Interesting talk with DNO engineer

[Simon47]

Exactly what offence or civil enforcement acts will you be committing, for these companies to issue ‘fines’?

To start with, breach of supply contract - the "thou shalt not interfere with the supplier's or DNO's equipment" clause.
Then there's presymably a breach of ESQCR regs.
And breach of Electricity at Work regs.

 

[Midwest]

To start with, breach of supply contract - the "thou shalt not interfere with the supplier's or DNO's equipment" clause.
Then there's presymably a breach of ESQCR regs.
And breach of Electricity at Work regs.

The first one, is just a breach of a business contract. They may decline to offer you their products. They can’t fine you, and (as far as I’m aware), you do not commit a criminal offence at this stage, by interfering with their equipment.

Not about the later; one could argue that you would also be breaching these acts, by not making safe.

 

[Simon47]

As previously said, they can charge for "regularising" any interference with their equipment. And for most users, such a bill would look very much like a "fine".
Besides, Midwest asked what civil or criminal offences might be committed. The breach of contract would be a civil tort - and most people don't know the difference between a tort and an offence.

 

[DPG]

Hands up you're Googling the word 'tort'

There's an Irish joke in their somewhere.

 

[Andy78]

Hands up you're Googling the word 'tort'

 

[Midwest]

Hands up you're Googling the word 'tort'

There's an Irish joke in their somewhere.

I had to. I tort I saw a ----- cat

 

[Chivers]

I work as a Maintenance Electrician on Highways (not street lighting). I won't go into great detail but we have cabinets with DNO fuses and a meter then normally a two pole isolator. I've been doing this role for almost two years, We were transferred / Tuped across to another firm who tendered for the contract. One of the guys who has far more Network testing experience than me (though doesn't have 2391), was insisting a number of months ago that we needed to pull the DNO fuse (cutting seals) to get a true ZE and determine the Fuse rating. Up until then I'd been Testing ZE at the closest point to the meter with Earth removed to test towards the supply and noting the Fuse rating of the carrier (most are sealed anyway), generally the Earth is 16mm or 25mm and is two feet long so of negligible resistance. He still keeps insisting we remove fuses despite being told by hierarchy we should Not do this.

Who's right in this instance? We do have G39 BTW

 

[ipf]

Don't know what this thread is doing in 'Electrical Engineering Chat' ???

 

[static zap]

Hands up you're Googling the word 'tort'

There's an Irish joke in their somewhere.

Is that to do with the merry dance it will lead you.
(without a legal reference --Spoon will be along soon)

 

[GeorgeCooke]

It sounds like you've got things a lot better sorted out in Ireland,

But he actually lives in the UK. Place called Londonderry near the Irish border.

 

[Cbuk2k2]

Constant pressure springs - is that the term?

I’d say constant force spring

 

[DPG]

I’d say constant force spring

Close enough then.

 

[Midwest]

I work as a Maintenance Electrician on Highways (not street lighting). I won't go into great detail but we have cabinets with DNO fuses and a meter then normally a two pole isolator. I've been doing this role for almost two years, We were transferred / Tuped across to another firm who tendered for the contract. One of the guys who has far more Network testing experience than me (though doesn't have 2391), was insisting a number of months ago that we needed to pull the DNO fuse (cutting seals) to get a true ZE and determine the Fuse rating. Up until then I'd been Testing ZE at the closest point to the meter with Earth removed to test towards the supply and noting the Fuse rating of the carrier (most are sealed anyway), generally the Earth is 16mm or 25mm and is two feet long so of negligible resistance. He still keeps insisting we remove fuses despite being told by hierarchy we should Not do this.

Who's right in this instance? We do have G39 BTW

Doesn't look as if your question been answered.

When testing for a Ze on a domestic property, I would take my reading from the incoming supply to the main switch of a CU. Unless I was replacing the tails, or had to isolate the supply using the main fuse, I would not cut the seal. Therefore I would not be able to verify the size of the main fuse. I would document what was written on the fuse carrier, noting I had not inspected the fuse itself.

Is there a particular reason, you need to identify the size & rating of the main fuse, in your case?

In my case my DNO allows Scheme members to remove their main fuse (with appropriate PPE), and reapply a temporary seal, provided by them and furnishing them with the details. Not all DNO's do though.

 

[davesparks]

I work as a Maintenance Electrician on Highways (not street lighting). I won't go into great detail but we have cabinets with DNO fuses and a meter then normally a two pole isolator. I've been doing this role for almost two years, We were transferred / Tuped across to another firm who tendered for the contract. One of the guys who has far more Network testing experience than me (though doesn't have 2391), was insisting a number of months ago that we needed to pull the DNO fuse (cutting seals) to get a true ZE and determine the Fuse rating. Up until then I'd been Testing ZE at the closest point to the meter with Earth removed to test towards the supply and noting the Fuse rating of the carrier (most are sealed anyway), generally the Earth is 16mm or 25mm and is two feet long so of negligible resistance. He still keeps insisting we remove fuses despite being told by hierarchy we should Not do this.

Who's right in this instance? We do have G39 BTW

Ze is taken at the consumers supply terminals, this is the point at which the consumers tails connect to the suppliers equipment. This will either be the outgoing side of the meter or the isolator.

 

[littlespark]

Ze is taken at the consumers supply terminals, this is the point at which the consumers tails connect to the suppliers equipment. This will either be the outgoing side of the meter or the isolator.

Not the outgoing side of the meter. That’s usually sealed.
Outgoing side of isolator if they have one, or supply side of mainswitch, or an accessible Henley if there’s no seals.

basically, if you need to cut a seal to access a terminal, you don’t do it.
likewise cutting a seal and pulling a fuse just to find out the size. If it’s not printed on a sticker, then it’s “not verified”