this is what i found.....

[jonnyboy1]

on a call from my mate last night that he could smell fish in his birds hairdressers but eventully found it to be comming from the electrics. i told him it could be a number of things but will come to look at it this morning.

so from picture 1 some bright sparks has dipped a 1mm into the tails which has burnt out and close to a fire. i managed to get the 1mm disconnected from the main switch but it will need replaced asap, the problem i have is with no isolation after the cut out. picture 2 shows the henly cut out fuse which is pretty old and by keeping with the law of the land i dont want to remove the cut out fuse, with its age it could disintergrate in my hand another reason i should not touch it. so im worndering if the dno should replace this free of charge with it being a fault, and that i cannot change the board as i have no point of isolation and with the install being in a dangerous condition.








the shop is on london road glasgow and just wanting some info or what to say to the dno before calling them. dno is brittish gas

 

[jonnyboy1]

Not sure with select and pulling the fuse?
Thanks for your reply was thinking along the same limes as yourself

 

[Darkwood]

Ive pulled the fuse before for similar burn out, they started to jump down my throat at first until i explained i regarded the situe as potential and immediate fire hazard and im aware of the legallity in breaking the seal and removing the fuse but on this occasion i saw the potential risk to life and property out-weighed what would be a routine phone call to their emergency response team.....
...... to which they replied... ok we will get someone out within 2hrs .... and no comebacks or challanges, its just a matter of common sense, although it wise to leave the damaged switch and tails in situe to back up your claims otherwise they might smell a fish other than the burning tails.

 

[polo1]

The DNO will almost certainly be Scottish Power - if you explain there is a serious electrical hazzard and the supply needs to be isolated, they will attend usually foc. Also say you are concerned with the cut out (poss warm/buzzing) - the local guys who attend will usually put through for a cable head change, especially for cast iron heads (just remember to be "generous" with your thanks).

Regards.

 

[JD6400]

As a company we have pulled the main fuse on more than one or two occasions and to be honest would not stop doing so even under threat of prosecution !
It is only ever done as a last resort and on safety grounds such as in the first post !!!
Not that it has ever been questioned but if it were to be , I would with out doubt not hold back in my reply to such stupid opposition , if the property or life was in danger !

 

[SparkyJoe]

Has anyone ever actually been prosecuted for this? At what point have you broken the law - by damaging the seal, or by actually pulling the fuse?

For the record, I would have absoultly no problem pulling the main fuse in this situation!

Rich

+1 for this, at the end of the day, Its safety first and stupid dno rules second, How on earth does everyone on this forum change fuse-boards, in private premises without chopping the seal and pulling the damn fuse.

 

[jonnyboy1]

as above posts. and let me guess, that 1.0mm was for an alarm system, uninteruptable supply???

got it in one mate

 

[Zeno]

If this is in SSE area call the SSE emergency number and tell them what the situation is, SSE in the South are very good, and they will come out within a couple of hours. Also on the Emergency number they speak some technical, not like the call centres. There is no problem with pulling the service fuse, if there is a safety risk.

The SSE scheme for supplying temporary seals, so you just snip and seal, is really good.

You do lose the opportunity to moan about the DNO though!

 

[Des 56]

I am not for a moment advising anybody what should be done,but when I entered the trade, fear of the consequences of electric shock was instilled into each and everyone
We also were expected to, on occasion, work with cables and equipment when live,the HSE culture may have a lot to do with these practices not being carried out so much these days,although I suppose they were always probably illegal

The fear of electric shock would go a long way to ensuring that it never occured,ways and means of working live were observed and when the occasions came around,we were prepared and followed the ways of the experienced sparks

I personally would have no real problem with this particular job and neither would many others, the tails can be removed and a new isolator fitted,fuse pulled or not
The only problem with seals and pulling fuses would arise if the damage caused by the heat meant the whole cable had to be renewed and not just cut and re terminated

 

[telectrix]

back in the days of the 14th it was 1000v gauntlets if we could find them), pull tails from CU ( live ) 1 at a time and bung into henleys. strip out CU, fit new one, new tails from CU to henleys. job done, seals intact.

 

[tuckermot]

shut the circuits down pull the fuse do the repaire reinstate fuse job done

 

[jonnyboy1]

Dno has already been out and pulled fuse new board on tomorrow and to call them to come back and re-instate fuse when finished. So from tomorrow it will be job done and everybody will be happy