How many on here have ever actually been prosecuted for pulling the DNO fuse?

[Rockingit]

Allrightee...... thread after thread after thread we get peoples 'angst' about breaking DNO seals and removing fuses (for good reason and safety in mind).

So, if it's such a massive no-no and the DNO's will cart us all off to court under armed guard, how many, exactly, of the 44,000 members of this goodly forum have felt the heat of the spotlight and the gaze of the furious judge???

Anyone???



NB: Removal and tampering of DNO equipment is both illegal and can be dangerous. I do NOT recommend the doing so of under any circumstances.

 

[Mr.Si]

From what I understand, If you have a Smart-meter, you then just phone up the supplier and they then disconnect your supply by phone.......

possibly ?

That would then beg the question - what would happen in the event of someone seeing that it is "off" remotely and not knowing it had been turned off, then switching it back on.

One would hope they have a tried and tested system of *KNOWING* what should be left off and those that are on...

Human error etc.

"Death by DNO" could be a new phrase.

 

[a1guvner]

That would then beg the question - what would happen in the event of someone seeing that it is "off" remotely and not knowing it had been turned off, then switching it back on.

One would hope they have a tried and tested system of *KNOWING* what should be left off and those that are on...

Human error etc.

"Death by DNO" could be a new phrase.

Imagine it, you would never have confidence making off a set of tails again

 

[richy3333]

Always a great discussion point the pulling of fuses and it legality. In Scotland if you are a member of Select, I believe the SSE allows their members to pull the fuse, and even as a temporary seal available to fit. "

Can't speak for SELECT but as an NICEIC Approved contractor I have authority to pull the fuses. Have to use appropriate PPE and - gloves, visor etc, which is fair enough. I ring or text them and the cut-outs are resealed by them PDQ. Sparkies and DNO's working in perfect harmony

 

[needasparks]

Scottish Power want £150ish to fit isolator I questioned this as extorsion with local trading standards who basicaly told me that S.P. are entitled to charge what they see fit
i asked S.P. for breakdown as I can get isloator for £25ish and fit in 30mins allowing for 30mins travel thats £125 per hour S.P.

Theres people on here that change the whole board for that. Perhaps its their sparks that does. One price for all, bit like the £150 shop.

 

[Goody]

I prefer not to discuss this on the public forum!

:21:

 

[a1guvner]

I had heard a story they are going to start following sparks vans about when they have just picked up a CU from the wholesalers, time to get the glasses and beard out, and a pack of seals, lol

 

[HandySparks]

Is it just me but i always get a isolator fitted before a cu change. Never really had any problem getting them fitted, various suppliers eon,bg,npower and never been charged.

I'd second this as a good way of doing things. I've only done this a couple of times, both with BG who charged about £45 and upgraded the tails from meter to isolator to 25mm² at the same time. One less thing to worry about on the day.

 

[Knobhead]

From what I understand, If you have a Smart-meter, you then just phone up the supplier and they then disconnect your supply by phone.......

possibly ?

You can’t rely on a control system for isolation, so that’s a No No for a start.

Here’s one to think about. I had a 20MVA 33/11KV transformer fail in the middle of the night. While having a mooch around the transformer to find the problem my works mobile rang. It was the REC central control room, “do you want us to re-close the 33KV remotely?” They didn’t know what the fault was, but were quite happy to re-close! They were a bit miffed when I told them I wanted the circuit closing to “Earth ON”, it meant someone had to get off their arse and come out to site.

 

[Octopus]

If the DNO's don't want us to touch their equipment THEY need to make it EASY and SIMPLE for registered sparkies to get isolators fitted- and this doesn't mean calling their dreaded call centres.

Maybe Elecsa, Napit and NICEIC could get this organised for us.............

Or maybe I'll be seeing a pig fly past the window next!

 

[jumpin jax]

I had heard a story they are going to start following sparks vans about when they have just picked up a CU from the wholesalers, time to get the glasses and beard out, and a pack of seals, lol

well they would follow me for days then, i pick up alot of my gear in advance!

 

[a1guvner]

well they would follow me for days then, i pick up alot of my gear in advance!

lol,,,

 

[ezzzekiel]

this all went through the pipeline last year with all the big bodies pushing for change but dno didnt budge and it fell flat

 

[Engineer54]

If the DNO's don't want us to touch their equipment THEY need to make it EASY and SIMPLE for registered sparkies to get isolators fitted- and this doesn't mean calling their dreaded call centres.

Maybe Elecsa, Napit and NICEIC could get this organised for us.............

Or maybe I'll be seeing a pig fly past the window next!

I'm sure they would be only too pleased to offer this service for you, .....for a fee that would challenge even the DNO's extortionate charges... lol!!

 

[needasparks]

And miss out on another training scheme that has to register every job !

 

[Knobhead]

I’ll hold my hand up, I got caught out by a senior engineer from North Western Electricity as it was then. He was at my house to investigate an imported earth fault. He pulled the fuse to find I’d up-rated it, he wasn’t amused then just said I’d be getting a phone call. To arrange changing the cut out. Other than the cut out change I never heard another thing after that. Things were supposedly a bit more draconian then. Just as a p**s take for my benefit two of the lads with him resealed the meter and cut-out with two seals on each.

One advantage of the engineer being involved, it only took two days before the cut-out was changed