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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.
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    whjohnson:

    If I find a cast iron cut out, usually accompanied by a separate fused or linked neutral and both with pitch dripping out of them I steer well clear and get the customer to sort it directly with their supplier. THAT isn't worth the risk.




    7da79f75d3ce46e8c7b66dffae011c70-huge-20180317_135300.jpg


    This looks ominous. Is it 3 phase?



     

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    mapj1:
    SSE policy on issueing temporary seals to agreed 3rd parties may be worth a read.

    As an approach it seems very sensible and proportionate. Some key sections other DNOs could emulate, formalising what is and is not acceptable, and who is responsible. . . 



     




    I look upon it differently. It is interesting that SSE are the only company that allow non-authorised people to interfere with their cutouts. I wonder how they square that with their liability insurance. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

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    To Alan Cameron It looks very old and I wouldn't want to touch it to answer th the question its single phase now although it mite have been  3 phase in times gone by
  • 0

    Arran Cameron:

    . . . Is it 3 phase?




    I would expect it is. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

  • 0
    It has been replaced with a modern 3 phase cut-out although only the right-hand fuse is fitted into its holder and has a meter tail connected to it. Therefore I'm wondering if the house has a 3 phase supply but only one of the phases is being used.


    I didn't have the courage to open the cast iron cut-out to find out in case the insulation disintegrated and it short circuited in a fireball spraying the entire room with molten brass. I was verbally informed that the insulation inside is made out of asbestos and by now it is very brittle and crumbly.
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    I have a street full of these. The cutout is in a cast box on the wall outside with tails split to two houses at a time in T&E up the wall into the house for about 8 metres to the fuse - BS88 1939 60A.  Upgrading was supposed to happen a few years ago but nothing materialised.
  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Finance Act 2008 Schedule 36, Part 2: powers to inspect premises and other property

     Power to enable (s10) the inspection of business premises, business assets and business documents on business premises; (s10A) the inspection of business premises/assets/documents etc of particular types of person; (s11) the inspection of business premises used in conjunction with supplies of goods subject to VAT. This is a key inspection power, used very frequently by HMRC officers. It is used to check compliance with tax legislation, and is the key power used in thousands of tax inspection visits throughout the year. It replaces more than 20 previous tax specific information and inspection powers and the safeguards contained with the power have been made explicit. It provides a power of entry to private premises used for business purposes.


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    We're in SSE territory, and I frankly like their attitude.  I do agree with the arguments here about not treating it with a lack of respect. If the service head looks disturbing in any way, i will ignore it.


    A much simpler method for a domestic electrician is to cut the seal on the meter, (yes I know that has the same issues with abstraction and unlawfulness) and remove the tails from the load side with NO LOAD... We all own insulated tools and PPE. And you're physically separated from messing with the service head (where the 80 yr old cable is deteriorating), AND you're protected by the fuse.


    Most fuseboard changes will require cutting the meter terminal seal anyway to change the tails.


    Again, whether this is a good idea or not depends on your own personal risk assessment, and the attitude of your DNO or in this case, metering company.


    It's only ever necessary to remove one set of tails and replace with one new set on any particular job, so it's worth taking the time to do the risk assessment, even if just for your own personal peace of mind. if it starts to arc, what do you do? if the meter falls to bits, what do you do?
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    I have removed cut out fuses, when I felt that this was justified in an emergency. Generally without incident, but some members may recall a thread in the old forum in which it all went orribly wrong.

    I suffered no significant harm, but was suitably equipped.

    Impressive bang.
  • 0

    MHRestorations:


    A much simpler method for a domestic electrician is to cut the seal on the meter, (yes I know that has the same issues with abstraction and unlawfulness) and remove the tails from the load side with NO LOAD... We all own insulated tools and PPE. And you're physically separated from messing with the service head (where the 80 yr old cable is deteriorating), AND you're protected by the fuse.




    If a smart meter, presumeably the DNO would not get the notification of loss of supply

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