Pulling live meter tails from isolater switch in consumer unit

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Discuss Pulling live meter tails from isolater switch in consumer unit in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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3435hobiton

Hi, could someone advise me of the safest procedure when pulling live meter tails from the isolator switch at the consumer unit. I know about switching off the main switch to take out the load, but will not be cutting the seal and pulling the fuse from the cut-out. On this occasion I need to pull out the live first... connect to a Henley block and then the neutral and do the same. When reconnecting I will connect the neutral first and then the live. I was wondering if anybody could offer any helpful advise that I may have overlooked.
Regards Paul
 
Hi, I'm not bypassing the meter... I'm repositioning the consumer unit 3 foot up the wall. I'm a fully qualified electrician with 2330 levels 2&3, the 17th edition regs and the 2391. I just asked a question and was hoping somebody would offer a constructive answer... not accuse me if being a criminal!
 
It's one of those things that you need to be shown how to do rather than be told,get it wrong and it's half a day out with the undertaker,either leave it or pull the service fuse if you really don't want to involve dno
 
So you should be fully aware of safe isolation, no excuses. How would your family amd friends feel if itvwent wrong and you met your maker just because you csnt be bothered to do something properly?
 
No not that I know of,they only get upset if you break the meter seals,I usually reseal when I have finished anyway,where are you?
 
3435hobiton said:
Hi, could someone advise me of the safest procedure when pulling live meter tails from the isolator switch at the consumer unit. I know about switching off the main switch to take out the load, but will not be cutting the seal and pulling the fuse from the cut-out. On this occasion I need to pull out the live first... connect to a Henley block and then the neutral and do the same. When reconnecting I will connect the neutral first and then the live. I was wondering if anybody could offer any helpful advise that I may have overlooked.
Regards Paul
Click to expand...

Yep don't do it, it's dangerous, get the DNO to fit an isolator after the meter cost to client about £50:00
 
Pete999 said:
Yep don't do it, it's dangerous, get the DNO to fit an isolator after the meter cost to client about £50:00
Click to expand...

you forgot to mention the waiting time of around 6 months and the endless hours on the phone explaining to judy from the dno call-centre what an isolator is.....

hope this CU change isnt urgent lol
:)
 
Me no understandy?

Why do you have to do it live? If you take the tails out the installation is going be dead anyway, so the client cant be moaning about that?
Do yourself a favour, either do it by the book or pack your tools and walk away.
Do it once and you may well get complacent.
Don’t risk it, you’re a long time dead!!
 
Cut the bloody sa=esals. Pull the fuse ( under a no load condition). Do your work. Reseal the bugger.
 
There are ways to do this safely but in asking the question you show that you are not competent to do so (no offense meant), like others I will not discuss the correct procedures over a forum as at your level of experience and training you must follow the safe isolation root which can only be done legally by contacting your energy provider and getting them to assist in the power down.

This sight is to give good legal advice so try not to pull us for doing just that - you teach your kids to use Pelican crossings safely and would never tell them to cross the road between parked cars for obvious reasons yet we all do it because we are aware of the risks and look for them but not advisable to teach a child this.....kinda the same thing, so cannot advise you further than already has been.
 
darkwood said:
There are ways to do this safely but in asking the question you show that you are not competent to do so (no offense meant), like others I will not discuss the correct procedures over a forum as at your level of experience and training you must follow the safe isolation root which can only be done legally by contacting your energy provider and getting them to assist in the power down.

This sight is to give good legal advice so try not to pull us for doing just that - you teach your kids to use Pelican crossings safely and would never tell them to cross the road between parked cars for obvious reasons yet we all do it because we are aware of the risks and look for them but not advisable to teach a child this.....kinda the same thing, so cannot advise you further than already has been.
Click to expand...

Oxford Dictionaries
 
ignore these plebs, put the cap from a tube of mastic over the end then tape it up good and proper.

make sure to use vde grips, much better than trying to manipulate 25mm with long nose.

i take no responsibilites for any death or destruction but if it does happen i would like pictual evidence
 
right if you cannot get the DNO out which can be difficult when you need them ,then cut the fuse seals so you can give yourself safe isolation then install a double pole switch, the wylex ones most electricity suppliers use are available from TLC £18 ,then put fuse back in and seal the fuse then you can work on relocating the board with out killing yourself , oh and by the way , as we have to use safe isolation we can pull a main fuse but never the meter seals and that came from one of Scottish power 's bosses
 
nickblake said:
right if you cannot get the DNO out which can be difficult when you need them ,then cut the fuse seals so you can give yourself safe isolation then install a double pole switch, the wylex ones most electricity suppliers use are available from TLC £18 ,then put fuse back in and seal the fuse then you can work on relocating the board with out killing yourself , oh and by the way , as we have to use safe isolation we can pull a main fuse but never the meter seals and that came from one of Scottish power 's bosses
Click to expand...

Don't forget the law is slightly different in Scotland regarding this so he may be speaking of his knowledge about local regulation, in Scotland I believe you can notify or even take a short course to allow you to do your own resealing.

This is not the case for the rest of us, again as a forum we should be giving legal methods and safe methods, the OP may be competent enough to do a live swap as some have advised as but the next guy reading it for the same answers may be the one one kills himself because he has little or no electrical knowledge but it said it on here, how to do it.
 
darkwood said:
Don't forget the law is slightly different in Scotland regarding this so he may be speaking of his knowledge about local regulation, in Scotland I believe you can notify or even take a short course to allow you to do your own resealing.

This is not the case for the rest of us, again as a forum we should be giving legal methods and safe methods, the OP may be competent enough to do a live swap as some have advised as but the next guy reading it for the same answers may be the one one kills himself because he has little or no electrical knowledge but it said it on here, how to do it.
Click to expand...
no matter how much we say dont do it, some people will ignore all advice and do it.

surely its better for all to say best to get the dno out to isolate or pull the main fuse if it looks in good condition

as a last resort do such and such so its safe
 
shanky887614 said:
no matter how much we say dont do it, some people will ignore all advice and do it.

surely its better for all to say best to get the dno out to isolate or pull the main fuse if it looks in good condition

as a last resort do such and such so its safe
Click to expand...

Yes agree to the first part but its in the interest of the forum the advice given does not go beyond legal practice or advise unsafe practices, there's a safe practice method to do this and is the very reason why DNO often change and work live!!! but they wear the appropriate PPE too, something I'm sure the OP will not own, evident in the very fact he has asked the question, genarally in this industry of electrical work we do not get trained to work safely live but how to isolate safely so this is the advise to give.

Looking back over my apprentices of the last 5 I'd say only one would be competent and confident enough to do a live swap, the rest I would dread to think!!!
 
darkwood said:
...in Scotland I believe you can notify or even take a short course to allow you to do your own resealing.

This is not the case for the rest of us...
Click to expand...

It is for those in the area of southern England covered by SSE. Just talk to them nicely, tell them who you're registered with and they'll give you some temporary seals.
 
Life would be simpler if the DNO put in isolation switches they change the meters often enough so put in a switch at the same time then problem solved
 
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