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chrisgjudd
25th April 2008, 19:08
ok guys can you be straight with me as i am still green, when a sparky turns up to i.e fit a new cu does he in reality cut the seal to remove the fuse or something else, same with meter seal, be honest guys???
chrisgjudd

Admin
25th April 2008, 19:10
No, 99.9999% of the time they aren't there to start with.


:)

norv
25th April 2008, 19:17
I dont think you will get a deffo answer on this one but as I've read before, e-bay is your friend;\

mcgaw81
25th April 2008, 19:18
No, 99.9999% of the time they aren't there to start with.


:)


99.9999%??? I thought it was 100%, honetly can't remember the last time i seen one. :^O:^O

steptoe
25th April 2008, 20:36
i NEVER, and i mean i have NEVER in all my time ever cut a DNO seal.
some countries its a massive NO NO and instant jail if you do it and are a knowledgable person.
why would you need too???

norv
25th April 2008, 20:42
I agree Steptoe but I phoned the DNO a while back to come & pull the main fuse & they wanted £30 & about 2 weeks notice. Customers wont have it, they can go elsewhere & get the job done on Monday.

steptoe
25th April 2008, 21:22
I agree Steptoe but I phoned the DNO a while back to come & pull the main fuse & they wanted £30 & about 2 weeks notice. Customers wont have it, they can go elsewhere & get the job done on Monday.

I agree norv, and £30 was really cheap, Ive had quotes of £150,
but tell me why you would need the seal cut in the first place?
cut the tails and bang on an isco,!
job done.
I really dont really ever see the need for a competent person to require a seal to be cut unless he wants to extract electricity without paying for it,(THEFT)
only IMHO

norv
25th April 2008, 21:27
Well cutting the tails would mean working live wouldnt it ?

Seen these on e-bay, bought a couple. They got the 2 holes in the top & bottom aswell for the 25mm tails

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MEM-100-Amp-Double-Pole-Isolating-switch-with-enclosure_W0QQitemZ380021357210QQihZ025QQcategoryZ 42899QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksi dZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247

steptoe
25th April 2008, 21:39
most councils require that type of thing to be fitted now.
good job they are too,
live isnt the big thing every1 makes it out to be, or maybe im one of the people you talk about can do the job on monday, I just dont see the point in being worried too much if you have the right kit,
decent VDE pliers and a 6mm screwdriver,
cut it, sheath it, strip it and tighten the terminal.!

M107
25th April 2008, 21:46
Well I'll put my hands up & be honest.
Yes I have cut seals & removed the service cutout fuses & if its a new meter that has the integral isolation switch , then I have removed the seal the meter mokeys have the habbit of fitting to the switch.
Why.....................because I dont fancy working with live tails! & most customers dont want to pay out or wait 24 days for SSE to do what I would do anyway.



But as said 99.9999999999999999% its missing anyway.

kme
25th April 2008, 22:55
a knowledgable person.
why would you need too???

Well I'll put my hands up & be honest.
Yes I have cut seals & removed the service cutout fuses & if its a new meter that has the integral isolation switch , then I have removed the seal the meter mokeys have the habbit of fitting to the switch.
Why.....................because I dont fancy working with live tails! & most customers dont want to pay out or wait 24 days for SSE to do what I would do anyway.





Agree with you both here. As Mr. Steptoe says, what`s the problem - unless you intend to attempt to comply with EAWR`89 - Then you`ve got to prove it was :
a. unreasonable to work dead.
AND
b. reasonable to work live.

However, some tails can be a real pain to deal with, in limited space etc, and then I pull the service fuse. NEVER the meter seal though - Never seen a need to.

On a connected note - one of the scottish DNOs piloted a system whereby qualified sparks could call them on a dedicated line, give the address, and were allowed to cut seals.

NICEIC held talks with other RECs/DNOs, who pretty much said:
"It`s our stuff, and we`re not having anyone else touching it."

And on a similar point again - upgrade of EC on PME. Our DNO has started fitting the Earthing terminal INSIDE the cutout. They`re charging up to £50 to come to property, open service head, undo pme screw, remove 6mm cable, and insert 16mm which I`ve left readily available. Sod that - I`ll do `em myself in future.

steptoe
25th April 2008, 23:09
UNLESS,
and this does make me a lair, (I never claimed not to be one!)
its the old style braided tails, and yes I have cut the meter seal and replaced them, rang DNO, explained to the (usually) lady on the phone and no probs.
but otherwise just to fit a new C/u or Earth Ive not cut seals,
for earth Ive left the tail hanging and informed DNO of my action and got customer to sign the form to say action has been accepted by them.
(cant remember the form name, sorry)
obviously Ive left existing earth connected also.
I think in this country its a much to a much once you get to know the set up with DNO if they find it acceptable or not to cut seals,
just a warning to any1 thinking of looking further afield, CHECK first.
your ass ' . '
your ass in jail ' O '
:^O:^O:^O

kme
25th April 2008, 23:22
:^O:^O:^O:^O:^O


Nice one my friend. FOTC +ROTF

Badger
14th January 2009, 17:57
ive never come across a seal upto now and ive done alot of board changes ;)

Andy™
14th January 2009, 18:07
i often break the cutout seal, but if tails are undersized and need changed, then meter seal has to be broken. depending on the job, i sometimes screw an isolator to wall ready, then cut/strip and terminate live (insulated gloves are useful).

OOI, has anyone else came accross meters with a built in isolator? didnt get details of meter, but there was 2 covers on bottom, one on supply side and a separate for load side. under this cover there was a switch so you could work dead on the terminals. there was no kind of markings or anything on the meter to say there was an isolator, apart from the back of the cover

GreekIslandLover
14th January 2009, 18:09
Our boss told us a while back that SSE would let you cut the seal of you were an NIC registered company. Never quite sure if that was true or not, but as I've never seen a seal it's not a problem ;)

However, on callout duty recently I had one property where ther was no juice coming into the property. Rang up SSE and tole them this. They said remove the fuse and check. I queried this instruction, and they then said if you are NIC registered you can cut the fuse. Had a second callout a few weeks later, and the service head had turned into a molten blob - no power coming in. Rang them to tell them they had better get it sorted. They asked me to remove the fuse and check if there was any power. I declined as under the circumstances they needed to do it.

But if it wasn't possibly going to save one of their blokes coming out in the middle of the night, would they say the same thing I wonder?????

Theorysparky
14th January 2009, 19:22
I put the question to an EON sparky a while back.

they didnt mind if it could be seen to have been done for a legitimate reason,ie cu change

but they would not tolerate tampering for theft of service which is how the drugs factory in Northamptonshire was discovered

Andy™
14th January 2009, 19:25
but they would not tolerate tampering for theft of service which is how the drugs factory in Northamptonshire was discovered


just about every time ive came accross where the leccy has been stolen all seals are intact...

Badger
14th January 2009, 19:27
so that means then its more of a chance if the c/u has been changed and niceic issued cert then eon-supplier shouldnt really have a problem with that, as its safer to put tails directly into the meter than have a tail from the meter through another henley block which goes from 16mm to 25mm, at 100 amps :O

SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH
14th January 2009, 20:24
About 15 years ago i was contracted by Cable London to upgrade the supplies to there roadside cabinets. It was all night work. 50 % had meters and the other 50% the supply came straight from a EDF head and the usage was estimated. There were 5 of us out every night for 2 months and we had to do 18 cabinets each. We were given letters from EDF ( each with our names on) that stated we were allowed to remove the seals and carry out maintenance works to the equipment. I used that letter for years.

SPECIAL LOCATION
14th January 2009, 22:57
BLIMEY!!!


all I can say is....

original thread started April 08!!:O

who dug this one back out of the bag???:|



ADMIN!!


you goto lock that cellar door again!!X(

Badger
15th January 2009, 06:46
no it was MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :^O :^O

Andy™
15th January 2009, 11:03
original thread started April 08!!:O

who dug this one back out of the bag???:|



badger has been digging round some old threads...

Badger
15th January 2009, 16:27
i saw them in a pile in the cellar and thought what are these doing here so had a peep :O

kme
15th January 2009, 20:41
Curiosity..............!!!!!!!!

Good job you`re not a cat

SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH
15th January 2009, 20:45
i saw them in a pile in the cellar and thought what are these doing here so had a peep :O

What, all those old cut off seals ?

Badger
15th January 2009, 22:12
What, all those old cut off seals ?

:^O

Badger
15th January 2009, 22:13
Curiosity..............!!!!!!!!

Good job you`re not a cat

:_|Blushing

kme
15th January 2009, 23:45
BTW

I love your sig Badg. Best advice to give anyone, for anything.

bless.

SPECIAL LOCATION
15th January 2009, 23:51
BTW

I love your sig Badg. Best advice to give anyone, for anything.

bless.

Concur with that point...Applaud Smiley:D:x

SPECIAL LOCATION
15th January 2009, 23:53
i saw them in a pile in the cellar and thought what are these doing here so had a peep :O

Hope you had your safety glasses & gauntlets on!:|


Admins cellar can be dangerous................













I heard some of Theory's pigs disappeared for over a month down there???:(:|

Badger
16th January 2009, 06:42
Hope you had your safety glasses & gauntlets on!:|


Admins cellar can be dangerous................













I heard some of Theory's pigs disappeared for over a month down there???:(:|

Yeah i noticed it can be a dangerous place, as i tripped up over all the bloomin beer bottles in the middle, and wheres the bloody light swith gone as the switch isnt the same place as it was last time i went i the cellar







oooopppsss shouldnt have said id been down there once or twice before :O

kme
16th January 2009, 22:59
Yeah i noticed it can be a dangerous place, as i tripped up over all the bloomin beer bottles in the middle, and wheres the bloody light swith gone as the switch isnt the same place as it was last time i went i the cellar

Ring any bells, wizzer??????







oooopppsss shouldnt have said id been down there once or twice before :O

KME

SPECIAL LOCATION
16th January 2009, 23:12
Yeah i noticed it can be a dangerous place, as i tripped up over all the bloomin beer bottles in the middle, and wheres the bloody light swith gone as the switch isnt the same place as it was last time i went i the cellar
ooopppsss shouldnt have said id been down there once or twice before :O


I thought Slipdshod borrowed the light switch..
at the same time he borrowed the neutral???:O?:|


did you find any exported earths down the cellar badge??
I think Steoptoes lost a few?

Badger
16th January 2009, 23:15
no its a tns supply ;)