Consumer Unit - Change

[Dambo]

When changing (updating) a domestic consumer unit how do you isolate in the incoming supply tails to allow you to do it? Do you have to remove the fuse from the cut-out?

 

[paul b b]

yep

 

[Manator]

The correct procedure would be to notify the DNO and arrange a temporary disconnection.

It is still against the law to interfere with any of the suppliers installation.

 

[Dambo]

yep

How do you get access to it? And do you have to contact the DNO first?

 

[kme]

Paul b b is incorrect; the cut-out is the property of the DNO, and you are committing an offence by interfering with it.

If there is no means of isolation, then the proceedure, as Manator says, is to contact DNO to arrange disconnection. This can be a good time to install an isolator for future use.

KME

 

[Dambo]

Paul b b is incorrect; the cut-out is the property of the DNO, and you are committing an offence by interfering with it.If there is no means of isolation, then the proceedure, as Manator says, is to contact DNO to arrange disconnection. This can be a good time to install an isolator for future use.

KME

Would the isolator go just prior to the consumer unit i.e. between the cut-out and consumer unit? What exactly do they look like / where can you get them?

 

[m4tty]

In the real world I believe most sparks would pull the mainfuse. Just be careful mate. Not the correct legal way to do it, but you gotta earn a wage. Have you tried contacting dno lately?

 

[Dambo]

In the real world I believe most sparks would pull the mainfuse. Just be careful mate. Not the correct legal way to do it, but you gotta earn a wage. Have you tried contacting dno lately?

I haven't m4tty. Do they charge for the privilege? How do you get access to the cut-out?

 

[a1]

Would the isolator go just prior to the consumer unit i.e. between the cut-out and consumer unit? What exactly do they look like / where can you get them?

Here are the ones that I have - These are also used by the LEB and DNO.

 

[ProDave]

Up here, for many years now, Scottish & Southern have been fitting Siemens meters with a built in isolator, so you can legally and safely isolate the supply. But obviously not all properties have these new meters yet. Also it's only single rate meters that have the isolators, so E7, E10 or even Total control meters don't have the isolators.

If there's no isolator, then you hope the seal fairy has been before you and cut the seal then you just pull the un-sealed main fuse, change the CU, and report to the DNO that you have found an un-sealed main fuse, and they come and put a seal on it.

While strictly against the law, I have yet to hear of an electrician being prosecuted for pulling a main fuse. I'm not even sure what law it's breaking, I can only think it might just be a civil matter if they can be bothered.

Like all things, use your COMMON SENSE. While I happily pull the main fuse from a modern, good condition supply head, if I encounter a very old, or cast iron supply head then I won't touch it and contact the DNO.

The biggest problem you will face if you do that will be if the customers energy supplier is not the DNO. The DNO will then tell you to put your request via the energy supplier, and some are better than others. If the supplier is N-Power then forget it, you won't get them to do anything. I could not even get N-Power to request a DNO visit when I told the telephone operative that the installation was dangerous and needed immediate attention, all they kept repeating was "put your request in writing"

When you encounter obstacles like that that prevent you doing things by the book, it's no wonder we have to bend the law a little.

 

[Dambo]

There are 2 fuses in my outside cut-out (just had a wee look :Blushing ) Why would there be 2?

And where do you get those triangular electricity meter keys?

 

[Theorysparky]

meter keys from your wholesaler

if you have 2 fuses is one of them on the incoming neutral ?????

 

[m4tty]

Not a fused neutral is it?

 

[Evans Electric]

Don't take this the wrong way Damien, but I see you are registered as an NICEIC Domestic Installer and your questions are fairly basic for that disipline . Has it not occurred to you before how to kill the supply ?

There is a previous thread devoted to this if you want to take a look.

Don't take the hump at this ,stay with us , you'll get good advice from the guys .

 

[Evans Electric]

[if you have 2 fuses is one of them on the incoming neutral ?????

Aye, it looks like it. What would that mean? Does it have anything to do with the flat above ours?

Stands a good chance .

 

[Dambo]

if you have 2 fuses is one of them on the incoming neutral ?????

Aye, it looks like it. What would that mean? Does it have anything to do with the flat above ours?

 

[Evans Electric]

Aye, it looks like it. What would that mean? Does it have anything to do with the flat above ours?

It stands a chance, are there meter tails connected to it leading up to the flat above ??

 

[Dambo]

Don't take this the wrong way Damien, but I see you are registered as an NICEIC Domestic Installer and your questions are fairly basic for that disipline . Has it not occurred to you before how to kill the supply ? There is a previous thread devoted to this if you want to take a look.

Don't take the hump at this ,stay with us , you'll get good advice from the guys .

So far I haven't had to go near the electrical cut-out. It's been explained to me previously how to kill the supply but as i've never had to do it (or seen it done) I just wanted to be clear about exactly what the process entails.

Better to ask that try to blag it.

 

[Mark2spark]

Damien, don't be too upset with Evans, I also thought along the same lines as him, IMO an approved 'competent person' shouldn't have to ask basic stuff like where to buy triangular meter keys.

I see by the length of time you've been here there shouldn't be a wind up angle to this, but it does/did look like it.

Mark.

 

[Dambo]

It stands a chance, are there meter tails connected to it leading up to the flat above ??

It does seem so. There are 2 entry points in the wall - 1 to my CU and it would seem the other is for the flat above.

How do I then kill the supply to my flat without killing the supply to the above flat?