Meters and boards Question

[Deleted member 26818]

From what I understand, you’re working for a company that is making a profit out of you working unsafely.
Your company should either arrange for the DNO to attend to pull the fuse, or get someone accredited to do it.

 

[ipf]

I’m just asking does the board need upgrading.
I’d highly doubt I’m accredited to do this main fuse pulling but reading threads on here it seems loads do it

Luke, as you seem to know, there are a few more problems than changing the CU to deal with, although interpretation of regulations may be involved in the actual answer you're after.
If no certification is involved who is the work being done for?
There seems plenty corner cutting going on, some of it dangerous.

 

[Deleted member 105166]

What’s wrong exactly? Aw that’s what I’d like to know

You are not authorised to pull the DNO’s fuse and from what you’ve said, you have come across vague with regards to other aspects covered by BS7671 that covers the overall installation, demand, diversity, testing, certification, etc. And you’re not proving dead.

 

[Luke105]

Luke, as you seem to know, there are a few more problems than changing the CU to deal with, although interpretation of regulations may be involved in the actual answer you're after.
If no certification is involved who is the work being done for?
There seems plenty corner cutting going on, some of it dangerous.

Well if I was working for myself in this situation then I’d rather just put an upto date 6way board in for example which actually has protection with circuit breakers instead of old rewirables.

I genuinely have no idea if we should be pulling fuses out for opening the meters to remove a tail.
I’m just doing what the company has asked me to do to carry out the job

 

[Deleted member 105166]

In fairness Luke, credit to you for coming on here and asking questions, as you clearly are not comfortable that what you’ve been told to do is correct.

 

[Luke105]

In fairness Luke, credit to you for coming on here and asking questions, as you clearly are not comfortable that what you’ve been told to do is correct.

That’s right, I’m very sceptical and I was hoping someone with experience could just tell me a right and wrong.

 

[Luke105]

In fairness Luke, credit to you for coming on here and asking questions, as you clearly are not comfortable that what you’ve been told to do is correct.

That’s right, I’m very sceptical and I was hoping someone with experience could just tell me a right and wrong.

 

[The Ghost]

I genuinely have no idea if we should be pulling fuses out for opening the meters to remove a tail.

Absolutely not! Especially with your level of knowledge you are playing with fire. Who supervises you?

 

[The Ghost]

As to the board change, not enough information. But generally speaking there is no imperative for it to be changed. Although it may be recommended to the client it is just not a yes or no answer.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

If I were working for a company, I would not be pulling DNO fuses.
Yes, I admit that I have pulled DNO fuses in the past and will probably pull them in the future.
The times I have pulled them have been for me, family or my own jobs.

 

[ipf]

Sorry Luke but you're being taken for a mug by cowboys. No way should this be going on. I'll ask again, who is the contract work being carried out for?

 

[Andy5678]

The company you work for should have some sort of procedure in place for getting the fuse removed.

Any work has to be done to bs7671 18th edition.

If you know these regs then you might be needing RCD protection, SPD, if altering or making additions to the circuit it should be up to current standards.

the correct certificate needs issued every time.

 

[littlespark]

Well, this is interesting reading.

Recently, I attended a house where this heater swap had been done. The company that came only changed the heaters. They told the homeowners to have their E7 tariff changed.
This was done, but the meter guys didn't reconnect the E7 board... leaving my customers without any heating. (said they weren't allowed to).

I was actually thinking of doing this myself as a business idea, but you guys are putting me right off!

Have the customer get an isolator installed from their supplier to make the changeover easier, swap the heaters, test the circuits and move the E7 board to 24hr.
Hence a recent thread I made about disposing of the bricks.

My heater choice would be the Rointe Kyros range, but would accept other suggestions.

Reading the Rointe website, it does say that any warranty would be void if the plugs were cut off... so i'd have to change the switches to sockets, and therefore changing the board to RCD protected if required.
I don't know, but i'd expect other manufacturers to say the same regarding plugs??

 

[Strima]

Sounds like your company is cutting a lot of corners, someone will get hurt sooner rather than later.

 

[MJPD29]

You definetly should not be disconnecting any cables from the meter if that is what you mean

 

[DPG]

Interesting thread!

 

[Shoei]

As a company employee this is an HSE issue, the HSE set out what employers must do to ensure safety in the workplace. Live working isn't forbidden but is tightly controlled, it doesn't sound like any kind of risk assessment or controls are in place.

You can read the HSE guidance here in the Electricity at work: Safe working practices (pdf download)

 

[Wilko]

Hi Luke - I think Minor Works Cert for changing the supply feed point and another for a new FCU, if I've understood correctly. As you are moving the tails, they would have to comply with current regs for sizing, insulation and support.
Clearly they should not be asking you to work live.

 

[littlespark]

I think we’ve scared Luke off with all this.

Maybe Luke is merely someone who fixes the new heaters to the wall and takes the old ones away. Perhaps the electrical work is done by someone else in his team who is qualified to do so. Perhaps the management above have agreements in place with the suppliers who come round afterwards and reseal fuses that the team have removed.
Optimistic tag alert!!!

Maybe Darth Vader is his father
“NOOOooooo!!!”

 

[Luke105]

I think we’ve scared Luke off with all this.

Maybe Luke is merely someone who fixes the new heaters to the wall and takes the old ones away. Perhaps the electrical work is done by someone else in his team who is qualified to do so. Perhaps the management above have agreements in place with the suppliers who come round afterwards and reseal fuses that the team have removed.
Optimistic tag alert!!!

Maybe Darth Vader is his father
“NOOOooooo!!!”

Just the boring dick measuring tradesman replies. Someone asks a simple question and because they don’t know every little rule on electrics that means they aren’t a “sparky” so it’s better to just ignore