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Yes we can as long as there provider is notified afterwards to come replace the steel tamper wire seal
 
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I called EDF yesterday to ask about their procedure for isolating the supply by pulling the fuse for doing a CCU change. They told me that if the fuse needs pulling, whether or not it has a seal on it they must be called and and someone will be sent to remove it for me and for this pleasure I will be charged £52; then when I call them back to have the fuse put back they will charge a further £52. So I asked about if the installation was dangerous and the only way of isolating was for the fuse to be removed would they permit me to pull it, absolutely not I must call them and they would send someone out, and it would cost £52!! So to do the job by the book it's an extra £104. And as MADFRIDGE said earlier in this thread to get these answers took me 1 1/2 hours. How do others go about this, just cut the seal and remove and not contact or what?
 
Hi Minivanman
Im ex southern electric meter engineer do what others do cut and pull ! after you can seal using wire and crimps etc you wouldnt believe how many houses ive been to that had seals missing ! what they say and what they do is two diff things as told you need to be licenced/authorized to pull them BUT when all engineers reported the missing seals we find we were told dont matter just reseal etc they cant prove who cut them anyway and cant be botherd to do anything anyway BUT i didnt tell you that !
Happy cutting.
 
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Didn't someone say on here a while back,that you can cut the seal and pull the cut out fuse in an emergency.Person that stated it was an ex-DNO inspector or something along those lines.
 
is there a simple answer..??? can we remove the main fuse yes or no..????
The cutout including fuse and the meter is your electric boards property and you are not allowed to interfere tamper or change the fuse, hence the warning labels on most due to the energy companies competing for the same customer they only check things out if billing iregularities occur so most sparkies just change them anyway :rolleyes: never heard anyone get done in 20yrs of my watch.
 
A spark friend of mine came across a melting c/u due to loose neutrals and the melting plastic dripping onto the neutral busbar, in a small office, a couple of weeks ago. He removed the cut-out fuse (as well as shutting down the office). He called the NICEIC technical helpline, and amongst other things, was told "you have done the right thing by removing the fuse". And so .... the confusion continues ......
 
A spark friend of mine came across a melting c/u due to loose neutrals and the melting plastic dripping onto the neutral busbar, in a small office, a couple of weeks ago. He removed the cut-out fuse (as well as shutting down the office). He called the NICEIC technical helpline, and amongst other things, was told "you have done the right thing by removing the fuse". And so .... the confusion continues ......
With respect to my last post i forgot to point out if their is an immediate hazard or danger then you can remove the cutout but you must then inform the electrical supplier straight away under these circumstances its acceptable and only a rare occasion as your above example.
 
is there a simple answer..??? can we remove the main fuse yes or no..????
I dont know if its still acceptable now with their been so many energy suppliers but when it was only one regional supplier you could get a contractor seal which you fitted yourself a bit like a plastic crimp and when you finished your job it was only a matter of informing them, if its not an option anymore then your breaking the law and subject to possible prosecution with an exception of a circumstance in which its for a risk where leaving the cutout fuse in could be dangerous e.g. damaged meter tail or overheating cutout.
 
Most supply companies will tell you no as you have to have their authorisation level to do so, but I think common sense tells you that most folk do it.
 
If anyone does notify DNO then you may not be charged anyway so worth finding out ! if however you do get charged get the guys mobile number or home number as 99% will do this for you every time you need it done for a few beers or smokes etc as Tesco say every little helps !
 
How can you be sure what fuse is inside the carrier if you do not remove it and look inside. It could be a 6 inch nail or piece of 16mm copper fitted previously by the 10 gallon hat and six shooter fraternity.

If you remove the fuse and it is OK the info you require is written on the side of the fuse BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING SERVICE FUSE

If it is a nail or other unsafe item then ring your local Electricity supplier who owns that piece of equipment and explain that you have found an unsafe situation that requires urgent attention. An engineer should arrive soon to remedy the problem probably by fitting the correct type of fuse. so just ask them what they have put in.

PS there should be no cost for this service it is their equipment up to and including the meter
 
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I ask this same question here a few months ago weather or not I could pull the cut out fuse and most of the answers I got was no...:confused::confused:
 
How can you be sure what fuse is inside the carrier if you do not remove it and look inside. It could be a 6 inch nail or piece of 16mm copper fitted previously by the 10 gallon hat and six shooter fraternity.

If you remove the fuse and it is OK the info you require is written on the side of the fuse BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WHEN REMOVING SERVICE FUSE

If it is a nail or other unsafe item then ring your local Electricity supplier who owns that piece of equipment and explain that you have found an unsafe situation that requires urgent attention. An engineer should arrive soon to remedy the problem probably by fitting the correct type of fuse. so just ask them what they have put in.

PS there should be no cost for this service it is their equipment up to and including the meter
It is still illegal to remove the cutout fuse for any other reason except to remove an immediate hazard or danger so again i say No! you cant remove it to check the type and rating etc, you must ring the supplier and request this info and i agree they may drag their heels abit but they are legally bound to supply you this info for free. If their is a nail in it its not your responsibilty to check or find out its the suppliers job.
Having said all this i dont know a sparky that dosnt check it themselves im just telling it from a legal point of view.
 
I agree with all of the above. The official line is we can't remove the main fuse or tamper with it.
On the cert fill in what you can see, if you can't determine the capacity or type of the fuse just say so.
Normally if the house holder calls the elec co and askes them to remove the fuse for their sparky there is no charge to the house owner (also saves you half a day on the phone and a big phone bill).

If however there is some good reason for you to remove it make sure that there is no load on it so switch off all mcb's and the main switch.
 
I stopped dabbling with these cutout fuses because an Electician got killed removing one, he got hold of the carrier and it crumbled in his hand he finished up with a handful of live bits and didnt live to tell the tale.

I just disconnect at the meter with it live. Not ideal i know, and if i cant do that then its on the phone to get it sorted.

My preffered route is to ring supplier on behalf of the customer and get them to fit an isolator prior to me doing the job, its only about £40 and i include it in cost of rewire so that the customer doesnt see the expense.

Cheers...............Howard
 
I work in the Scottish and Southern DNO area. If you are registered with the following trade associations,
NICEIC, ECA, NAPIT or SELECT then they have a policy that allows contractors to remove the cutout fuse for routine maintenance work.
You must inform SSE that you have removed the fuse and when finished reseal it with a temporary label obtained from their stores. They will then send someone out to fit a new seal.

Info here: (PDF download at top of page) Removal Of Fuses
 
The EWR states it is illegal to work live,Unless the situation can not be avoid.So surely the DNO is treading on very stony ground stopping you.
 
Got my copy of Switched On magazine today from the Electrical Safety Council. There is an article that outlines the problem contractors face, with regard to removal of distributors cutout, in order for work to be carried out safely

In short the ESC along with NICEIC, the ECA and other contracting bodies have been campaigning for the situation to be improved in the interest of safety. ESC are reporting that the concerns are being addressed by DCUSA. DCUSA is a multi party contract between all licsensed distributors, suppliers and generators in GB.

DCUSA has set up a working group to find out what practices are happening and why. They have issued a consultation document to gather information from the relavent interested parties.

In the ESC magazine they say they are hoping for a UK wide scheme to be introduced, that will allow contractors NOT employed by distribution companies, to remove domestic fuses for work to be carried out safely.

It does appear that at long last this issue is to be addressed. May take some time though.:(
 

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