SSE 3-Phase Upgrade Gone Wrong!

[brianmoooore]

There is nothing wrong with the incomer to the isolator, it's the outgoing that's connected wrongly.

Not really an excuse, whichever is 'wrong'. It's not as if the neutral tail has a grey outer sheath.

 

[mainline]

Not really an excuse, whichever is 'wrong'. It's not as if the neutral tail has a grey outer sheath.

You can clearly see that the ingoing to the isolator follows the sequence out of the cut-out in and out of the meter and into the isolator, which has been sealed.

It's unlikely that the meter installer connected to the Db as already said #10
stating that they weren't allowed to make a connection after the isolator.


The likelihood is in my opinion is that it wasn't the meter installer that connected the outgoing side of the isolator and got it wrong.

The tails to the Db would have been connected last and more than likely done by the electrician.

 

[davesparks]

I just looked at the sequence from the cut-out and then via meter having all the phases on the left.

That won't necessarily be the correct order for the isolator though, as I said above the Wylex version has the neutral on the left.
A TP&N switch should have a designated neutral pole which is early make/late break.

 

[mainline]

That won't necessarily be the correct order for the isolator though, as I said above the Wylex version has the neutral on the left.
A TP&N switch should have a designated neutral pole which is early make/late break.

I did think about that, but the Lewden doesn't seem to have an N early make break although some of the rotary ones do.

But in saying that, you still wouldn't expect someone to connect wrongly even if there was a dedicated N switch.

 

[brianmoooore]

Difference between a switch and an isolator.

 

[mainline]

Difference between a switch and an isolator.

Very true, so the isolator as above wouldn't need to have a dedicated N early make break as
Isolator switches are only intended to be operated on open circuit.

 

[davesparks]

Difference between a switch and an isolator.

Yes there is, but that's not relevant as the Lewden item in the picture is a combined switch and isolator as per the datasheet.

 

[davesparks]

Very true, so the isolator as above wouldn't need to have a dedicated N early make break as
Isolator switches are only intended to be operated on open circuit.

The item above is, according to the data sheet, an isolator switch so performs both the functions of an isolator and a switch.

A straightforward isolator may only be suitable for operation off-load, but an isolator switch would be capable of on-load operation.

 

[KungFuTurkeyLeg]

There is nothing wrong with the incomer to the isolator, it's the outgoing that's connected wrongly.

I stand corrected, sir, you're right.

 

[DefyG]

Its quite common in our area (SSE) for the SSE/Meter engineer to write the Phase Voltages and Ze figures on the meter board but cant see how that could be done if the outgoing tails were already in place! and doubt they would have disconnected them to write on board behind them.
Although not sure what the arrow is meant to indicate from the top of L1!

 

[mainline]

Its quite common in our area (SSE) for the SSE/Meter engineer to write the Phase Voltages and Ze figures on the meter board but cant see how that could be done if the outgoing tails were already in place! and doubt they would have disconnected them to write on board behind them.

Agreed

Although not sure what the arrow is meant to indicate from the top of L1!

Cant tell if it's been written on the board or added to the pic.

Not that it matters, looks like the O/p has disappeared anyway, last seen Apr 11, 2024.

 

[TheatreSparks]

Knowing how it is common for different teams/companies to do different parts I wonder if the writing was done by the installers of the incoming suppply head. The "in-house" electrician then installed tails and isolator ready for the meter person to install the meter, who followed the same sequence as the cable head, i.e. netural on the far right, and assumed that everybody had the neutral on the right which is how the mistake happened. Personally I would always expect the neutral to be on the right and would have been slightly thrown by this squence.
I think that the arrow near the L1 is a phase rotation confirmation mark.

 

[nicebutdim]

A lot of people seem to be missing a point clearly made in the opening post of this thread:

Electrician has prepped site with new 3 phase requirements, mostly just 1st fixed. New 3 phase main switch with consumer side terminated as requested by SEE. Cables clearly labelled.

There's no argument to be had over who connected what and when, nor about who enegrised the installation.

 

[Teddy Lop]

Had similar to this years ago when a SWEB "engineer" pulled the neutral from the meter of a split phase supply while it was in (imbalanced) use.
I turned up, by coincidence, just after the event , found the "engineer" and his mates standing in darkness, without having a clue of the consequences of what they had just done. I couldn't get any sense out of them as to why they had decided to disconnect the neutral, and soon gave up trying to explain to them what had happened.
I was so incensed by this incompetence that I decided to handle the claim for the customer (mainly domestic electronics) for free, and spent many months with letters going to and fro before getting a settlement cheque. This cheque was " ex gratia" and "without prejudice" , with SWEB at no time admitting any liability.

When I was on the electric board We had a pair of pillocks connect a housing estate to a very large genset, the n lead was in two parts and not connected which they didn't realise, which had the effect of giving everyone 400v and borked VCR.

Not something one should laugh about but the two twits responsible were the two most stuck up self absorbed Berks in the whole department, you couldn't have picked it better,

As for the OP - I don't do much 3P these days so stop me if Im wrong, but isn't L1-L2-L3-N the standard way of structuring polyphase kit? Although that doesn't excuse the meter fitter for not looking at whats in front of him...

 

[Yellowhammer]

A lot of people seem to be missing a point clearly made in the opening post of this thread:

Electrician has prepped site with new 3 phase requirements, mostly just 1st fixed. New 3 phase main switch with consumer side terminated as requested by SEE. Cables clearly labelled.

There's no argument to be had over who connected what and when, nor about who enegrised the installation.

I was thinking similar.

It's a slightly odd scenario. Last time the DNO put a new supply in for a client of mine I made sure I was there on the day. They only installed to the head and said anything from there was entirely my responsibility. I had installed an 2 pole main switch/isolator and left the tails ready to go into the head, but they asked me to do this, then sealed it. I assume to avoid any sort of liability for what's happened here.

Were this my install I'd want to be there on the day, personally.