domestic leccies, a question for you

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

had a guy call me today to discuss a full re-wire of his property.

after talking to him I gave him a quote and then told him I would need to know who his provider was in order to get them out to disconnect the supply to the meter as I was changing his CU too.

he then told me not to bother as he would do this himself the morning I was due to start work. he would not listen when I told him that this should be done by the provider, as they seal them with the wire tags in order to stop home owners getting in there.

so, as I have never really looked into this sort of thing due to always ringing the supplier and getting them out, what is the punishment to him if he were to remove the main fuse and how would he be caught?

I have told him that I strongly advise phoning the supplier, but he will not have it.

brightspark · Sep 15, 2013

brokenbiker said:
had a guy call me today to discuss a full re-wire of his property.

after talking to him I gave him a quote and then told him I would need to know who his provider was in order to get them out to disconnect the supply to the meter as I was changing his CU too.

he then told me not to bother as he would do this himself the morning I was due to start work. he would not listen when I told him that this should be done by the provider, as they seal them with the wire tags in order to stop home owners getting in there.

so, as I have never really looked into this sort of thing due to always ringing the supplier and getting them out, what is the punishment to him if he were to remove the main fuse and how would he be caught?

I have told him that I strongly advise phoning the supplier, but he will not have it.

just cut the seal on meter and renew the tails live :laughing:

if your that desperate il post u some new seals / no one realy says anything if there not sealed / just send a test notice of compliance to them and they will send someone out to reconect if u are that bothered

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

i have seals, have replaced them quite a few times after customers 'have never touched that, didn't even know it needed a seal' even though they previous told me of the homebrew wiring they did before ringing me...

just interested in what the offence is, and how the offender could be caught without being the unluckiest person alive and having the buy come out to read the meter while the fuse was being pulled lol

brightspark · Sep 15, 2013

brokenbiker said:
i have seals, have replaced them quite a few times after customers 'have never touched that, didn't even know it needed a seal' even though they previous told me of the homebrew wiring they did before ringing me...

just interested in what the offence is, and how the offender could be caught without being the unluckiest person alive and having the buy come out to read the meter while the fuse was being pulled lol

lol i was caught with the fuse out while rewiring a house by the meter reader :laughing:

just told him to ****** off and say he never saw it :laughing:

what can they prove its his word against mine that the seals were allready broken

stef1 · Sep 15, 2013

They will never know who cut the seal to be honest and they wont waste time and money trying either in my experience.

Cut the seal at the fuse not the meter and they probably wont say anything, where as when its cut at the meter they get funny as they think its been tampered with.

The offence is tampering with their equipment - cutting the seal not pulling the fuse. If the seal is already cut, then no offence committed, where you are concerned.

I know a few guys who cut the seals, most of them never get replaced by the supplier either from what they tell me

brightspark · Sep 15, 2013

stef1 said:
They will never know who cut the seal to be honest and they wont waste time and money trying either in my experience.

Cut the seal at the fuse not the meter and they probably wont say anything, where as when its cut at the meter they get funny as they think its been tampered with.

and how do u renew the mains tails to the meter if u dont cut the seal on it :whistle:

stef1 · Sep 15, 2013

brightspark said:
and how do u renew the mains tails to the meter if u dont cut the seal on it

Good point, I only deal with those with an isolator fitted by the supplier. I have also done a few where the isolator is part of the meter and only the supply side is sealed.

Might be worth a try, as I know some do it for free and some charge as little as £40

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

my fathers house has no seal, i did some new lights for him and noticed it when putting the mcb in the CU and apparently every time the meter reader comes out, he complains about it, then jumps in his van and ******s off...

plead ignorance

'it was like that when i got here' like you say, what can they prove.

will let him pull the fuse before i get there. if he blows himself up its not my problem, and when i get there, as far as i know the supplier came out. i will get them out to re-connect and if he doesn't like it its tough.

as for replacing the tails live, my first tutor once told us about how he tried that...then he showed us the burn marks on his arm and stomach...needless to say we never even thought about working on something live in college lol

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

stef1 said:
They will never know who cut the seal to be honest and they wont waste time and money trying either in my experience.

Cut the seal at the fuse not the meter and they probably wont say anything, where as when its cut at the meter they get funny as they think its been tampered with.

The offence is tampering with their equipment - cutting the seal not pulling the fuse. If the seal is already cut, then no offence committed, where you are concerned.

I know a few guys who cut the seals, most of them never get replaced by the supplier either from what they tell me

cheers for that, i thought it was more to do with the seal than the fuse

brightspark · Sep 15, 2013

brokenbiker said:
my fathers house has no seal, i did some new lights for him and noticed it when putting the mcb in the CU and apparently every time the meter reader comes out, he complains about it, then jumps in his van and ******s off...

plead ignorance 'it was like that when i got here' like you say, what can they prove.

will let him pull the fuse before i get there. if he blows himself up its not my problem, and when i get there, as far as i know the supplier came out. i will get them out to re-connect and if he doesn't like it its tough.

as for replacing the tails live, my first tutor once told us about how he tried that...then he showed us the burn marks on his arm and stomach...needless to say we never even thought about working on something live in college lol

not that im condoning it but im old school .work live have done for 43 years . with health and safety now even the elecricity board have to remove the cutout fuse wearing safety gloves a face shield and a rubber mat to stand on just to conect the tails :rolleyes:

wheresmejumper · Sep 15, 2013

bit of tape on the end of the tails normally does me

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

don't get me wrong, i have done things live that the NICEIC would hang me for, but i am still trying to get my feet well and truly dug in as a self employed leccie so don't really want customers telling their mates i work live as it may put people off thinking it is going to cause a fire, afterall everyone and anyone is worried about h+s BS these days.

i don't see the point in all this face shield stuff though. its a fuse. turn the main switch off in the house and there is no load on the fuse, so it wont arc or explode or pull out a bat and beat you with it. just H+S gone mad

brightspark · Sep 15, 2013

wheresmejumper said:
bit of tape on the end of the tails normally does me

yea just dont push it through the hole in the consumer unit slits the tape and it catches the earth :whistle:

BrokenBiker · Sep 15, 2013

this is a prime idea to take to dragons den. just a little rubber cap to go over the live tails. substantial enough not to break...

im sure it would go down a storm lol

wheresmejumper · Sep 15, 2013

durex extra safe?

normspanners · Sep 15, 2013

I had 3ph fitted in my first mot bay, I dug the trench and revealed the under ground main swa the old stye with grease paper in it,it was huge about 41/2 inch dia and it was running under my land. I got the supplier to connect, he worked live it was blowing a hulee and p*****g down. he worked in a trench that had a drain in it and was filling with water he just wore wellies and rubber gloves .
He had to split open, spread the cores then join my swa on, fitting the splicer pitch box around it all. We gave him a cup of tea but I put it down and stood well back!

bump · Sep 15, 2013

When the fuse was replaced at my last place after the incomer had been renewed the suppliers forgot to put a seal on it :S

Robotstar5 · Sep 15, 2013

Fit a KMF isolator for what they cost while your there, won't have to worry about pulling the fuse in future.

stef1 · Sep 15, 2013

Robotstar5 said:
Fit a KMF isolator for what they cost while your there, won't have to worry about pulling the fuse in future.

this is the exact isolator a few companies up here are using. well worth the money

Justme · Sep 16, 2013

brokenbiker said:
i don't see the point in all this face shield stuff though. its a fuse. turn the main switch off in the house and there is no load on the fuse, so it wont arc or explode or pull out a bat and beat you with it. just H+S gone mad

The main risk is if the fuse holder breaks whilst you are pulling it. It then matters not if there is a load on it via the CU or not.

You become the load.

domestic leccies, a question for you

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Electricity is great!

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