Hi All
Does it cost anything to get the fuse for a domestic incoming supply pulled? I want to swap out the consumer unit so need taken out and recrimped back in place afterwards, and presume it's not gonna be free?
Just snip the seal and pull the fuse. They will install a new seal next time they need to access your meter, and no one will ever ask you who broke your seal.
"It's always been like that" :)
When I had a meter change, the meter-changer worked live with the phase tail waving in the air and completely ignored the service fuse.
I didn't tell him he could have pulled the fuse which was already unsealed.
Owain
The wire loop was surprisingly loose in the crimped seal on mine. Still is, but you wouldn't know unless you tugged at it. I think it must have been the previous owner ;-)
Who was of course Part P qualified, self-certifying, a member of the magic circle and ruler of the universe - ie John (Pig-face) Precott.
Didn't cost me anything (I don't think they can actually charge for this, not sure though).
The hardest bit was getting pushed between departments until I discovered what to ask for. You need to phone your supplier, and ask for temporary disconnection from the mains.
Ben
I had mine changed a couple of months ago and the woman who changed it took the fuse out and recrimped a tamper seal on it afterwards. I felt sorry for her as she could only just reach it - and that was while she was standing on the kitchen worktop! :)
I remember, quite a number of years ago, replacing a CU for a friend from a 6-way to, ISTR, a 12-way metalclad Wylex jobbie.
I was tempted to deliberately short the tails to blow the incoming fuse, changeover, then get the 'leccy board (as it was then) (NEEB) to come and replace the fuse, but as it was a late Saturday afternoon I thought they might not bother to turn up in a timely fashion, so I ever so carefully withdrew the tails from the old CU, stuck a bit of tape over the ends and even more carefully poked the taped tails through the metal case of the new CU, half-expecting to be blinded or burned as I did so. No problems (and I earned a pint or two for my trouble!). At least I _think_ I got those pints - he's dead now... :-(
My meter was replaced a couple of months ago. When I confirmed that I'd be available on their requested date I asked my supplier (Powergen) about taking the opportunity to fit a disconnector (for which I was quite prepared to pay); they totally ignored my request.
I'm presently changing my supplier...
It doesn't matter who your 'supplier' is because the meter has sweet FA to do with them, that's down to a different animal all together (United Utilities).
Don.
Thanks all for your replies.
I had considered snipping the seal but wondered what the implications were if discovered.
Just wondered if anybody had actually taken the official route if there is such a thing??
I called my provider Powergen and asked them to fit an isolator switch. They asked no questions and promptly fitted the switch free of charge. The electrician put a seal on the cover for the output terminations of the switch. I don't know why. I believe that this service varies from region to region.
No, just go ahead and do it, as long as you feel competent and happy so to do. I can't believe I just said that - the creed always used to be 'Don't touch the main fuse, we'll get someone along to pull it and replace when you've finished'.
The only problem that could arise is if the fuse carrier is jammed in the base unit or the whole lot falls to bits as you're doing it, but the chances of that happening are pretty remote.
If you have a fairly modern service cable and termination you shouldn't have too much of a problem. It's where you have an underground service cable of perhaps 30-40 years age or more and the termination has bitumen compound in the sealing chamber under the fuse carrier. The bitumen can bubble up a bit and stick the carrier into the base. As I said, though, it's not a common occurrence.
I'd hazard a guess that these days there is no such procedure.
That counts among the most dangerous things I've ever heard on this NG! And the idea of deliberately blowing the incoming fuse - boy would that be a big bang.
Always just pull the incoming fuse. (After switching everything off - otherwise you get a big spark) The elec co. really couldn't care less. It's far more important that you remain alive that follow some silly rule about not touching "their bit". Which of course they realise, which is why they don't care if you pull it.
Jon.
If you do pull the fuse yourself, you should consider the following:
a) Is the incoming cable (from the road) modern PVC covered or not? If not, it *may* be old and paper insulated. If it is old and paper insulated, the oil that the paper was soaked in has been known to drain down over the decades and the paper become dry and brittle.
There have been reports that disturbing such cable can lead to a short inside as the paper crumbles, if for example the service head where the fuse is is loose on the wall and moves (or falls off entirely) while you are trying to pull the fuse (which may be tight).
If that cable shorts, your protection is a large fuse somewhere up the street, perhaps rated at 300A, and you also have a potentially very low impedance circuit to the substation.
In other words, a *very* big bang - big enough to cause burns to you if you were unlucky enough.
I honestly don't know how likely any of this is in practise, but in summary, please think twice if it all looks antique and manky.
b) If you are happy to proceed, then (sorry, bit obvious, but whatever) turn all the load in the house off *first* at the CU to prevent arcing when the carrier disconnects.
HTH
Tim
I haven't done one for a few years now, but I used to just cut the seal, and when finished, call up the REC and say the cutout needs resealing after a CU change. They record this for the meter reader. I don't think the meter readers have ever resealed one. I did call again after over a year in one case, and the request to reseal was still on the records. It's now some 8 years later, and it's still not been resealed, in spite of probably some
10 or more visits by the meter readers since.
Not electrocuted, I hope.
MBQ
Did the output of the isolator feed the meter by any chance?
/jk
I have seem similar seals myself. I suspect it is so if there is a problem they know who didn't tighten the screws correctly....
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