Hi John, interesting comments and bad luck with the timing! Now, I am interested in your comments regarding removing cutout seals and/or meter seals.
I realise both are illegal, but as has been said, we have a living to make. I just don't get the idea that removing DNO cutout seals is relatively OK but removing meter seals is a massive no-no. Most of the time, if you have to upgrade meter tails, you have to remove the meter seal (unless I am missing something?). If the DNO come out to fit an isolator they do it after the meter, obviously. Problem I have is there is literally no room to fit the blooming thing before the henley block.
Thinking about it, last time I did one they couldn't get the 16mm tails out of the meter so just put them straight into the isolator they provided, in which case, should I ever get quizzed over it, I will just relay something along the same lines.
Has anyone ever heard of any sparky being prosecuted for allegedly tampering with seals??
If the metering company were to try and insinuate that a particular customer had obtained "free" electricity by bypassing the meter, they would have to demonstrate physical evidence, or submit lowered meter readings over a period of time, or both, surely?
I think the thing with the seals is that the DNO realise that often the best thing to do, for various reasons, is to remove the fuses, BUT the metering people are of the opinion that if you needed to isolate the installation, you would remove the fuses ["which do not belong to us"] therefore, it follows, that according to them, the ONLY reason to remove meter seals is to tamper with the thing...
IF you remove the meter seals to fit new tails [from meter to CU] i do not know what they could do. You would be obliged to tell them, as otherwise if someone DID try to obtain a free supply they would try to say you "permitted" it. Apart from that despite all their bluster, i do not think they could do anything, after all, the tails DO NOT BELONG TO THEM.
As for;
"If the metering company were to try and insinuate that a particular customer had obtained "free" electricity by bypassing the meter, they would have to demonstrate physical evidence, or submit lowered meter readings over a period of time, or both, surely?"
They can usually tell, they look for burn marks and the like. The same bloke that fitted the two sets of seals took the fuse carriers to bits, took out the fuses, and microscopically [not literally] examined them.... Anyway, they would send one of their boffins to court to argue their case.
Usually though, if they think there is something funny going on they will come with the police and a warrant. I knew a girl once that had bypassed [or tried to] her meter with a bit of telly co-axial aerial cable!!
Now, i AM clever, but a bit slow, and lettuced at social things and "mindreading" [I have aspergers]
Anyway, I am in this girls house. [I had no idea about the meter] There is a knock at the door and she tells me to answer it and not to let them in. I had no idea who it was.. I answer the door and it was a chap from SWALEC come to read the meter. I explained that i could not let him in as it was not my house, and, that the house owner had instructed me not to let anybody in. [Told you i was slow!!!!]
Meter man came back the next day with the police, The girl was out, and when she returned home there was a polite letter on the table to tell her they had broken in and taken away her meter for examination, and, if you want your power back on it will be £300..
She was a druggie halfwit. Social services gave her the money. She spent it on drugs. Social services gave her another £300. She spent that on drugs. Social services paid it themselves then.
"ordinary" people struggle to get help and support, druggies can do no wrong and come FAR above old people and ill people in the social services list of priorities.....
john..
