Electrical Supply and who’s responsible?

Adam5930 · Oct 18, 2024

Hi all first time posting , I got a scenario where within a tower block we can’t establish who’s responsible for a certain part of the installation.
The main supply comes into a 60amp isolator then the tails run up 2 floors into the flat , connect into a smart meter then into the consumer unit.
So when you turn off the isolator you’re also isolating the meter and the consumer unit. I was always taught to not work on anything before the meter. The distributor is saying it’s not their responsibility. The 60a fuse keeps blowing so need to carry out insulation resistance but the meters attached.

Murdoch · Oct 18, 2024

If you turn off the CU in the flat, does the 60A fuse still blow ?

Adam5930 · Oct 18, 2024

Murdoch said:
If you turn off the CU in the flat, does the 60A fuse still blow ?

HellocThe last operatives had put a fuse in and the supply to the flat was back on for a short while then it blew again. We didn’t want to attempt another fuse until we could test the tails from the isolator to the flat.

SPECIAL LOCATION · Oct 18, 2024

Adam5930 said:
Hi all first time posting , I got a scenario where within a tower block we can’t establish who’s responsible for a certain part of the installation.
The main supply comes into a 60amp isolator then the tails run up 2 floors into the flat , connect into a smart meter then into the consumer unit.
So when you turn off the isolator you’re also isolating the meter and the consumer unit. I was always taught to not work on anything before the meter. The distributor is saying it’s not their responsibility. The 60a fuse keeps blowing so need to carry out insulation resistance but the meters attached.

Welcome to the forum...

I always understood it was the person/company that owned the actual building that were responsible for managing/maintaining the services from where they enter at street-level to where they then supply the individual flats.

e.g. DNO responsible from street into some sort of service distribution room/cupboard.
Building owners responsible from service distribution to individual flats.
Metering is the responsibility of the chosen supply company you pay your bill to.
Everything after the meter is the flat owners responsibility.. (which could be private owner / landlord who also owns the building / other landlord who is not associated with the building owner).

e.g. The person responsible for maintaining the communal areas, lobby, stairs, hallways, lifts is who I think you would need to be talking to?

But I may be completely wrong..
As it is Friday..
and its well after beer-o'clock..

Other thoughts..
If the cable is damage and it has blown a 60A fuse.. then I would think a continuity meter not Insulation resistance tester would show the fault?
How old is the building?
You say tails? is it actually a pair of tails.. or is it a SWA or concentric cable or MI cable?
How quickly does the fuse blow?
Have you been able to put a clamp meter on to see what current is flowing?

michael8554 · Oct 19, 2024

"The main supply comes into a 60amp isolator then the tails run up 2 floors into the flat , connect into a smart meter then into the consumer unit."

Where is the 60A fuse in this chain ?

HappyHippyDad · Oct 20, 2024

michael8554 said:
"The main supply comes into a 60amp isolator then the tails run up 2 floors into the flat , connect into a smart meter then into the consumer unit."

Where is the 60A fuse in this chain ?

I'm assuming the '60A isolator', is actually a 60A switch fuse (KMF switch), and it is that which is blowing?