Electrician Jobs External mains power inside house?

[David1128828]

Hi Midwest,
You assume right on both counts.

 

[Midwest]

Hi Midwest,
You assume right on both counts.

How much did they quote, Scottish Power?

 

[David1128828]

about £600

 

[David1128828]

And then electrian another 2.5k (but that was an estimate)

 

[Midwest]

If you did go with SP relocating their cable & main fuse to a new meter cabinet, the meter would normally get relocated there too. You would then have to run a supply from the meter cabinet to your consumer unit, typically done with steel wired armoured cable (swa).

Is the 2.5k price for this new supply cable, its represented by the blue & brown cables in the diagram from meter to consumer unit?

 

[David1128828]

Yes, thats what they said - the cable/main fuse would be relocated there.

So you are saying that an armed cable wire can be fitted from the new meter cabinet on the side wall directly to the existing consumer unit (effectifely replacing the external mains wire with a fused armoured cable)?

The 2.5k price is for rewiring the internal wires from (what would be) the old consumer unit in the kitchen to the new consumer unit on the side wall of the extension. I am not sure if SP or the electrician would move the blue wire - assume it would be the electrician.

 

[Midwest]

Personally if it was my property, I would have the DNO supply relocated to a meter box, and run new customer supply swa cable to the consumer unit.

I see, the 2.5k is for effectively relocating consumer unit (CU), extending existing final circuits to new CU position, and running new swa cable from meter box to new CU position, and obviously new CU?

 

[David1128828]

OK, Thank you - that is the advice i was looking for...

You are correct about what the 2.5k is for... But i imagine it would be much cheaper if we were just replacing the mains wire with a cable...

Thank you again, i'd owe you a beer or three!

 

[Midwest]

The blue (& brown!) wire is the responsibility of the property owner (meter to CU).

Difficult to say without looking at your property, but I would suggest 2.5k to move CU & new swa cable is a bit high, don't know what other members think?

Perhaps get some more quotes.

Are SP going to convert your TT supply to PME, as part of that £600? It might not be possible, if you & your neighbours is fed from the same supply, unless your neighbour has it done as well

 

[David1128828]

Not sure about the TT to the PME question... I just know they were going to put the fuse and meter where i mentioned.

Definitely will get more quotes. Thanks.

 

[PEG]

To be honest,it sounds like your spark,has done the best he can,being at the stage you are at.
Obviously,with hindsight,time,and a varying budget,the supply could have been moved - but the DNO can choose the cost,time scale and method,and any of them could cause discourse.

There are plenty of TT supplies,old and newer,arriving at one end/side,of a property,and winding their way through,with varying degrees or protection and forethought.

I have seen some older supplies,which in their day,would have been an addition to an existing building,post town gas and oil lanterns,where later on,the application of a new novelty product,such as internal plastering to a wall not,in a "best" room,has entombed the cable.

On occasion,these are discovered by DPC installers or shelf fitters,with alarming consequences.

Not that many seem to bother,these days,but i would set your electrician,up a notch,if he left some drawings/pictures,maybe laminated,to be zip tied to the meter,in a document tube.

These could be no more than a description of route,protection added,etc.

....or one could choose to wait for the day an extraction fan or soil pipe is required,and the unwitting core driller has a story for his mates...or not

 

[Midwest]

Nah just get it moved.

 

[Devonchris]

I came across a similar situation many years ago. Single storey extension with flat roof to provide nice veranda out from bedroom. Bottom of window cut away and French door fitted. DNO supply (2 single conductors 2 inch apart) was now running across the doorway about 9 inch from bottom. I don't know if they were going to have it moved or were happy to step over it to get in and out. But the extension seemed to have been there awhile.

Then one morning about 3 a.m. fire brigade turn up to deal with serious fire in bedroom. Glass in said door has gone and flames are pouring out. One firefighter with hose fights flames back and steps through door and into cable, which by now has no insulation left.

Big flash and bang but fortunately no shock felt. After a few seconds when sight and sound recovered there was no ill effects. Lucky escape. Both conductors were now hanging loose.

Could never understand the logic of it myself. This was Yorkshire. Who goes to the expense of a veranda when the most you can expect is 2 weeks sitting out weather a year.

 

[Sparkingmad]

Hi I would personally go with new meter box on outside DNO cable taken into it, with a new Steel Wired Armoured cable taken from that box into your existing fuse board location. Is the flooring in new lean too block and beam? As it’s a TT system and that new cable will be your distribution cable I believe you have to afford rcd protection on it even though it is SWA. You are allowed up to 1A distribution instead of 30mA for final circuits on a TT. So I strongly advise having a 100mA or 300mA Time delayed RCD fitted in the supply meter box to protect the swa cable along it route into your house.

 

[stevels4]

You may have been wise to have the service supply rerouted and an external flush mount meter box fitted, relocated the meter and then reconnected to your existing DB with new 25mm tails.
You will now have a service cable passing internally within the extension and I note from the picture there appears to be a joint near the end of the run.
This cable will need sufficient containment for protection bearing in mind the pole fuse rating could be around 800A.