Strange Neutral in Armoured from Meter to Henley.

[AGreg]

Hey Everyone,

I'm in the process of rebuilding a house in the highlands of Scotland that suffered a significant escape of water in the attic, place is trashed.

So my question on the mains in. The mains comes into a 100amp fuse then into the meter. Out of the meter is an armoured that runs about 30feet to a 100amp henley then out into the old CU.

The armoured as a 10mil live but the earth an neutral are made up of multiple individually insulated cables.

Spark I spoke to didn't like the look of It, I'm thinking about having the supplier come for an isolator just out the meter

Thoughts on the cable?

 

[AJshep]

That's a PME cable it's not an armoured cable what did the Sparks say ?

 

[AGreg]

Sparky said he had never seen that before and thought the neutral and earth were one in the same.

Thanks for your help.

 

[AJshep]

I'm suprised he hasn't seen it before it's the same cable that feeds 70% of houses in the UK.
It would have been installed and supplied by the local Electricity board, it is poorly terminated so I'd report it to them.

 

[AGreg]

Googling PME

 

[AGreg]

Thanks for the advice, I will and maybe find a new sparky!

May I ask, what tells you it' poorly terminated?

 

[Dave OCD]

It's a split concentric cable normally used on TNS supplies, but in this case it looks like PME/TNCS at the main cutout, with the length of this cable it's not best suited to current regs and should be properly terminated in a switch fuse adjacent to the meter , also depending on how it's installed it may need RCD protection or replacing with SWA. [I'd also say the cable is more likely to be 16mm than 10 from the picture].

 

[westward10]

That is a poorly connected split concentric cable.

 

[Spoon]

I'm suprised he hasn't seen it before it's the same cable that feeds 70% of houses in the UK.
It would have been installed and supplied by the local Electricity board, it is poorly terminated so I'd report it to them.

Isn't the cable coming out of the meter nothing to do with the 'local Electricity board'? I thought that their responsibility stopped at the meter or does it stop at the CU?

 

[Pete999]

Hey Everyone,

I'm in the process of rebuilding a house in the highlands of Scotland that suffered a significant escape of water in the attic, place is trashed.

So my question on the mains in. The mains comes into a 100amp fuse then into the meter. Out of the meter is an armoured that runs about 30feet to a 100amp henley then out into the old CU.

The armoured as a 10mil live but the earth an neutral are made up of multiple individually insulated cables.

Spark I spoke to didn't like the look of It, I'm thinking about having the supplier come for an isolator just out the meter

Thoughts on the cable?

View attachment 39944

View attachment 39945

A Split Concentric incomer, not odd at all.

 

[AGreg]

I should add there is a second identical 100amp before the CU.

 

[ferg]

It's possible the meter was moved and the original split con left in place.

It's not ideal if the cable run requires RCD protection or earthed armouring.

 

[AGreg]

Think I need to get someone out from Oban for a look.

 

[telectrix]

or a relocatoin of CU and someone just happened to have a few metres of split con lying about.

 

[ferg]

Sounds like you are a bit to far south for me.

 

[AGreg]

Ha ha ha, aye almost a southerner

 

[Dave OCD]

Definitely a bit too far from me.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I see quite a bit of split concentric these days, it seems eon who are doing the installs on most new developments around here are using split concentric to run from switched fuses to the consumer units in flats. the run is often several meters from a shared meter cupboard above fire rated panels then into each flat.
the switched fuse itself is supplied by normal tails cables though. the concentric is generally well terminated though.
Western power the dno often seem to be a bit random though and use whatever they seem to have to hand!

 

[MJPD29]

Split concentric cable, if your spark doesnt' know what it is it's time to find a new one

 

[ipf]

A Split Concentric incomer, not odd at all.

Used as an outgoer, Pete, instead of tails?
Replace with tails to an isolator.....then out to the CU.

 

[AGreg]

Thanks everyone for the advice. May I ask, does the termination look ok as there are comments it looks bad, like not great bad or get the dno out to fix it bad.

I’m thinking about asking the Dno to fit an isolator on my side of the meter, can they do that using this cable?

 

[SparkySy]

That split concentric cable is on your (the outgoing) side of the meter so may well be your responsibility. I've seen it used like that before for sub mains but as has been stated it I would imagine need rcd protection. That is a very rough termination but I have seen worse, as long as the terminals have no signs of arcing I would say it will be ok till you can get someone to look at it! I would get someone local who has a good reputation to take a look before contacting the dno.
I take it your meter is some distance from your consumer unit?

 

[AGreg]

The meter is actually outside in one of those boxes normally home to a gas meter, it’s under a raised part of the house so whilst it’s outside, the box is under cover. The cable runs from the box about 30ft round the basement then up to a second 100amp fuse and then into the CU.

Thanks for the help, I’m going to find someone local to Oban who can come and take a look. Not sure how long it’s been like this be the wiring to the house was pretty appalling before it flooded.

 

[mhar]

The most relevant thing is the second 100Amp fuse. If this is a second cutout then all preceeding cabling is likely to be the responsibility of the dno. Do you have a photo of this fuse and does it have a dno seal?
If it looks dnoish then I would call them out for a look see and ask if the installation is compliant under their esqcr regs.

 

[stevels4]

It is certainly an untidy job, the cable should be terminated using a 3 finger boot and heat shrink on the conductors.
Connection directly into the meter load terminals should be avoided by fitting a KMF and meter tails /earth to it then connecting the split con to the load side ensuring the split con is adequately cleated.
You may find your other “cut out” is in fact a Red Link rather than another fused cut out to provide a means of isolation albeit single pole.
As it stands the sub main is your responsibility so it may be worth asking if the meter could be moved to your consumer unit position and a double pole isolator fitted between the two.
Looking at the meter it appears well overdue for recertification so request a new meter from your supplier.