Domestic cutout fuse identification?

[earlofwar]

Hi there.
forgive my newbeeness and thanks for a great resource.
Working on a little cottage in the west country. Main cutout has no identification on it.
EDF give the usual cat and mouse routine between them and the network having records. (each saying the other has the info I need).
I Know about the legal issues regarding pulling the fuse to inspect.... there is no seal BTW.
NIC have expained that to me. and their line is if you cant see it then its "unknown"
(my question to them was what do i enter on the cert)
I don't feel very happy about an "unknown" quantity in the instalation... Particularly something as rudimentary as a main cutout .
I wish I had the experience to spot older components I guess...
Any thoughts on this?

EAW

 

[IQ Electrical]

Hi there.
forgive my newbeeness and thanks for a great resource.
Working on a little cottage in the west country. Main cutout has no identification on it.
EDF give the usual cat and mouse routine between them and the network having records. (each saying the other has the info I need).
I Know about the legal issues regarding pulling the fuse to inspect.... there is no seal BTW.
NIC have expained that to me. and their line is if you cant see it then its "unknown"
(my question to them was what do i enter on the cert)
I don't feel very happy about an "unknown" quantity in the instalation... Particularly something as rudimentary as a main cutout .
I wish I had the experience to spot older components I guess...
Any thoughts on this?

EAW

Well they are your options, you enter 'sealed' on the certificate for 'characteristics of primary supply device' or you gain access to the fuse.

An experienced chap can tell the BS number of the fuse by the carrier type but not the rating.

 

[earlofwar]

Well they are your options, you enter 'sealed' on the certificate for 'characteristics of primary supply device' or you gain access to the fuse.

An experienced chap can tell the BS number of the fuse by the carrier type but not the rating.

Thanks IQ Yeah that's what im talkin about (BS number by carrier type of experience.. I'll keep asking.... Many thanks EAW

 

[MarkieSparkie]

You can get an approximate guide by the size of tails from cut-out to the meter, 10mm[SUP]2[/SUP] it's likely to be 60A, 16mm[SUP]2[/SUP] - 80A and 25mm[SUP]2[/SUP] - 100A. If you state the fuse is BS88 you're technically not wrong, as that's the current expanded universal standard, BS1361 having been superceded and incorporated in part of the new BS88.

 

[Sickmick]

Round my way they put stickers on stating size.

 

[Octopus]

Hi there.
forgive my newbeeness and thanks for a great resource.
Working on a little cottage in the west country. Main cutout has no identification on it.
EDF give the usual cat and mouse routine between them and the network having records. (each saying the other has the info I need).
I Know about the legal issues regarding pulling the fuse to inspect.... there is no seal BTW.
NIC have expained that to me. and their line is if you cant see it then its "unknown"
(my question to them was what do i enter on the cert)
I don't feel very happy about an "unknown" quantity in the instalation... Particularly something as rudimentary as a main cutout .
I wish I had the experience to spot older components I guess...
Any thoughts on this?

EAW

"There is no seal BTW"

So why don't you pull the fuse and take a look?

 

[oldtimer]

Do you mean these

View attachment house cut out1.pdfView attachment house cut out2.pdf

 

[oldtimer]

Or these ones that are older


View attachment Insulated HSCO MC 60 NPC .pdfView attachment RH or RHL Fuse Holder Details.pdf

 

[earlofwar]

thanks everyone for all your help and top tips!
I did pull the fuse and its in the form of a cartridge (brown plastic don't think bakalite)
the fuse itself is like your saying, bullet like a 1363 but obviously bigger.
What form the "tabs" or blades that go into the head to make the contact are screwed onto the ends so as to clamp the fuse. Its not part of the fuse design as i would understand a bs88 to be.
the fuse is green in colour but i can't see what it says as its turned round and faces the inside of the plastic casing which i don't see away into without breaking the cartridge.
Ive seen this design a fair bit and would like to say its a 1361?
thanks again EAW

 

[earlofwar]

You can get an approximate guide by the size of tails from cut-out to the meter, 10mm[SUP]2[/SUP] it's likely to be 60A, 16mm[SUP]2[/SUP] - 80A and 25mm[SUP]2[/SUP] - 100A. If you state the fuse is BS88 you're technically not wrong, as that's the current expanded universal standard, BS1361 having been superceded and incorporated in part of the new BS88.

Thanks for this one Mark. much appreciated.
so are you saying that all new service heads have bs 88's in them... Taking over from the 1361 type 2b (as labeled) which i tend to see a lot of in new (ish ) builds or refurbs.

 

[Lighthouse Phil]

Theres a screw at the top of the blade, in the carrier, loosen this on both blades, the fuse will come out, you can then see the rating and BS number

 

[earlofwar]

Theres a screw at the top of the blade, in the carrier, loosen this on both blades, the fuse will come out, you can then see the rating and BS number

Ok Will Try this
Thanks Phill

 

[mogga]

Never "Assume" as the guy fitting the fuse may not have had correct size in his bag at time and has fitted what he has
if you cant see it due to seal or its been an old fuse kiking around the back of a van n the print has scrubbed off its a LIM and list it on your cert as such