Plastic switch in external meter box

UKPN:

"I am not interested in the DNO view"

You should be, because without a competency certificate signed by a DNO you are not able to work live on their equipment.

An unauthorised "isolator" is not covered by the suppliers insurance.

The fitting of an unauthorised "isolator" will loosen the meter tails irrespective of a withdrawn fuse so the meter terminals will have to be checked afterwards. This of course requires seals to be broken and replaced, again only persons with a competency certificate are able to do this.

Your best course is to request a suppliers isolator via the customer. The suppliers meter operator will attend, fit, and you being there at the same time can reconnect the tails.

Ascertaining whether a plastic isolator/sw/fuse is allowable under the "wiring regulations" would be futile anyway because that question has been thrown around for years and no one from the "institution has stuck their head above the parapet and given a definitive answer. 

Regards, UKPN.

The DNO will be attending.  The supply is being moved because of an extension and i have to extend the tails longer than 3 meters. The box will be supplied and fitted by myself with switch fuse and tails already fitted for a changeover on the day. As i said in the OP the DNO guys round here are always very obliging and helpful.  The boxes are tight but they don't need to fit their isolator if i have fitted one already.  



Gary



 

UKPN:

"I am not interested in the DNO view"

You should be, because without a competency certificate signed by a DNO you are not able to work live on their equipment.

An unauthorised "isolator" is not covered by the suppliers insurance.

The fitting of an unauthorised "isolator" will loosen the meter tails irrespective of a withdrawn fuse so the meter terminals will have to be checked afterwards. This of course requires seals to be broken and replaced, again only persons with a competency certificate are able to do this.

Your best course is to request a suppliers isolator via the customer. The suppliers meter operator will attend, fit, and you being there at the same time can reconnect the tails.

Ascertaining whether a plastic isolator/sw/fuse is allowable under the "wiring regulations" would be futile anyway because that question has been thrown around for years and no one from the "institution has stuck their head above the parapet and given a definitive answer. 

Regards, UKPN.

The DNO will be attending.  The supply is being moved because of an extension and i have to extend the tails longer than 3 meters. The box will be supplied and fitted by myself with switch fuse and tails already fitted for a changeover on the day. As i said in the OP the DNO guys round here are always very obliging and helpful.  The boxes are tight but they don't need to fit their isolator if i have fitted one already.  



Gary