Success! Meter fitted.

[Percyprod]

Just like to thank everyone for their help and advice re by previous post, but contrary to some opinions, man from supplier came to fit meter this morning, and of course it is fitted and all working. He tested it thoroughly (checked polarity with a neon tester at isolator) and fitted the meter. Asked him if he wanted to see wiring certificate and reply was "No, not for a stable". I kid you not! Just as an aside, horses are still alive, but before I retired I was sometimes given a job to connect a rewire, usually after a cut-out change or a service alteration. Companies rules were 'as you are not part p registered you cannot test the installation, so no certificate, no connection'. So if I'd been given this job when I was working I wouldn't have connected it! It's a funny old world. That was before I knew it didn't come under part p, but no more on that please!
Forgot photo of meter etc

 

[Strima]

So rather that trace the cable visually you would rely on a volt stick, as for making a hole in the insulation, don't think I had better say what I think.

It's not always possible to fully trace a cable along its path. As for making holes in the insulation, if I'm cutting the cable it makes no odds, but I'd rather be cutting the dead one.

 

[Taylortwocities]

When working we used these to prove neutral, not live, especially on pme supplies. Approved instrument.View attachment 38615

I'm curious. How did you use that to test for a neutral...?

 

[Andy78]

That's fine andy78, can only say what our rules were. Other dnos may be different. If I connected an uncertified installation to the meter and because it was faulty someone was hurt, who do you think would carry the can?

We have northern powergrid round here so they are the only one I have dealt with.

I think they have rules that certs should be provided, hence the written insistence I referred to. But what happens on site and on paper are different things.

The onus of any incident would surely be on whoever energised a consumer's system. I have never seen the DNO energise a system, only provide power for it to either a connection block or isolator.

 

[Percyprod]

Open cut out, use test lamps to prove supply is live (using proving unit to make sure test lamps are working) between live and neutral. As it is pme no earth to use to check live. You can then use test pen. If it lights on one terminal and not the other then that is the live terminal. Like it or not, that is one of the methods in the company's codes of practice. You can run a lead to a tempory earth rod, but the unatended end will be live when you test, albeit only for a short time.

 

[Percyprod]

Agreed andy, I worked for enwl, normally connections would be done by supplier, but if already metered, sometimes we would do it, for example, some one buys a house, rewires it and has the service position moved. Jointer or linesman would move supply point, but we would move and reconnect meter. I know, inefficient, but that was sometimes what happened. Like I say, I would have been in deep doodoo without certificate.

 

[telectrix]

i order of merit for safe/dead/polarity testing.

at no.1 we have the tried and tested G38 approved voltage tester.

at no.2 is the ubiquitous volt pen. loved by plumbers and kitchen fitters.

at no.3 we have the neon screwdriver. guaranteed to give you a nasty shock when used after stirring your tea with it.

and finally, the DIYers favorite... the wet finger.

 

[Percyprod]

I'm talking about polarity at cut out, may not be any earth to test it to.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Open cut out, use test lamps to prove supply is live (using proving unit to make sure test lamps are working) between live and neutral. As it is pme no earth to use to check live. You can then use test pen. If it lights on one terminal and not the other then that is the live terminal. Like it or not, that is one of the methods in the company's codes of practice. You can run a lead to a tempory earth rod, but the unatended end will be live when you test, albeit only for a short time.

Ahh. I see. You use test lamp first. That will confirm that L & N are present.

When working we used these to prove neutral, not live,

The EA device does not, and cannot, of itself detect anything other than the presence of a voltage on a line conductor. It cannot indicate the presence of a neutral.

 

[telectrix]

I'm talking about polarity at cut out, may not be any earth to test it to.

then what are you standing on.. the moon?

 

[DPG]

I think he's appreciates the 'proper' method for testing for dead before working on systems, but that you may need to test polarity as a DNO operator when you only have phase and neutral coming in, and so you can't use a GS38 type two-prong tester.

 

[Taylortwocities]

then what are you standing on.. the moon?

Interesting. Let say it's a new PME supply. There is no E (yet).
So you arrive and use your test lamp across L&N. If you get nothing then what? Is it a broken L or a broken N?
I suppose you could use the light pen to indicate the presence of the L. But I'll bet DNO procedures do not allow that.
Just bang in a temporary earth rod, maybe.…

 

[Percyprod]

You may have a wooden floor, concrete etc. Not quite the moon, but you see what I mean!

 

[DPG]

Be a right pain knocking earth rods in as well - very dry rocky surface. Once we colonise the moon the regs will have to be updated to cover this.

 

[Percyprod]

Yup Taylor Geocities, you do indeed put in a temporary earth rod, and run a lead, but you have someone else to help so that both ends cannot be touched during testing. Then use other methods to find fault, check substation, link box, use pulse echo etc.

 

[Pete999]

Be a right pain knocking earth rods in as well - very dry rocky surface. Once we colonise the moon the regs will have to be updated to cover this.

Can you imagine, going int CEF and asking for a 1/4 million miles of 10mm Moon wire, and you wouldn't need an MET it would be changed to a MMT Main Mooning Terminal, and if Tel's prediction comes true about the IET and twin and earth, another set of regs on the way.