Pulling the Main Fuse (Poll)

[hightower]

So, anonymous poll - who pulls the main fuse when required (ie CU change) and who get's the DNO/supplier/whoever in to sort it?

 

[Bobster]

It's only a bloody 100A fuse at the end of the day.

I certainly wouldn't hesitate in pulling one to make sure it was safe for me to work, absolutely no need for any form of live work in a domestic situation.

Make sure the carrier is in good condition, take the load off it. Pull it out. You can even insert the carrier without the fuse if you're worried about the little bit of live copper at the bottom.

How many have worked in the large Bill/Red Spot boards, you wouldn't worry about pulling a fuse there to make it safe to work? These will also most likely have larger fault currents behind them too.

 

[telectrix]

It's only a bloody 100A fuse at the end of the day.

I certainly wouldn't hesitate in pulling one to make sure it was safe for me to work, absolutely no need for any form of live work in a domestic situation.

Make sure the carrier is in good condition, take the load off it. Pull it out. You can even insert the carrier without the fuse if you're worried about the little bit of live copper at the bottom.

How many have worked in the large Bill/Red Spot boards, you wouldn't worry about pulling a fuse there to make it safe to work? These will also most likely have larger fault currents behind them too.

and with them red spots, you never know if there;s a load on when you pull it. we used to have guessing games on guessing the size of the load according to the strength of the spark.

 

[freddo]

These look much more exciting to work with than a domestic cutout:

 

[test electrical]

3phase what ever amp get the seals and lugs of RS or CPC 20 years am doing it. Ring them email them and tell them most of them use the same gear and as for crimper's for every engineer that's a load off horse meat. The meter reader's don't have a clue what there looking at and don't care and the engineers are the same as long as there's no dodgy stuff going on. Lads work save pull the fuse's the IET & and the Electricity work Act no only in exceptional circumstances. So if can pull the fuse there's no law saying you have work live, do it or sub the job to someone like me lol.

 

[willy fixit]

I feel safer keeping my gloves on, removing the tails from the meter and leaving the fuse intact and only one seal to replace! (Helmet on)

 

[Taylortwocities]

I've seen you, willy

Here's the proper way (not too sure about the spark resistant properties of that fleece, mind you)

 

[Midwest]

Is that isolator still on?

 

[mhar]

where are the overgloves for mechanical protection? That is NOT the correct way

 

[hightower]

where are the overgloves for mechanical protection? That is NOT the correct way

They'll be VDE gloves, just got myself a set rated to 1000v.

Cue all the #GlovedW***** posts. I'm ready haha.

 

[Midwest]

1st one, you could use the gloves when cleaning the toilet

 

[Taylortwocities]

Is that isolator still on?

He's had his tea and turned off at the CU. Looks like the meter seal fairy has been to visit too.

 

[mhar]

Yes but the gloves on their own offer no mechanical protection - nothing to stop the gloves being pierced. They should be used in conjunction with suitable overgloves

 

[Midwest]

He's had his tea and turned off at the CU.

Yeas but at the very moment he pulls the fuse, someone could go through the outgoing tails with a disc cutter. Can't be too careful

 

[Bobster]

Can certainly tell the domestic boys in this thread haha.

Not having a dig at being safety conscious mind, if it makes you happy go for it.

 

[hightower]

Yes but the gloves on their own offer no mechanical protection - nothing to stop the gloves being pierced. They should be used in conjunction with suitable overgloves

Sorry, I misread your original post. My bad.

 

[dmxtothemax]

In Australia the main service fuse is NOT accessable,
as it is up on the electric pole.
only power company can get to it.

 

[test electrical]

Funny that down under the spark fits the meter and installs the service cable and connect it live to the over heads or onto the under ground service as long as you have the licenses.But any spark can pull the service fuse.That why all the sparks drive round with fiberglass ladders on there vans.
Done five years down there went it went ---- up here in 2007. Couldn't bring myself to drop my prices. Banks hate them.
They do have inspectors that check your first five jobs from energy Australia or country energy and then as long as your standards are good, its every now and then.
The license setup works well but there's lots of cowboys out there in the city's it's good work and new stuff is checked well.Any thing over 15/20 old is well hairy stuff.

 

[ruston]

In Australia the main service fuse is NOT accessable,
as it is up on the electric pole.
only power company can get to it.

You've never been to the North East then?

 

[test electrical]

Only to check beer and football

 

[Deanoss]

Hey Guy's,

I do alot of DNO work, LV live jointing ,OHL's, service head installs etc. I know it's a pain when your changing a dis board and the supplier never installed an isolator for you to turn power out. Bottom line is you should contact the supplier to arrange with DNO to come out and pull fuse from head or install a secondary cut out for you. I have never heard of a DNO letting an electrician pull one of their fuses. I carry out work on UKPN,SSE,WPD,NPG,SCOTTISH POWER networks and they wouldn't allow you. To put things into perspective when I'm working with DNO gear I have to wear Flame retardant overalls/Flash proof, safety glasses/face shield, Lv gloves with over leather gauntlets. I'm not scare mongering at all here guys (not my style) however these supplies aren't backed up by a fancy rcd and I have seen first hand the results when stuff go's wrong. Just be patient, putting a job back a couple of weeks is better than hurting yourself.

 

[HandySparks]

I have never heard of a DNO letting an electrician pull one of their fuses. I carry out work on UKPN,SSE,WPD,NPG,SCOTTISH POWER networks and they wouldn't allow you.

https://www.ssepd.co.uk/Connections/usefuldocuments/

Scroll down to 'Electrical contractors'.

Having just re-read the document, I see that it only applies if you are a member of NIC/SELECT/ECA/ELECSA/NAPIT, or it's an emergency.

 

[Richard Burns]

Hey Guy's,

I do alot of DNO work, LV live jointing ,OHL's, service head installs etc. I know it's a pain when your changing a dis board and the supplier never installed an isolator for you to turn power out. Bottom line is you should contact the supplier to arrange with DNO to come out and pull fuse from head or install a secondary cut out for you. I have never heard of a DNO letting an electrician pull one of their fuses. I carry out work on UKPN,SSE,WPD,NPG,SCOTTISH POWER networks and they wouldn't allow you. To put things into perspective when I'm working with DNO gear I have to wear Flame retardant overalls/Flash proof, safety glasses/face shield, Lv gloves with over leather gauntlets. I'm not scare mongering at all here guys (not my style) however these supplies aren't backed up by a fancy rcd and I have seen first hand the results when stuff go's wrong. Just be patient, putting a job back a couple of weeks is better than hurting yourself.

Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution do have a procedure for electricians to, in certain circumstances and with control systems in place, remove and reseal a cut out fuse.
This is dependent on the assurance by NICIEC, ECA, ELECSA, NAPIT, SELECT that their members are competent.

 

[Deanoss]

Hey Guy's,

I do alot of DNO work, LV live jointing ,OHL's, service head installs etc. I know it's a pain when your changing a dis board and the supplier never installed an isolator for you to turn power out. Bottom line is you should contact the supplier to arrange with DNO to come out and pull fuse from head or install a secondary cut out for you. I have never heard of a DNO letting an electrician pull one of their fuses. I carry out work on UKPN,SSE,WPD,NPG,SCOTTISH POWER networks and they wouldn't allow you. To put things into perspective when I'm working with DNO gear I have to wear Flame retardant overalls/Flash proof, safety glasses/face shield, Lv gloves with over leather gauntlets. I'm not scare mongering at all here guys (not my style) however these supplies aren't backed up by a fancy rcd and I have seen first hand the results when stuff go's wrong. Just be patient, putting a job back a couple of weeks is better than hurting yourself.

found this once, and that was AFTER cutting the seals.

Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution do have a procedure for electricians to, in certain circumstances and with control systems in place, remove and reseal a cut out fuse.
This is dependent on the assurance by NICIEC, ECA, ELECSA, NAPIT, SELECT that their members are

Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution do have a procedure for electricians to, in certain circumstances and with control systems in place, remove and reseal a cut out fuse.
This is dependent on the assurance by NICIEC, ECA, ELECSA, NAPIT, SELECT that their members are competent.

https://www.ssepd.co.uk/Connections/usefuldocuments/

Scroll down to 'Electrical contractors'.

Having just re-read the document, I see that it only applies if you are a member of NIC/SELECT/ECA/ELECSA/NAPIT, or it's an emergency.

Hey guys,

Good document, I stand corrected on the SSE front. I shall ask the auditors from the other networks I mentioned on my travels about electrical contractor's pulling their fuses.

 

[Deanoss]

Hey Adie,

That fuse is ok, it's these ones you've gotta watch out for

 

[Silly Sausage]

I'm not scare mongering at all here guys ....

What's the danger of pulling a fuse out of an unloaded circuit then?
We'll assume that the carrier isn't crumbling to dust as soon as you grab hold of it.