Electrics in a New Home - Scotland

Strange that only the live passes through the isolator, which appears to be a double pole.

Never noticed that, now that you've pointed it out. And then this creates another joining block on the board.

Regards

SantaUK

Probably not, but that again you are unlikely to be spraying water about in a big way. Boxing in the meter and main fuse etc with a small cupboard would sole any issues of that sort.

I don't think I have ever seen tails secured on short runs like that - they tend to stay where you put them.

So?

It is - that is what the main switch on the consumer unit is for. The fact that you have an *additional* isolator near the meter does not diminish the system safety in any way. Note also, as someone has already commented - the isolator near the meter is not in fact isolating since it only switches the live.

room for 1/2" ply then ;-)

Only that it is not according to plan (and hence contract - if you bought "off plan"). While not immediately dangerous, it is obvious they have not thought the usability through too well. You may get some joy if you hassle them enough.

On Sun, 17 Jun 2007 22:26:55 +0100, "SantaUK" mused:

Well, although it's an isolatiing switch, it isn;t isolating anything as it's only switching the live for some reason.

Stick a board over the front of it with an openable panel for meter readings to take place.

Covered by the above I think.

Not a problem, don;t touch both at the same time, but would be covered by the above.

No. The CU has an isolator, the isolator by the meter is so you can isolate from there instead or if the tails need changing by an electrician rather than than by the REC who will charge a standard fee for doing so.

Box it in with something that is around 15mm thick then, or thinner.

Just mention what you say above, ham it up a bit if you like, they'll either move it or they won't either way.

So no problem there as you knew in advance of the positions.

I'm sure it doesn't mind. You would be better filling a bucket from a tap near to where you are cleaning the windows. Next you will want to blame someone for spilling water. Most of us use a spray and a cloth for windows, not a bucket of water. Have you ever cleaned a window!

Internet Protocol ?

No it isn't, although it is bigger than the one I have fitted which is a lot smaller than that thing. That's why I suspect the house is NOT new, why is the meter showing you have used 52493 units of electricity?

You should look where you're going then and not be so careless.

I take it you also have door handles, doors, windows, cooker, stairs etc, lots of things at head height in a house for children.

Well they should be told not to touch them and it doesn't say much for you if you think they will swing on things and cause damage.

Well build a cupboard around the items you don't want to see and make sure the sink is earthed.

It depends on who told you or how you chose to interpret what they said.

My garage door also has a device to stop it being lifted from outside. The level of security sounds correct.

You're in a DIY group but you can't cut a few bits of wood up and use a tape measure? I get the feeling you don't want to. Send the measurements and I will saw up the wood for you and post it.

Right now we get to the point of the message - stop using the "child" excuse, "my friend said" excuse and "I'll claim compensation" excuse and speak to the people that built the house. Alternatively pay for it to be moved yourself.

I don't know whether your message should be taken seriously.

Simple solution.

Pay a window cleaner to do the job.............

Not DIY I know, but................

and with the door to the kitchen, I would have to

You may find that was a requirement of the electricity supplier; putting the meter where the reader has a clear access, without the need to wear head protection to avoid a head bump.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com>"

So why was it not on an outside wall in a meter cupboard, there is great personal / health risks in just entering a house.

Looks more like some idiot labourer installed the cable ducting incorrectly to me and it wasn't noticed until to late - I wonder if any of the other houses have the same issue?

Surprised not to see any sign of main equipotentential bonding for (the assumed) gas pipework.

Jim A

Cavity wall? Are the tails sleeved? Protection from rodents in the cavity and/or the cavity insulation?

If you bought "off plan" then they haven't built what they said they were going to build and are thus in breach of contract. Scottish Law may well be different to English...

As you have bashed the meter twice already it is vulnerable to being bashed by something much harder than your elbow. It could be damaged or knocked off the wall...

I'd get back to the builders, in writing, with your compliant.

The isolator isn't as it only switches the L not L&N. AFAIK it doesn't have to be next to the CU. Indeed having it near the source of supply is better as (if it was a proper isolator) you can work on the CU tails and CU safely.

Enough space to get 12mm ply in though but will create a "finger trap" hazard.

I'd not go in heavy to start with just point out that the meter is not in the correct place according to the plan. That it is liable to be damaged in it's current location and that any costs relating to damage to the meter will be that companies. This could mean a complete rebuild should the damage to the meter result in a short to the incomer resulting in the house burning down...

It gets complicated beacuse the cutout/meter and tails to the "isolator" are the electricity supply companies property and they will have to do the meter move. IANAL and IMHO the builder should pay for that work.

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 08:46:11 GMT, "Jim Alexander" mused:

What pipework?

The (assumed) gas pipework. Only an assumption in the absence of any other guidance but including the apparent absence of dedicated electric heating circuits and or an Economy 7 meter and timeswitch.

Jim A

Most suppliers limit the meter tails to a maximum of 2m long, which may have prevented that.

Colin Bignell

There are some old type MCBs on top of the CU, who put those there?

Adam

"nightjar .uk.com>"

But the consumer unit can go almost anywhere, so that leaves either incompetence (in design or workmanship), penny pinching to the extreme or both...

Two meter tails would suffice, as the CU is on the opposite side of this wall. On your other point about the ducting, apparently all the houses of this style are in the same location, and the site manager and the sales women hadn't noticed the fact that the meter was in the different location.

Thanks for your input

Opps - I left them there. When I was putting in some extra lights, I found out that the electrician on the job had wired both the upstairs and downstairs circuits on one 6amp breaker, so got another and stuck it in.

Regards

SantaUK

What should this entail? Yes I have gas pipe work in the house. To the hob and to a future gas fire.

Regards

SantaUK

Have a look at Fig 3 here, sorry its a long link but it wouldn't Tiny. Interestingly the electricity company isolator shows 2 poles connected. You didn't mention gas central heating. You on LPG cylinders perhaps?