dangerous meter tails

[amlu]

Hello. Got a bit of sticky situation here.
Got called to check on burning smell and arcing from electricity cupboard. Some power loss been reported too.
Its a first floor flat and the power is coming from cutout downstairs (a very, very old cable looking like a VIR and disapperaring behind the board)
Found some charring on the neutral, i suspect that there will be a loose connection inside one of those metal casings.
But i`m not really up for working on it live.


Downstairs flat is owned by different people, we managed to access it and tried to isolate the supply to upstairs, but found that:

There is one service head, one 100A fuse that feeds the meter - for downstairs flat.
Then is the red cable on the left, is leaving the cutout from the side (not from any of the remaining fuses, unless there is some connection inside the cutout?), goes into henley block and splits into dodgy vir cable for flat upstairs, and dodgy vir cable powering flat next door.
If it was one fuse per flat i could call the fairies and sort it out quickly, but thats a bit too much for me.

Informed the customer that there is no way to safely isolate and he should get the UK power network or electrity supplier to sort it out.
He called both but they refuse doing the job.
Not sure what to do now. Advised the guy to write a recorded paper letter and ask for reply on the paper too, in case something goes in flames before.

 

[Octopus]

Hello. Got a bit of sticky situation here.
Got called to check on burning smell and arcing from electricity cupboard. Some power loss been reported too.
Its a first floor flat and the power is coming from cutout downstairs (a very, very old cable looking like a VIR and disapperaring behind the board)
Found some charring on the neutral, i suspect that there will be a loose connection inside one of those metal casings.
But i`m not really up for working on it live.
View attachment 31777

Downstairs flat is owned by different people, we managed to access it and tried to isolate the supply to upstairs, but found that:
View attachment 31778
There is one service head, one 100A fuse that feeds the meter - for downstairs flat.
Then is the red cable on the left, is leaving the cutout from the side (not from any of the remaining fuses, unless there is some connection inside the cutout?), goes into henley block and splits into dodgy vir cable for flat upstairs, and dodgy vir cable powering flat next door.
If it was one fuse per flat i could call the fairies and sort it out quickly, but thats a bit too much for me.

Informed the customer that there is no way to safely isolate and he should get the UK power network or electrity supplier to sort it out.
He called both but they refuse doing the job.
Not sure what to do now. Advised the guy to write a recorded paper letter and ask for reply on the paper too, in case something goes in flames before.

Really?

The last instance I had of something similar, I called UK PN on the customers behalf, then turned off their CU - UK PN were there within the hour, replaced the head and everyone was happy!

 

[7029 dave]

IMO the DNO should be responsible for that cut out, also looks like a fused neutral,call them back. I am surprised they would not attend, after all it is before the supply meter.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe your customer, when he called the DNO wasn't a technical person and gave them the wrong info, why don't you as an electrician call them on your customer's behalf?

 

[Marvo]

If that neutral starts to float there's going to be tears. I'd contact the DNO as a sparky and explain the issue to them and don't take 'no' for an answer.

 

[amlu]

My last advice to the customer was to call UKPN and the electricity supplier, mentioning past inspection by an electrician and possible loose connection and overheating on their part of installation. If they refuse any action to get their answer in writing.

DNO people were apparently there and said that they are dealing with the part only up to the service head and the rest is not their business.
Electricity provider (not sure who) refused to send someone out after a phone call (and suggested to call DNO!).

 

[UNG]

Informed the customer that there is no way to safely isolate and he should get the UK power network or electrity supplier to sort it out.
He called both but they refuse doing the job.
Not sure what to do now. Advised the guy to write a recorded paper letter and ask for reply on the paper too, in case something goes in flames before.

I think you have really failed here is it too much trouble for you to call the DNO and report the fault, you can provide a far better report to the DNO using the correct terminology for the problem than your customer can

 

[ferg]

Like Murdoch the last time I made this call DNO were out in a couple of hours.