Interesting talk with DNO engineer

[Gavin John Hyde]

Had the DNO out to check cut out, make a sheathed earth available today and pull fuse whilst I fit isolator.
Got talking about pulling fuses and the seal fairy, he said Western Power normally just give you a dont be naughty talk and doesn't get why they dont just allow registered electricians to pull them on domestic properties. recognised sometimes the cut out is seized up or its an older ceramic one, in which case call them.
he said that recently they have been sent to properties where the electrician has pulled fuse, smart meter detects loss of power and it flags as a supply fault, so they get a call and should power stay off for a certain period then they send an engineer out to check. wasnt sure if this is an automated computer process or a human initiated process.
He said he arrived at a property to find electrician had pulled fuse and was doing some work. no big deal he said, just told him to go careful and that really he shouldn't etc...
So it seems at least one electrical supplier with smart meters is calling loss of power/ fuse pulling into the DNO to inspect. He didn't know how long this time period is for the power being interrupted before they investigate but it clearly is happening. no doubt in many cases the electrician is just taking fuse out rather than fitting isolator and getting fuse back in. suspect if you fitted isolator and got back on line then nothing would happen.
He went on to say they dont like doing it as they are too busy but once called in from the smart meter people as a fault they have to send somebody out...
Last smart meter property I had to pull a fuse in Chippenham the meter made loads of funny noises... didnt stop until fuse was back in.
Anybody else got any knowledge of the smart meter folk calling in the fuse being removed?

 

[littlespark]

Last smart meter property I had to pull a fuse....

Admit to nothing!

The first rule of pulling fuses is... YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT PULLING FUSES!

 

[tony clark]

ive not heard of this before but i think they have a sim card in them check out john ward videos on you tube

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Admit to nothing!

The first rule of pulling fuses is... YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT PULLING FUSES!

Haha it was in SSE's patch in Wiltshire they allow you to pull them there. not so when in the land of Western Power Distribution...
[automerge]1568752277[/automerge]

ive not heard of this before but i think they have a sim card in them check out john ward videos on you tube

best video is the one by bigclive, he takes one apart showing all the tamper sensors and bits inside, very informative.

 

[Andy78]

The internet has had quite a few "smart meter reported me pulling the fuse" stories lately on other sparky platforms. Some have even reported fines being dished out on the spot, even though the DNO would have no authority to do so. All the stories seem to involve WPD but nearly all the stories have happened to someone's "mate" so not a lot of credible evidence out there. Could even be WPD fuelling the rumour mill.

I wouldn't pull a smart meter apart, but then I wouldn't open any meter. There is never a reason to. I have heard of other contractors in my area pulling the fuse on many smart meters in my area to facilitate their work though, and not one report of contact to any customer from the DNO.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

The internet has had quite a few "smart meter reported me pulling the fuse" stories lately on other sparky platforms. Some have even reported fines being dished out on the spot, even though the DNO would have no authority to do so. All the stories seem to involve WPD but nearly all the stories have happened to someone's "mate" so not a lot of credible evidence out there. Could even be WPD fuelling the rumour mill.

I wouldn't pull a smart meter apart, but then I wouldn't open any meter. There is never a reason to. I have heard of other contractors in my area pulling the fuse on many smart meters in my area to facilitate their work though, and not one report of contact to any customer from the DNO.

I take some of it with pinch of salt. my aunts partner is a depot manager for WPD so have had it confirmed that they can and do respond to reports. not aware of 'fines' being issued. only a court could do that. it may be the property of the dno but if you can show a need and work safely then i can not see anybody issuing a fine.

 

[Andy78]

I take some of it with pinch of salt. my aunts partner is a depot manager for WPD so have had it confirmed that they can and do respond to reports. not aware of 'fines' being issued. only a court could do that. it may be the property of the dno but if you can show a need and work safely then i can not see anybody issuing a fine.

Exactly. Only a court could issue a fine which makes me wonder where these rumours come from. Just the usual wholesale counter garbage talk or WPD trying to spook people. Have they recently put up their rates for fuse pulling attendances ? ?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Exactly. Only a court could issue a fine which makes me wonder where these rumours come from. Just the usual wholesale counter garbage talk or WPD trying to spook people. Have they recently put up their rates for fuse pulling attendances ? ?

67 plus vat.... also got them to make a new tns earth available as old one was awol! So not too bad considering. Much preferable to putting a rod in!

 

[Risteard]

With the ESB it's a big no no to interfere with any of their seals and they will fine you a huge amount of money for it. In fact no-one would ever contemplate doing it.

That said they fit meters with a contractors isolator (and contractors seal) on them, otherwise a separate isolator with a contractors side.

 

[Simon47]

To many people, a service charge bill for "attending to loss of supply alarm from smart meter due to electrician pulling the service fuse" would look like and probably be described as "a fine".

 

[multimick]

well said it before so will say it again,got called to a job in liverpool the smart meter had been bypassed for several weeks while building work was being done , this smart meter was a bit dumb

 

[ipf]

67 plus vat.... also got them to make a new tns earth available as old one was awol!

Scaremonger...…..nobody will be trusting them tns earths.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

Scaremonger...…..nobody will be trusting them tns earths.

Haha.. interesting to watch actually. They carry little kits.. a sort of springy copper band that wraps around incoming lead. Sand it back a bit for good connection. Apply the band and then cover with black tape. Sheath is covered in yellow green sleeving and has little metal terminal block on end for a 16mm earth. They are meant to check the tns if not converted to pme earths at each call out now as part of rolling programme of work.

 

[ipf]

Haha.. interesting to watch actually. They carry little kits.. a sort of springy copper band that wraps around incoming lead. Sand it back a bit for good connection. Apply the band and then cover with black tape. Sheath is covered in yellow green sleeving and has little metal terminal block on end for a 16mm earth. They are meant to check the tns if not converted to pme earths at each call out now as part of rolling programme of work.

They could be the Hepworth/Sicame ones.

 

[DPG]

Constant pressure springs - is that the term?