Safe change consumer unit - main fuse seal question

[poul]

hi all
so i have job this is my first consumer units replace job. i have a question about the best, safe way to remove old and fit new. i thint about pull out main fuse but they is sealing, so i think i cant touch ?? if i can i think this is the best waym but if i cant do this how i can pull safety main live cable ?? because is a danger but i have to know, because i thintk i get some other job in future and i looking some good trik to do this Problem is, this main cable is very stiff and difficult to remove.
thanks for any halp

 

[SPARTYKUS]

They're (DNO) more worried about the seals on the money bit, the meter.

OP, get an isolator fitted as recommended by others above. I am concerned you may come a cropper taking any other course of action. Good Luck.

 

[D Skelton]

Spot on

 

[ratboymark]

i was with a guy who worked for the DNO the other day and went to pull the fuse to show him it was stuck because of rust and he lost it with me shouting and everything yet some guys on the DNO say just pull it.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

i was with a guy who worked for the DNO the other day and went to pull the fuse to show him it was stuck because of rust and he lost it with me shouting and everything yet some guys on the DNO say just pull it.

You get muppets in every job.

I have met nice estate agents and absolute shysters !

 

[GLENNSPARK]

"Safety first"?

You're telling him to do something illegal and dangerous, and you think that's safety first?

Has he been trained and equipped to safely pull the fuse?

Is he authorised by the DNO to do it?

Have you ever heard of the EAWR?

Just work with energised tails then is it???

 

[GLENNSPARK]

what's a seal?

He was a musician (early 90s) i think.....

 

[Paul.M]

After reading the opening post a few times, I dont think this chap has any experience in the electrical world and I would be cautious on giving him advice on pulling the bullet or disconnecting the main stiff wire (tail). I may be wrong but I'd rather be wrong than help someone fry himself?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

No probs Paul. THANKS for reading the thread fully as some posting on here clearly havn`t. My first post to this thread clearly states that if the cutout looks old/crap then it should only be handled with VDE pliers and the empty fuse carrier reinstated to protect so as not to compromise the IP. I guess some cant read right either...............

 

[SPARTYKUS]

see my suggested post also (about leaving well alone and getting a DP iso fitted)

 

[GLENNSPARK]

No probs SPARTY. I think this subject will rattle around in here again mate. Why don`t the DNO just hold there hands up and authorise it (for registered electricians) and have done with it...........

 

[Paul.M]

I won't have a go at anybody's spelling, grammar or punctuation but when people pop up asking questions that are well above their weight (you can tell by the lack of terminology) it boils my blood.

Ok times are hard and everyone needs to watch the pennies but please don't be playing around with major things like consumer units, power to a shed or something simple (to us) like putting in a new shower. There is a reason why it takes us so long to become qualified, experienced and registered, there's more to it than "just a few wires".

Please don't pull the bullet, if your asking questions about it your not competent to do it yet. I know the saying "if you don't ask you will never know" but this is something you should learn on site with proper training and not a web site. Ok my luke warm rant is over, good luck to the op.

 

[somersetsparks]

The DNO's won't do it because, you are then working on their network without theyre training and safety gear and if something were to happen e.g. dodgy cutout that crumbles, live melted concentric dropping out and zapping you etc. you may hold them responsible. Although all these things sound unlikely, i am sure most of you have seen the condition of many 'networks'!

For instance when I pull a fuse I am supposed to wear 11kv gloves, visor and flash jacket. I am supposed to check condition of carriers, check polarity at P.M.E cutout etc.
Does all this get done everytime by the employess of the DNO? No but a box gets ticked to say it does, so they 're happy.

 

[mogga]

The DNO's won't do it because, you are then working on their network without theyre training and safety gear and if something were to happen e.g. dodgy cutout that crumbles, live melted concentric dropping out and zapping you etc. you may hold them responsible. Although all these things sound unlikely, i am sure most of you have seen the condition of many 'networks'!

For instance when I pull a fuse I am supposed to wear 11kv gloves, visor and flash jacket. I am supposed to check condition of carriers, check polarity at P.M.E cutout etc.
Does all this get done everytime by the employess of the DNO? No but a box gets ticked to say it does, so they 're happy.

there in lies the thing The DNO employees are TRAINED and during that training they are shown alll sorts of differing cutout types and sinarios such as you describe crumbling,broken,old cutouts and how to deal with them As for the DNO employees not wearing the full safety gear that would be the guys own judgement as to PPE required by his risk assesment done on site using the training and knowlage gained As I keep saying Advising to "just pull" on here is WRONG as noone other than the OP has seen condition type and posistion of the cutout Some of the OPs asking (as has been mentioned) Know very little of the risks involved and some would appear to know nothing of what they are asking I would also remind Commenters that this is a PUBLUC forum and as such advice given can be viewed by anyone not just members IE advice given could be followed by joeBloggs D.I.Y. novice It could also be viewed by LABC and DNO JIB Select Eca NicEic Napit ect ect persons

For those who have had an assesment What was the view of Asseser on Cutout Fuse removal??

 

[malcolmsanford]

You'll know this Mogga being upt.north the SSE allows members of select and the ECA to pull the fuse.

This was also a system that the other networks were thinking of implementing network wide but it never happened, and IQ posted that it as now raised itself again to happen.

I know an engineer for a DNO and I asked him why the proposed plan for allowing sparks to pull a fuse was stopped. Whether he was right or not he told me that the networks were concerned with the training or lack of it now being done within our side of the industry. They were concerned that the schemes were allowing inexperienced and not fully trained "electricians" to join them on full scope and the networks where worried about the exact same thing the you and Somerset outlined.

It seems to me that once the NVQ 3 level was announced by the ECA the topic of electricians pulling a main fuse is also now back on the table under the guise of smart meters etc.

I think whether we like it or not, the dumbing down of our industry is not only a concern for us that work in it, but also a concern for others. Obviously this may just be my friends view on it, but over the years he as not steered me wrong often and I for one think if he is not 100% accurate, he is not far off.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I spy a contradiction!

Perhaps you need new glasses ;-)

The EAWR's don't permit working live! How else is he suppsed to isolate the CU?

Nor do they permit the casual pulling of the fuse by people not adequately trained and equipped to do it.

Work on or near live conductors
14. No person shall be engaged in any work activity on or so near any live conductor (other than one suitably covered with insulating material so as to prevent danger) that danger may arise unless–
(a)it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for it to be dead; and.
(b)it is reasonable in all the circumstances for him to be at work on or near it while it is live; and.
(c)suitable precautions (including where necessary the provision of suitable protective equipment) are taken to prevent injury..

It is also not illegal to pull the fuse,

The DNO will attend to do it for you, so doing it yourself fails (a) and (b) in Regulation 14.

It is illegal.