholas]

Right i might be getting confused to be honest. I havnt looked at this yet and only going by what I've been told.
its probably a fuse feeding meter then consumer unit.

 

[7029 dave]

Why not ryefields are used in blocks of flats.

 

[Nicholas]

This is a house. I'm used to doing flats fed from ryefield units. Which feed what we call the red links.

 

[trev]

Why not ryefields are used in blocks of flats.

In the mains rooms yes, when was the last time you saw one behind someone's front door?

 

[7029 dave]

This is a house. I'm used to doing flats fed from ryefield units. Which feed what we call the red links.

That is possible, if the DNO have moved the service and left the cut out in original place, then red link to new position.

 

[Nicholas]

I've worded this so bad lol
so is there a maximum distance between the fuse/meter/consumer unit?

 

[7029 dave]

3 meter rule.

 

[trev]

3 Metres then a switch fuse should be used. Where the DNO gets it from I have no idea.

 

[Nicholas]

Sorry, what's the 3 meter rule?

 

[Nicholas]

Ok so 3 meters from the fuse to cu?

 

[trev]

If the service head and meter are more than 3 metres away from the CU then a switch fuse should be installed after the meter
Something like that anyway, I'm knackered and have a blinding headache so can't be bothered to go and get the proper info.
Sorry mate.

 

[Nicholas]

Or tails from meter?

 

[Nicholas]

Oh I get you now. I keep typing to slow lol. Ignore my little messages.
thanks for your help guys. His is definitely longer than 3 meters.

thanks guys. Sorry for the bad explanation!

 

[7029 dave]

Trev has answered your question.

 

[LankyWill]

If the service head and meter are more than 3 metres away from the CU then a switch fuse should be installed after the meter
Something like that anyway, I'm knackered and have a blinding headache so can't be bothered to go and get the proper info.
Sorry mate.

What's the point in that? If the cut out has a 100A fuse why then put two in sequence? Can't see the need. I only bother using a kmf if the mains is ran in 16 te and dumb it to 80A. Plus the dno supply a dual pole isolator.

 

[richy3333]

What's the point in that? If the cut out has a 100A fuse why then put two in sequence? Can't see the need. I only bother using a kmf if the mains is ran in 16 te and dumb it to 80A. Plus the dno supply a dual pole isolator.

What? Really!?

 

[LankyWill]

What? Really!?

Yes peasant. What bothers thee?

 

[7029 dave]

What? Really!?

I ain't saying nothing. lol

 

[Knobhead]

I'm knackered and have a blinding headache so can't be bothered to go and get the proper info.

Dear god!

I’m not surprised you have a headache Trev, I’ve just waded my way through this drivel.

 

[davesparks]

The length actually varies between the different DNOs, on a recent meter move by ukpn the paperwork clearly states a maximum of 4metres.

 

[davesparks]

What's the point in that? If the cut out has a 100A fuse why then put two in sequence? Can't see the need. I only bother using a kmf if the mains is ran in 16 te and dumb it to 80A. Plus the dno supply a dual pole isolator.

The point is that the DNO specify a maximum length of tails which are allowed before the consumer must provide their own protective device. Generally this is 3 metres but some allow 4 and others 2.5

 

[Leesparkykent]

What's the point in that? If the cut out has a 100A fuse why then put two in sequence? Can't see the need. I only bother using a kmf if the mains is ran in 16 te and dumb it to 80A. Plus the dno supply a dual pole isolator.

Do you do this for flat sub mains then? Can't see how the DNO would accept this.

 

[LankyWill]

Do you do this for flat sub mains then? Can't see how the DNO would accept this.

Yes when we do the meter cupboards for flats we go from our kmf to the dual pole isolator supplied by the dno. But for houses we never use this setup. We just go from consumer to dual pole isolator. I never knew to be fair, but I still can't see the need for it.