Service head query

[tlangdon12]

Attached is a picture of the service head at our house. Is this a type that the DNO should replace for free upon notification?

It looks very old, and may have a fused neutral line, I can't quite see through the sight glass to see whether this is the case. The conductors going to the meter look like they have some sort of fabric covering and look very thin compared to the modern meter tails.

The CU is a Wylex rewireable fuse unit that I'd like to get upgraded; one advantage of this head is that it appears to have a built-in isolator (lever on the top rhs), but I think it needs to go.

Thanks in advance.

Tony (Householder)

 

[Knobhead]

One Tony to another,

Get in touch with you’re supplier tomorrow.
That service head is a thing of beauty, but should be in a museum.

It should be replaced ASAP!

Ask if you can keep the head, cleaned up it would be a conversation piece.

 

[jamsey]

I used to fit meters, and yes contact DNO and they should replace it for free

 

[RWJ]

There's even an isolator on the side.... It could be the future lolol

 

[Guitarist]

Makes me smile that the supplier has connected a shiny new meter to those old tails. The DNO boys will enjoy seeing this one, for sure

 

[tlangdon12]

The DNO boys will enjoy seeing this one, for sure

Should I be charging them to come and look at? I can get some tickets printed, perhaps get a caterer in...

I definitely like the idea of restoring it, as a conversation piece.

I thought the DNOs were under some obligation to have completed a replacement programme for a certain type of service head by a certain date. Can anyone point me to anything official that refers to this requirement if it is correct?

Thanks all

 

[Knobhead]

They are under obligation to change the head. Especially any with a fused neutral.

BTW that’s a DC service head. How old is you’re house?

Serve tea and cakes you could be on to a winner.

 

[tlangdon12]

The house is Victorian. There are still some long sections of wooden conduit in the cellar containing one red and one black VIR cable. A separate earth cable of tiny cross section is also present. All the old cables are disconnected. This seems to have been done when the house was rewired with PVC cables.

 

[Knobhead]

It's an ask.

Could you post up some pictures of the wooden capping and casing?

I’m interested in anything that’s electrical and old.

As an industry we don’t have a long history when compared to the other trades.

Much as we despise plumbers and fitters, we are the new boys in town.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

It's an ask.

Could you post up some pictures of the wooden capping and casing?

I’m interested in anything that’s electrical and old.

As an industry we don’t have a long history when compared to the other trades.

Much as we despise plumbers and fitters, we are the new boys in town.

so they can just move aside....cant they...

 

[Geordie Spark]

so they can just move aside....cant they...

................or sign-up to a 5 week course and become a fully qualified electrician .....................

 

[Spoon]

I’m interested in anything that’s electrical and old.

If you send me £5 I will post you some pics of me.... I fall into that category...

 

[thomas-1981]

Yea contact the DNO not the supplier. Should be free of charge. I wouldn't be using the isolator on the side, probably break in the off position.

 

[Knobhead]

Yea contact the DNO not the supplier. Should be free of charge. I wouldn't be using the isolator on the side, probably break in the off position.

From that statement, you’ve never come across old switchgear.

It would out last any modern isolator.

 

[Guitarist]

From that statement, you’ve never come across old switchgear.

It would out last any modern isolator.

Absolutely Tony. When I worked for HP foods about 16 years ago, we had machinery with original switchgear from the 50's early 60's. Stuff was built like a tank, and nobody cared that it was twice the size of the modern stuff.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Absolutely Tony. When I worked for HP foods about 16 years ago, we had machinery with original switchgear from the 50's early 60's. Stuff was built like a tank, and nobody cared that it was twice the size of the modern stuff.

dont get `im started on Reyrolle....

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Thanks for posting the pic! That's a nice thing, please do try to make sure it doesn't get scrapped or broken up during replacement. When it was installed, if the service was DC the meter would have looked more like one of these: Electrokinetica - Factory: Intake room

FWIW if you eventually decide you don't want it rattling around the house once it has been replaced, we would certainly be interested in giving it a home at Electrokinetica where we are starting to build displays of early wiring systems. I need to find complete sets of equipment from each decade - easier said than done these days.

Cheers
Lucien

PS my first post on the forum!

 

[Geordie Spark]

dont get `im started on Reyrolle....

A J Reyrolle of Hebburn (it's in Geordieland) ....... another one that has bitten the dust.

 

[telectrix]

they were in their prime in your time, geordie. LOL.

 

[RWJ]

Thanks for posting the pic! That's a nice thing, please do try to make sure it doesn't get scrapped or broken up during replacement. When it was installed, if the service was DC the meter would have looked more like one of these: Electrokinetica - Factory: Intake room

FWIW if you eventually decide you don't want it rattling around the house once it has been replaced, we would certainly be interested in giving it a home at Electrokinetica where we are starting to build displays of early wiring systems. I need to find complete sets of equipment from each decade - easier said than done these days.

Cheers
Lucien

PS my first post on the forum!

Welcome along Lucien,

Are you a collector / museum?

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Hi RWJ
Thanks for the welcome, with this hat on I'm the erstwhile curator of a forthcoming electrical museum 'Electrokinetica', but I do electrical installation as part of the day job too. So it's a bit of a busman's holiday really. I'll go and introduce myself properly on the new members forum area. A friend pointed out the picture of the vintage service cutout, and I thought it was about time to sign up so I could add my approval to the OP trying to save it for posterity.
Cheers
Lucien

 

[Silly Sausage]

Welcome to EF Lucien.
Be sure to let us know when and where your museum opens.

 

[thomas-1981]

From that statement, you’ve never come across old switchgear.

It would out last any modern isolator.

I do agree things aren't made as good as they once were but I think this is by it's best. Did a spell fitting meters and used to attend cut out replacements and guys from DNO said these were getting stuck in the off position quite often. Usually as per the OP new occupier being curious.

 

[Geordie Spark]

they were in their prime in your time, geordie. LOL.

I remember passing the factory in the train on the way to the seaside (South Shields) with my Mum.

I think the site has been flattened now - as has much of C A Parsons.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

It's an ask.

Could you post up some pictures of the wooden capping and casing?

I’m interested in anything that’s electrical and old.

As an industry we don’t have a long history when compared to the other trades.

Much as we despise plumbers and fitters, we are the new boys in town.

What even Tel :tongue3:

 

[Phoenix]

dont get `im started on Reyrolle....

My dad worked there!!! Forest Hall?

 

[Marvo]

Difficult to tell from the photo but if that's bitumen leaking from the supply cable then it also should be replaced at the same time.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Welcome along Lucien,

Are you a collector / museum?

Lucien...
is that a foreign word for:

 

[Geordie Spark]

My dad worked there!!! Forest Hall?

Hebburn - South side of the river.

Forest Hall is North side, but it's possible Reyrolle had a place there too.

Here's a Wikki link: A. Reyrolle & Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Lucien...
is that a foreign word for...

Nope, just the French version of the Latin for light. I used to be a bulb in a former life. 150W GLS pearl BC, according to my birth cert.
L

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Nope, just the French version of the Latin for light. I used to be a bulb in a former life. 150W GLS pearl BC, according to my birth cert.
L

hmm...
i think i may have been this in a former life...

 

[Knobhead]

Alfonso Reyrolle started the company making industrial switchgear. One of their best lines was HH switchgear, people think HH comes from its lay out. Reyrolle bought the rights to manufacture Holmes Hazmyer (Belgium) switchgear in the UK.

Yes Glenn I do like Reyrolle gear. The company is still going but only makes protection relays now.

HH gear. Sorry it’s a drawing, I took out loads of this stuff and never took a photograph.

Class “B” 11KV dual bus-bar horizontal isolation.

Class “D” We used it at 550V. I loved this gear, even though it tried to kill me!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

where was that then in pic 2 Tony?
power station?

 

[Knobhead]

The original maintenance manual. I’ve still got it!

Top bars were NWEB the bottom our power station.

With a bit of jigging about we could parallel NWEB to EMEB with our two power stations at 11KV.

We owned about 50 miles of OH lines. Part of the network had at it’s time the longest OH line span in the world.

 

[Dcf]

I used to work on an ex ww2 site that had a load of reyrolle switchgear in the main switch room.
wish I had taken pictures in the day ....work of art and totally bulletproof.
it used to be mostly simplex switches left over from dc days in my neck of the woods.
still in serviceable condition after 60-70 years believe it or not.
capstan casing was made out of beech if I'm not mistaken.
it used to make great firewood..
i used to see loads of it when I started out but I've not seen any in ages tbh
must be getting old

 

[Phoenix]

Thanks for the info, I remember now it was Reyrolle Parsons. He then went on to LSE (Lawrence Scott Electromotors I think it was). There was a couple of others as well but it was tough times then so he moved around quite a bit. Finished with GEC Alsthom I think...
I agree that old head would certainly be a talking piece if cleaned up and put on show...

 

[Marvo]

I’m interested in anything that’s electrical and old.

we would certainly be interested in giving it a home at Electrokinetica where we are starting to build displays of early wiring systems. I need to find complete sets of equipment from each decade - easier said than done these days.

I have a few south african equivalents, similar to the one in the OP but 60amp 3-phase cast iron with internal blade isolator and ceramic fuse carriers. Organise the courier and they're yours if you want them, I ripped them out of a small commercial installation last week and they're heading for the scrap bin otherwise. I'll post a photo of two later if can find my camera.

 

[Marvo]

Took a while but here's the photos;

 

[Knobhead]

Don't know about Lucien, but you can scrap that for me.

Interesting to see though, thanks.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Took a while but here's the photos;

View attachment 19795

View attachment 19796

what manufacturer are they....?
is it `the power & light company` or something?

 

[Knobhead]

Lucien,
Just spotted the link in one of you posts to DC meters. The Aron meter, I didn’t realise the Ayrton and Perry had evolved.

I used to have an apprentices text book from 1896, it showed the Ayrton and Perry dual pendulum gaining clock joule meter. My ex threw it out!

And before you lot start, it wasn’t my text book.

 

[shagbite]

Lucien,
Just spotted the link in one of you posts to DC meters. The Aron meter, I didn’t realise the Ayrton and Perry had evolved.

I used to have an apprentices text book from 1896, it showed the Ayrton and Perry dual pendulum gaining clock joule meter. My ex threw it out!

And before you lot start, it wasn’t my text book.

no, like you said, it was your apprentices.

 

[Knobhead]

Thank you!

 

[Lucien Nunes]

what manufacturer are they

Looks like they might be Sanders, at least one of them has the (S) logo but the other could be a copy made under license?
Might be something of a local speciality type made to a SABS standard, don't remember seeing exactly that pattern in the UK. Will get my catalogue out...
Could be half a century newer than the cutouts in the first pic!

 

[Marvo]

TBH I have no idea whatsoever on their age but I also think they're a lot newer than the head in the OP.









One of them is manufactured by a company called 'COOLEX' the other by 'SANDERS HUDACO'.

 

[cotty]

TBH I have no idea whatsoever on their age but I also think they're a lot newer than the head in the OP.

View attachment 19811

View attachment 19812

View attachment 19813

View attachment 19814

One of them is manufactured by a company called 'COOLEX' the other by 'SANDERS HUDACO'.

Let's be honest. You Have no idea! Whoops Banned!

 

[trev]

Let's be honest. You Have no idea! Whoops Banned!

I'd just like to take the opportunity to thank the mods for banning this numbnuts.

 

[tlangdon12]

Attached are a couple of photos of the wooden trunking from the cellar along with some lengths of the red and black vir cable. The wire on top of the trunking is the earth.

Tony

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Technically we should call that 'casing' rather than trunking. There had been some spectacular casing work at the Midland Grand Hotel / St. Pancras Chambers but very little left by the time we were there. I salvaged a bit of it but not enough to make up much of a demo. I wonder how many installations still have live circuits in wooden casing?

 

[telectrix]

tony's probably. :smilielol5::smilielol5::smilielol5: