Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Locked Locked
  • Replies 110 replies
  • Subscribers 32 subscribers
  • Views 18419 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in
This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

On the subject of pulling the DNO fuse.

alanblaby
There have been a couple of reports here of the DNO confronting electricians who have pulled their fuse.


It's getting closer to home, a work colleague was doing a CU change on a domestic house last week, no isolator fitted, so he pulled the fuse (no seals present).

South Nottinghamshire.


Around 90 minutes later there was a knock on the door, a guy from Western Power was investigating a power loss at the property, reported by the Smart Meter phoning home.

He gave the sparky a talking to, and warned they are getting strict in pursuing people who do it, he said meter fiddling was rife, so any loss of power is checked out asap.
  • 0
    Honestly I am not finding the thread boring. I think I have learned a lot regarding the dangers and a lot regarding the (il)egality of removing the DNO fuse.


    What I am absolutely sure of, is the current system is a ****dy shambles, and given that lives are at risk, that's a pretty poor state of affairs.


    I agree the cable tie comment was flippant but if it would fit, it would prevent people removing the fuse without a tool (the safety aspect?)


    I am new here on the forum, and new to DNO stuff, having been trained on a university site under the 16th edition, (no seals, we just turned off the feeder switch..., and the electricity board turned up on one substation, monthly, to read the bill) then working for 6 yrs in the USA, where their power system is even more convoluted than here. So who has the authority to do what, and who pays for the expense when the SEB... sorry, SSE take 3 hrs to arrive to do something I could do in 10 seconds.... and the customer is paying by the hour?... this interests me

  • 0
    What I can't understand is that if you try to book an appiontment with either the DNO or the supplier to disconnect/reconnect a supply it is at least a 2 week wait, however if you remove a cutout fuse on a "smart" meter then as if by magic they arrive within the hour.
  • 0
    "and new to DNO stuff" 

    Perhaps you should stick to restorations, Building restorations?Helmet with cross


    Regards, UKPN.
  • 0

    Chris Pearson:

    . . . Funny old thing, nowadays DNOs and meter installers take pictures of their completed work.




    It shows that on a certain date and time, the installation was correctly sealed. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

  • 0

    Alan Capon:




    Chris Pearson:

    . . . Funny old thing, nowadays DNOs and meter installers take pictures of their completed work.




    It shows that on a certain date and time, the installation was correctly sealed. 



    Precisely. If anybody interpreted my comment as being critical of the DNOs (and suppliers) that was not my intention. They have every reason to do so, and the means.


    When my own meter was fitted, the fitter sealed my switch isolator in the off position. He also gave me some paperwork about who would be authorised to cut the seal. We both knew that it would be cut before he reached his van. So be it. Mind you, he was having his six-monthly assessment. ?

  • 0
    I was called out on Friday to a report of a switch burning. The KMF type fused switch and nearby neutral meter tail had overheated due to a loose connection. The cut-out was less than 10 years old and in good order. I turned off at the CU, cut the seals, gave the fuse holder a bit of a wiggle to check that it would move, then pulled it. No problem. A smart meter had been fitted so I rang the DNO (WPD). I explained what I had done and their operator said they would send someone to put the fuse back in and re-seal. They turned up four hours later, which was plenty of time for me to fit a new switch. I also had an isolator of the type that WPD use ready for when WPD attended. They were more than happy to fit the isolator and said every thing I had done was the correct action in the circumstances.


    I would willing attend a training course on assessing the risk of pulling a fuse, correct PPE, etc. if such a thing was on offer.


    Tomorrow, I have another customer who is having a smart meter fitted. I told him to ask for an isolator because I need replace his CU next year, but apparently he is with a small supplier who says they can't. WPD quoted £220. I'm going to give my customer an isolator and ask him to get the meter man to connect his new smart meter to it rather than the existing tails.


    Eventually, every supply will have an isolator. It didn't need to be made so difficult getting to that point, did it!


    Dave
  • 0
    "I was called out on Friday to a report of a switch burning


    The local fire brigade too busy again!


    Regards, UKPN.?
  • 0
    Sparkingchip mentioned in a previous discussion that he thinks houses in the future will have a big MCB instead of a DNO fuse as a maximum current trip, similar to the arrangement in France. He also thinks that the standing charge will increase with the maximum available current of the trip. If this proposal goes ahead then the big MCB will effectively double as an isolator switch.
  • 0


    If this proposal goes ahead then the big MCB will effectively double as an isolator switch.



     



    only if it's not sealed ... from what I've heard from Spain if the 'load limiting' MCB trips than the householder is obliged to call out the supplier to re-set and re-seal (and pay a penalty charge) - it's not user (or elecctrician) accessible.


       - Andy.

  • 0
    Andy - that is interesting, because at my Spanish apartment fed by a smart meter there is a load limiting MCB, also inaccessible in a locked cabinet (as is the meter) but it will automatically reset after 1 or 2 minutes I think twice, and then has to be reset by the DNO


    David

Community Rules & Guidelines