No wonder main fuses are pulled!

[raustin]

Have a CU to swap so thought we'd go down the route of getting the DNO out to fit an isolator. Now wish we hadn't. The DNO is EDF and they will come out to disconnect the supply only. We will have to fit the isolator.

The issue is, that worst case we have a 4 hour slot between being disconnected and reconnected. So not long enough to risk swapping the CU as they won't reconnect if not safe. Fair do's, but they still want a full certificate for the installation saying its safe before they will reconnected even though the installation isn't being touched, just the isolator fitted.

Has anyone else come accross this?

 

[Amp David]

No because i've never phoned the DNO to come and pull the fuse, like you say, in the real world it just isn't practical.

 

[Goody]

Have a CU to swap so thought we'd go down the route of getting the DNO out to fit an isolator. Now wish we hadn't. The DNO is EDF and they will come out to disconnect the supply only. We will have to fit the isolator.

The issue is, that worst case we have a 4 hour slot between being disconnected and reconnected. So not long enough to risk swapping the CU as they won't reconnect if not safe. Fair do's, but they still want a full certificate for the installation saying its safe before they will reconnected even though the installation isn't being touched, just the isolator fitted.

Has anyone else come accross this?

Get the DNO disconnect the mains -> fit the isolator -> get them reconnect the supply and only after that you can go about replacing the CU.

 

[Farmelectrics]

just pull the fuse in future and re seal yourself never had any come backs myself

 

[DurhamSparky]

just had Npowe fit me a free isolator today!!

conned him into it like but hey!!

 

[netblindpaul]

just pull the fuse in future and re seal yourself never had any come backs myself

Criminal

 

[rsmck]

Criminal

Just curious but this term seems banded about a lot "Criminal Offence" etc... which section of what act defines it as an offense to cut the seal or pull the main fuse ? I know the meter seal is covered by the Electricity Act, but there no reference to the seal on a cut out fuse as this is not tampering with the meter as far as I can see..

I imagine the DNO could attempt to take civil action against you, but they'd have to prove some sort of loss. There's no question of illegal abstraction (which, again, is defined as an offence)

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I consistently hear "it's illegal" or "it's an offence" for a lot of things which in reality it isn't, at least not in the strictest sense.

 

[Electricalserv]

Just curious but this term seems banded about a lot "Criminal Offence" etc... which section of what act defines it as an offense to cut the seal or pull the main fuse ? I know the meter seal is covered by the Electricity Act, but there no reference to the seal on a cut out fuse as this is not tampering with the meter as far as I can see..

I imagine the DNO could attempt to take civil action against you, but they'd have to prove some sort of loss. There's no question of illegal abstraction (which, again, is defined as an offence)

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I consistently hear "it's illegal" or "it's an offence" for a lot of things which in reality it isn't, at least not in the strictest sense.

I'm not sure there is a criminal offence. If someone could provide the act then maybe it will be cleared up. I think its only an offencew to leave it unsafe!

 

[Dunc]

So what do people think about cutting the meter seals? Never thought twice about cutting the main fuse seal but when there's a 100A fuse and 16mm tails out of the meter I can't say I haven't replaced them. I would assume it'd be fairly obvious if the meter had been bridged or something.

 

[rsmck]

Well even the Electricity Act I believe only covers "tampering with" - question is, is cutting a seal to replace a tail or ensure the safety of an installation tampering ? Personally I'd say it isn't (although I'm not a lawyer)

It's one of these cases of what is the intended spirit of the legislation - it's clearly to prevent illegal abstraction and also for safety (most home owners won't cut a seal).

I've looked into it a couple of times though and I can't find where "cutting a seal" is made illegal ... tampering with a meter is the closest I've found, but changing the tail can't really be considered 'tampering' can it ?

 

[Electricalserv]

Well even the Electricity Act I believe only covers "tampering with" - question is, is cutting a seal to replace a tail or ensure the safety of an installation tampering ? Personally I'd say it isn't (although I'm not a lawyer)

It's one of these cases of what is the intended spirit of the legislation - it's clearly to prevent illegal abstraction and also for safety (most home owners won't cut a seal).

I've looked into it a couple of times though and I can't find where "cutting a seal" is made illegal ... tampering with a meter is the closest I've found, but changing the tail can't really be considered 'tampering' can it ?

Meters have 2 seals. One for the tails and one for the actual meter. As sparks we needs to get into the tails only. So cutting the tails side of the meter and resealing for me doesn't commit an offense. We are qualified electricians, We know what we are doing. If we are taken to court we just make sense of what we were doing. We tell the judge that all safety procedures where followed. Working live is also permitted if every avenue points to having to work live. If I can't pull the main fuse. I'll work live and then note on my cert 'could not identify main fuse'. End of story I've done my job.

 

[Goody]

Electricians sometimes have no choice other than breaking the seal themselves as they only intend to do a “safe isolation” rather than by-passing the meter to steal power.

If the seal possess a high risk (when you do your risk assessment) and hinders your health & safety at work and you have no intention of stealing, I do not see what the fuss is all about.

I would rather go to court than end up electrocuting myself.

 

[rsmck]

Interestingly some new meters (e.g. those fitted by SSE) don't have a seal on the output tails.. which resolves the problem once and for all, but I believe only a few DNOs are fitting these

 

[netblindpaul]

The legislation is EAWR89, and ESQCR.
You are not legally allowed to work on the national grid, the cut out is part of the national grid.
The problem is because all you idiots do this regularly the DNO does not think that there is a requirement for them to resolve a problem that does not exist.
You are not allowed to work live unless it can be avoided, correct.
When pulling a DNO fuse you are working live on the national grid you are not allowed to do this unless you have written permission from the DNO.
Just don't do it, get the DNO out then once they are getting hundreds of calls a day perhaps they will do something about their kit and their appalling procedures.

 

[Electricalserv]

The legislation is EAWR89, and ESQCR.
You are not legally allowed to work on the national grid, the cut out is part of the national grid.
The problem is because all you idiots do this regularly the DNO does not think that there is a requirement for them to resolve a problem that does not exist.
You are not allowed to work live unless it can be avoided, correct.
When pulling a DNO fuse you are working live on the national grid you are not allowed to do this unless you have written permission from the DNO.
Just don't do it, get the DNO out then once they are getting hundreds of calls a day perhaps they will do something about their kit and their appalling procedures.

Whilst I agree with with you and you are going by the book here. I think the whole thing is so trivial and over the top that I won't do as above ever.


I won't wait 6 weeks for them to come out and I also won't pay their ridiculous prices to get a lazy no good DNO worker to come out and pull a fuse. You are having a laugh.


I await alarm man, Madmac & Voltzelectrical to come and reprimand me