Smart meters, pulling fuses, what’s the latest?

[Rpa07]

Was searching around previous threads going back into 2016 reference to pulling the fuse upstream of the meter. Trying to find whether it makes the meter go doolally with self preservation!
I’ve only pulled the fuse on one modern smart and it was ok, we’ll it didn’t shreak at me!
I’ve got a stand alone RCD that I can leave in place until I’ve done all my CU change and the time to do it but wondered if anyone has any stories or are they all mythical tales. Cheers

 

[Pete999]

Was searching around previous threads going back into 2016 reference to pulling the fuse upstream of the meter. Trying to find whether it makes the meter go doolally with self preservation!
I’ve only pulled the fuse on one modern smart and it was ok, we’ll it didn’t shreak at me!
I’ve got a stand alone RCD that I can leave in place until I’ve done all my CU change and the time to do it but wondered if anyone has any stories or are they all mythical tales. Cheers

"Game of Meters" a new TV extravaganza.

 

[Octopus]

Whats the difference between a power cut and the fuse being removed and replaced?

 

[Rpa07]

"Game of Meters" a new TV extravaganza.

@Vortigern will be along in a minute with the tin foil hat he keeps in his sock drawer. Reading the posts from 2016/17 was quite amusing. Haven’t heard much lately though there must have been hundreds of seals (missing) and fuses pulled for CU changes.

 

[Rpa07]

Whats the difference between a power cut and the fuse being removed and replaced?

That’s what I’m getting at - do they scream when you cut them or is it a myth?
There were posts about meters locking themselves out in tamper mode.

 

[Leesparkykent]

I've never had a drama and I've pulled loads.

 

[Dave OCD]

It's always handy when they fit SP mains blocks after the meter but if the meter tails in your case go straight from the meter to the board which is to be changed there's no sensible option but to pull the fuse- better than taking the terminal cover off the meter as that has a tamper switch !

 

[Rpa07]

I've never had a drama and I've pulled loads.

And that’s what I wanted to hear.
This thread and it’s posts will help others - it’s like we are doing a public service (where do we send the invoice?)

 

[freddo]

If you are replacing the tails many smart meters have a tamper switch operated by the terminal cover.

 

[Rpa07]

So what happens in that instance - will it lock the meter?

If you are replacing the tails many smart meters have a tamper switch operated by the terminal cover.

As I have the in line RCD I may DP Henley it - quick fuse pull to help with Health and safety! I would prefer non broken tails though!

 

[7029 dave]

If you are replacing the tails many smart meters have a tamper switch operated by the terminal cover.

Correct, and they can tell if there is an DNO outage, if not supply has been de energized unauthorized.

 

[Octopus]

Correct, and they can tell if there is an DNO outage, if not supply has been de energized unauthorized.

Really ..... I find that tricky to believe ...

 

[Rpa07]

Going back to those last year threads members were saying that because it would be real time then there wouldn’t be time for it to report the cut of power and that’s the reason I’m asking - as Lee says, he’s had no problems and except for the tamper door issue - how much is real not speculative?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I have had one of the early smart meters make a sad beeping noise.. was like an episode of casualty... but fuse was only out whilst i fitted an isolator, as soon as it was back in it stopped. from what i have found doing a bit of digging on t'interweb... the energy firms can if they set the system up monitor the meters to alert them to things such as loss of supply, faults.. the fuse being pulled an example as they dont know if its blown or been pulled... at the same time these firms pay the call centre staff a pittance and cut back most things so i cant see them paying staff to monitor these things... the meters do have an event log on one of the chips in side which could if they bothered to extract the data show the supply was interrupted.. again its the cost of doing this. only if something went belly up would they bother.. if you are really worried about them noticing the fuse has been pulled in real time. put a tin or something metallic over the meter! will act as a Faraday cage blocking the phone signal. in the event the software in the energy firm alerts them to it being pulled, when somebody gets around to looking at it, there is a good chance the fuse will be back in and everything normal. so they will just carry on as they were before.

 

[Rpa07]

I have had one of the early smart meters make a sad beeping noise.. was like an episode of casualty... but fuse was only out whilst i fitted an isolator, as soon as it was back in it stopped. from what i have found doing a bit of digging on t'interweb... the energy firms can if they set the system up monitor the meters to alert them to things such as loss of supply, faults.. the fuse being pulled an example as they dont know if its blown or been pulled... at the same time these firms pay the call centre staff a pittance and cut back most things so i cant see them paying staff to monitor these things... the meters do have an event log on one of the chips in side which could if they bothered to extract the data show the supply was interrupted.. again its the cost of doing this. only if something went belly up would they bother.. if you are really worried about them noticing the fuse has been pulled in real time. put a tin or something metallic over the meter! will act as a Faraday cage blocking the phone signal. in the event the software in the energy firm alerts them to it being pulled, when somebody gets around to looking at it, there is a good chance the fuse will be back in and everything normal. so they will just carry on as they were before.

Nice one Gavin, point is if the supply is interrupted and is restored after however long and all readings are the same before and after, then there should be no issue. I just wanted to make sure there was no annoying meter ‘shutdown until unlocked’ affair which would really annoy. Sounds like there isn’t save the tamper cover on the tails, meter to CU, so thanks for the inputs.