Main Incoming Supply Cable To House

[Ross85]

Hi,

I've just bought my first house, a Victorian terrace and it's well overdue an electrical upgrade. I plan to do this myself with the guidance of a friend who is a qualified electrician (though I am an industrial electrical and electronic design engineer, so am competent in some aspects, but not up to speed on domestic regulations).

Anyway, the first thing I noticed was that the electrical incoming supply cable to the house miraculously appears from the external render at the front of the property and then loops into the recess of the front door and through the door frame (at about head height), into the first fuse inside the house.

It looks a bit of a bodge, quite a small diameter cable and doesn't look armoured to me, though I have no idea if it should be armoured. Where can I find details of whether this has been done correctly and who do I contact if I want it replaced? It would be nice to relocate the power meter and fuses from their current location if possible.

 

[Leesparkykent]

They don't normally use armoured cable. What DNO area are you in?

 

[Leesparkykent]

your profile says Bristol so I think its western power. This document provides you with example costs and what's involved. Also you may have to factor in the cost of a switch fuse and distribution circuit if the new CU position is to be futher than 3 meters away from the new meter/cutout position.

https://www.westernpower.co.uk/docs/connections/Moving-Supply-GuideAug12.aspx

 

[Ross85]

Thanks Lee, great information. I think I can live with its current location at that price! Having double checked some photos (we don't get the keys until Friday), the supply appears to go into our neighbours house and then loop out of theirs and into ours!

 

[Leesparkykent]

I was working in a house in Bristol once which was ex local authority. We was installing a new boiler which was a conversion from a back boiler so a new position in the bedroom, the plumber drilled through the wall for the condense pipe and there was a bit of a spark....Next door neighbour come out and said their power had gone off. As it turned out their supply had been looped of the head in the house we were working in and was installed through the cavity. WPN come out and had to dig up the neighbours drive and joint/install a new cable. All the work was done for free as the cable shouldn't have been installed in such a manner. It may be worth getting in touch with WPN expressing your concerns of how its installed....you never know they might come and do it. Be persistent as most of time you get an office worker who just reads from a script as your 1st point of call

 

[Taylortwocities]

THaving double checked some photos (we don't get the keys until Friday), the supply appears to go into our neighbours house and then loop out of theirs and into ours!

That is not unusual. Even recently built houses can have this arrangement. I hav exactly the same and my house is late 1970's.
But don't worry, your neighbours can't "nick" your electricity!

 

[Ross85]

Good knowledge again. I think I'll call them and see if they'd offer some sort of discount as they are phasing out looped services it appears.

If anything, nicking the neighbours electricity eh? Shame about that power meter being in the circuit...

 

[Taylortwocities]

There's always a way.....

 

[The Ghost]

So if you wanted a new front door say double glazed how would that work for the installer?

 

[snowhead]

So if you wanted a new front door say double glazed how would that work for the installer?

Theowner of the property would have to get the DNO out to remove and relocate the cable away from the doorframe, at a cost of course.

 

[The Ghost]

Theowner of the property would have to get the DNO out to remove and relocate the cable away from the doorframe, at a cost of course.

Presactly! So the DNO will have to move it anyway as its badly installed, I think he may get it for free.