Main Fuse

[BEN5637]

hey chaps, just need a bit of advice. Had a CU and PEB upgrade job today. Arrived at the job with a 10 way board to discover whoever quoted the job didnt account for the fact that a 10 way was miles too big for the space. and there was no means of isolating the installation. A disconnect/reconnect or isolating switch. rang the gaffer to explain and he said cut the seal as this is allowed in the Woking area. As anyone heard of this or is he pulling my chain, explained that to upgrade the tails I would have to cut the meter seal as well. Would rather not say who I work for but its a large company

 

[wattsup]

What seal? -)))

 

[BEN5637]

oh yeah, fair one! but not gonna put job or reputation on the line for the sake of being told to cut it!

 

[sparkyork]

if im doing a cu change and theres no means of isolating the tails, then i just cut the tag and pull the main fuse. leccy board fit double pole isolators on new builds to aid this kind of work in the future. way i look at it is this; they fit em as standard now, so if they cant afford to go round to every house and fit an isolator, then whats a sparky supposed to do? cut the tag, n pull the fuse, then u can fit a henley block and upgrade ya tails

 

[wayne]

your a**e on the line (whats new there?)

 

[luke teague]

whats new!! most house's don't have any other means of isolation other tha pulling the main fuse when having to change the board. you could always phone the main suppier and wait a few weeks for them to come disconnect the supply, then reconnect it a few days after once they have checked all the paper work!! i.e certs and stuff.

But who the hell does that!! How can you keep the customer happy doing that!! leaving them with no power lol

how could you ever earn any money!!!!!

 

[Cirrus]

Just cut the main fuse seals - I do and don't even think twice about doing it!

 

[stevie h]

I cut a main fuse and meter seal today , jobs got to be done , cut away

 

[tony.towa]

Never had a problem cutting the seals in this area since the"Board" stopped inserting the tails. Check with the supplier and see if they will fit an isolator free, some still do this and this can save a lot of grief and possible hassle.

Isn't it a shame that us working sparkees can't get hold of spare seals and wires!!!!

 

[slrichardson]

We cut the seals and pull the fuse when chaning cu's. we will then replace with a temporary seal we get from the wholesalers, kew. If the dno does pop in at least they should know they were cut by a decent sparky!!! lol !!!!

 

[sparkyork]

replacing the seals isnt even a concern for me, if i could get hold of the exact same ones the board use then i would use them. but cant so dont! lol
if the board cant be arsed making installations safe via proper isolation methods then -------s is all i can say! specially as there all making so much profit and still putting energy prices up!!

 

[slrichardson]

Fair point !! lol Temp seals are about 25p though

 

[luke teague]

i have found loads of seals on ebay. just ordered a few! look exactly the same !

 

[Cirrus]

i have found loads of seals on ebay. just ordered a few! look exactly the same !

I don't see the point. Let the leccy board worry about them and save your money

 

[spark-doctor]

Recent conversation with a DNO,

Hello, i am doing a CU change, have got no isolator, can you send a enginer round to disconect supply as i want to upgrade the tails as well.

Are you NIC

No, i am NAPIT

No problem, cut the seal and pull the fuse, give us the address and we will send a man around in a few days to reseal it.

Will there be a charge for that.

No, we will get him to pop in when he is near next.

He did turn up 4 days later whilst i was there doing some other work, pulled the fuse, done a Ze measurement, checked the tightness of my connections and resealed the cutout and meter happy days.

 

[sparkyork]

ah thats intersting then, id be prepared to make a phone call but not to go shopping for tags!

 

[Dinosaur]

I was always told that you could only cut seals on fuses to isolate the supply in an emergency!!!

Have cut many seals and pulled fuses to get the job done - then rang board to ask for seals to be replaced. over the past few years i have found that they dont even bother to reseal. Any electrical factors worth their salt will stock "temporary" seals. Some of them look exactly the same as the ones the boards use!

Cut away and earn your living.

 

[KFORDHUNTER]

Not to feel left out i cut the seal to change a board yesterday and i didn't even tell the board, i am a naughty boy.

 

[Cirrus]

Not to feel left out i cut the seal to change a board yesterday and i didn't even tell the board, i am a naughty boy.

Felt good didn't it

 

[nickblake]

did a periodic few weeks ago with the main tails being 6 mm twe next to the meters was a notice thats its a criminal offence to tamper with the equipment so as not to get into trouble with the nice power guys i rang them up and told them i was issuing a danger notification but was told it wasnt there responcablity ye right catch 22 come on were watched all the time what we do so about time they did it ,so cut the seals and changed the tails ,stupid thing was the CDU was new !! previouse house owner replaced

totaly agree all installations should be labled with whats in the fuse and have a main switch

I was told by an scottish power engineer inspector you can cut the seals of the fuse in an emergency but are not to touch the meter tails
i do and the reseal especially in the case as above when it can take 4 days for them to come out
oh it was a 4 bed house shower electric cooker plus loads of down lights warmest room in the house was there the CDU was lol !!!

 

[Crosswire]

What I do is cut the seal as near the back of the seal as possible , then once finished put a tiny dab of superglue on the cut bit to rejoin it, and rotate this join so is hidden behind the main fuse.

Dealing with EDF is like pulling teeth, so screw 'em. That's what I say

 

[Spudnik]

I now use official seals

 

[haj]

And where do you get them then?

 

[Guest123]

meter seals, Business, Office Industrial, Home Garden, Vehicle Parts Accessories items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

 

[Markc]

I’ve always been concerned over cutting seals just in case Me Meter Reader showed up just at the point the main fuse is being pulled! But after a recent visit by EDF to move a meter on a job I’ve changed my tune. Guys turned up to dig out the supply cable (As they have to dig out over a live cable) and was asked if I’d pulled the main fuse. To which I replied NO….lie,lie,lie! I was then asked to go do it….While they stood and watched! I will never not consider cutting a main fuse seal again but do draw the line to the meter one. I did read this week in Switched on magazine that it has been denied to train sparks for pulling fuses as there was insufficient response form the industry! Would be nice to be asked may be!

 

[jktelectrical]

Hi there,

Ebay sell the meter seals an steel wire, they come in different styles, the problem is crimping the seal.

Thanks

 

[J Sabo]

Just nip them up with your side cutters.

I worked for a contractor for EDF installing new connections (LV jointer) and they wouldnt give us the proper crimps - we just used side cutters/pliers.

 

[Spudnik]

meter seals, Business, Office Industrial, Home Garden, Vehicle Parts Accessories items at low prices on eBay.co.uk

Mine are branded

 

[J Sabo]

So are mine

 

[nickblake]

i got some from ebay i had some which were crap most of the seals up here are plastic and code numbered so i seal using the metal seals now and use my crimpers on red that seams to work