Incoming Mains moved?

[natsirt]

Need some advice, Can I move the incoming mains and meter (which is fixed to a wooden board) one meter to the side without getting the local leckie board to come out and charge me 900 quid? All the seals on the meter would remain intact as the wooden board would simply be re attached to the wall?

Is this legal?

Your help would be appreciated.

Cheers


T

 

[Deleted member 26818]

I don't know if it's legal, but I would do it.
In the past, I've moved a board from one side of the wall to the other, without contacting anyone.

 

[SMB]

What I would say is be very careful when moving the mains and the meter if your not going to break the seal and pull the fuse.

Ive experienced a tail from a meter just pulling out of the meter in my hand. Then I had to call the DNO.

Regards.

 

[Penance]

The company i started with did this.
SWEB quoted 2 weeks to move the meter and supply, we knocked a hole in the wall, poked it thru and refitted the wooden board the other side.

SWEB we're not happy at all but no seals damaged so little they could do.

 

[Knobhead]

I would say no, but…..

I got involved in it 25 years ago. It meant moving the paper-lead incoming cable and the board about 5m as the cable came in through the wall in to a cellar. The lad that wanted it moved was a builder.

1. dig up half the garden to the depth of the cable
2. chop out 3 bricks width of the wall
3. remove board from wall
4. slide board and cable along
5. brick up
6. repeat steps 2, 4 & 5 until required position reached
7. refix board
Convince meter reader he must be dreaming, “I’m sure the meter was over there”. Not my problem.
It took a few days to do, all I had to do was install a new CU

 

[natsirt]

Many Thanks for the replies which are confirming what I guess I was thinking all along.

 

[Noton1205]

The other way around it is to buy yourself a pack of seals and ferruls from ebay. Pull the main fuse and re-seal once youve moved the board. Suppliers never check the seals if they are inplace.

 

[mechelec]

just be careful if it is a paper lead cable and try to make sure it doesnt twist in the cutout or you may just find out how much a little service cable can arc and burn before your very eyes and if this happens the sub station fuses will never blow.

 

[nickblake]

Sorry to say i would pay the £900 , my life is worth more than that not being negative here but if something happens you are liable and the chances are you face prosecution or worst case you could end up 6ft under

 

[MarkP]

Sorry to say i would pay the £900 , my life is worth more than that not being negative here but if something happens you are liable and the chances are you face prosecution or worst case you could end up 6ft under

I'm with you. Not worth it incase something goes wrong. Tell the customer to get it moved.

 

[mogga]

DNO to move it if you do and the cable twists , the head gets pulled ,the cables short in the head YOUR Dead not the guy who asked you to do the shortcut specialy if its old lead/paper cables and bitumin filled head DNO will move it or replace cable,head isolator as required

 

[SirKit Breaker]

These things are not to be played about with. It isn't big or clever. And if the worst comes to the worst and you survive you will not impress the doctors and nurses at the local A&E, and you certainly won't be laughing about it in the pub with your mates either.

The only person I know who stands to gain from this sort of jiggery pokery is the local undertaker.

The mind boggles

Cheers.......Howard

 

[londonlec]

No way would I ever do this. Especially not for a tight customer who won't pay the DNO. VERY dangerous.

 

[Des 56]

Its not legal,there's usually a sticker saying interference with this equipment is an offence etc
If this is going to cost you 900 then I take it you are the potential customer of the supplier

If you are a spark,then weigh up the danger against your actions, or the danger against the 900 notes, and decide "Is it worth the gamble"

I would do it,but thats just me,and not advise for you to do so

If your an householder,forget it, and pay what the supplier says it costs,

 

[mechelec]

If it does go pear shaped and burn the cable off when you try to move it, you will end up with the bill from the DNO not the customer who wanted it moving on the cheap. You will also probably require new undies and trousers too because those cable dont half go bang.

 

[bradder]

be aware that some meter boards have a 5th fixing behind the meter(so might need to break the seals to remove meter to access 5th screw), aswell as the 4 fixings in the corners.
I wouldn`t move it