joining meter tails

Sep 19, 2006 113 Replies

No Gas on Anglesey !!! have you been sniffing that too!!

That doesn't suprise me one bit. They have enough trouble getting people with simple electrical skills. You really think they would let the locals play with something as deadly as gas FFS?

The only way for jobsworths....

I CBA to read through the whole list of nannys flaming away, however just in case this has not been answered:

You would normally split the tails in a service connector[1] block:

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if you are doing this it would be wise to include a separate switch before the split so that you still retain a way of disconnecting the whole installation with one switch (rather than needing to turn off two CUs in an emergency). You may even be able to get the supplier to come fit this for you for free.

[1] aka a Henley Block, but in relality they are made by many companies in addition to Henley.

or as I saw recently, the supplier had obviously run out of black tail, and wired both sides in red! (into a 40A rated meter from a 100A main fuse)

Is it permitted to have two (or more0 CUs in different spaces (rooms) of a single residence without a single switch for the entire premises?

This seems very dangerous as someone could turn off the main (not realising there was another) and think it was safe to work on the wiring.

In the U.S. multiple main disconnects must be "grouped" and are limited to six. More than one is frowned upon in a residential setting.

Remove SPAMX from email address

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:24:27 +0100 someone who may be Owain wrote this:-

That's well worth remembering.

On 20 Sep 2006 09:42:53 -0700 someone who may be "Staffbull" wrote this:-

The Wiring Regulations specify maximum floor areas, for domestic installations. Maximum circuit lengths generally come out of calculations.

Insulation does not increase heating, rather it slows down the rate at which heat can escape from the cable.

There are other reasons than insulation to derate cable. Installation method and grouping being just two.

Did the meter have any other markings ? - many were uprated from their nominal rating back in the 80's during the recalibration process (at least one area used to mark these meters with a red spot)

Cambridge aren't charging me, and never tried to. Though they did ask if I could test it myself (answer: "No, but I'll find out how to" which seemed to go down well), and they'll just take a look periodically, and send someone round to test at the end. I imagine the final test will be "has he signed all the certs, yes good". They didn't bother to come look at the CU change "because there's not much to see". Of course, everything has crawled to a halt since then anyway, like all good d-i-y projects.

I also got a brief spiel about how they weren't electricians, didn't want to do this etc etc.

Ben

AIUI the current printed on the face of a kWh meter is a "basic current" (Ib)in terms of which the calibration accuracy is specified (x % at various multiples of Ib). It is not a thermal current rating. There seems to be an overload margin of at least 100% of Ib, and presumably also the ability to stand 16 kA fault current for a brief period.

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> However if you are doing this it would be wise to include a separate

Cheers once again for all you replies, much appreciated.

I wonder just how fast you can make that disc spin round? ;-)

Did you get my mail btw ?

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