Trouble finding main fuse!!!

[Danielwareham]

Just stated out and having installed a few CU's with success i went to a flat today and couldn't find the main fuse. Hoping to find it with the meter it wasn't there. This was next to the old fuse box under a panel. Any ideas??? No doubt you will but many of the old installs baffle me!

Thanks

 

[nikmet]

If you cant find a main fuse, probably best to check all of the rooms for a cannabis plantation :-D

 

[robsparky1975]

DNO visit i think,probably the fuses or switchgear is contained in one of the other flats,may have been one house years ago and then converted to flats,the supply looks in poor shape.

 

[BertUK]

if its a flat maybe theres a central room/cupboard where all the main fuses will be in one location.

 

[nikmet]

is there a celler, could be located there?

 

[Danielwareham]

Thanks all. The flats are purpose built 60's/70's with no celler. Will contact building maintaince/DNO's tomorrow.

 

[Danielwareham]

Also what would your understanding of the earthing arrangement be in the picture?

 

[wacko]

Looks like a home-made TNCS.

The main fuse, as it's a flat, will probably be high up on the wall outside the front door.

Regards

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Look for a meter cupboard in a communal area, in the main hallway under stairs is popular location. It's common practice in blocks of flats to provide a communal three phase supply, with the each flat's and the landlords single phase supplies being derived/shared from the separate phases of the three phase supply in a balanced manner. Often the flats don't have their own individual local supply fuse but share one of the incoming three phase supply fuses with one or more other flats at the communal meter cupboard. The complication and potential disruption this causes when a single flat's distribution board has to be changed is obvious.

 

[Danielwareham]

The above two points were very helpful. Found the main intake room after speaking with the caretaker and luckly the flat had its own main fuse. It's also a home TNCS as suggested in the post before. As always learning fast!

 

[londonlec]

That TNCS is perfectly acceptable, its not home made and its how most blocks of flats and estates in London are wired.

Ryefield board at main intake position is the norm, as you have found out.