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Bending a supply cable

Arran Cameron
This is a question from a plasterer.


A chipboard panel close to the floor with a service cut-out mounted on it needs to be moved away from the wall in order that it can be plastered. There is a reasonable amount of slack in the meter tails but they could be disconnected from the consumer unit by an electrician as there is an isolator switch on the chipboard panel.


If the chipboard panel is moved away from the wall to provide the space to plaster it then it will involve slightly bending the thick supply cable. Is this a safe move or will it break the insulation and short out internally resulting in a huge explosion?


Would it be safer to remove the chipboard panel by unscrewing the service cut-out from it? This does have the problem that a meter seal has to be broken in order to access its mounting screws.
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    An electrician said that these back boards for service cut-outs and meters are known to present problems to builders and plasterers who require access behind them. The DNO is often reluctant to temporarily remove the board and leave what was attached to it hanging free although it's what most plasterers want in order to do their work.


    The electrician has admitted to removing a few back boards before, which involve having to pull the big fuse to be on the safe side as the cover on the meter has to be removed to access its mounting screws. He said that the real danger is the supply cable snapping a conductor or short circuiting inside the service head which is no longer physically supported.
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  • 0
    An electrician said that these back boards for service cut-outs and meters are known to present problems to builders and plasterers who require access behind them. The DNO is often reluctant to temporarily remove the board and leave what was attached to it hanging free although it's what most plasterers want in order to do their work.


    The electrician has admitted to removing a few back boards before, which involve having to pull the big fuse to be on the safe side as the cover on the meter has to be removed to access its mounting screws. He said that the real danger is the supply cable snapping a conductor or short circuiting inside the service head which is no longer physically supported.
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