DNO Attendance

[shazbutz]

Hi
Newbie here returning to the trade after years off the tools, requalified and wondering why I bothered. I called a DNO this morning to enquire if the supply to a property was TT or TN-S as there apppeared to be a 30 year old DIY modification to the earthing arrangement. The customer was adamanet that no electrical work had been done since the place was rewired 30 years ago.
I'd upgraded the C/U to split load, dual RCD and completed all the dead tests [all radial circuits and all surprisingly good] and started Zs and got whacky results all between 12.8 AND 13.5 ohms.
Back to the basics as I looked at what I'd taken as TN-S pulled apart various earth cables to discover that a cunningly hidded earth clamp attached a cable to the armour of the incomer mascarading as the DNO earth taking a tortuous and hidden route to the MET and the cable to the earth rod left unconnected and buried in the garden!
To the point, rather than send out an engineer under flashing amber lights why couldn't they confirm the original supply details? Don't they keep records anymore? all I wanted to do was to make sure that it wasn't a poor TN-S and by the time they arrived a new rod was in and connected!
Anyway hello!

 

[Knobhead]

Last time I wanted information their records office had burnt down.
If you want information:
1/ unroll your prayer mat
2/ check the direction it's pointing in with you're pocket compass. (E)
3/ drop to you're knees and pray to Mecca!

 

[Engineer54]

Why the hell didn't you ask about the possibility of a PME connection?? So what did you bung in for the new earth rod, a 1m twig?? I bet that really upped your Ze/Ra value?? lol!!

 

[bugsy]

last time I called the DNO was because a cut out had caught fire, took them two hours ! by which time Id buried it in foam

 

[shazbutz]

Why the hell didn't you ask about the possibility of a PME connection?? So what did you bung in for the new earth rod, a 1m twig?? I bet that really upped your Ze/Ra value?? lol!!

once the nice chap in the call centre had convinced me there was no chance of a record of the installation I banged in a request for PME, which quote "will be reviewed and passed to the approriate team who will attend the address to discuss the request with the home owner". I took that as "stop meddling and go and belt a lump of copper coated rubbish into the ground and fasten it to something".

 

[Geordie Spark]

Last time I wanted information their records office had burnt down.
If you want information:
1/ unroll your prayer mat
2/ check the direction it's pointing in with you're pocket compass. (E)
3/ drop to you're knees and pray to Mecca!

Probably an electrical fire.

 

[Silly Sausage]

Probably an electrical fire.

Probably Tony's last job there.

 

[Knobhead]

Funny, the office in question was near you!

 

[bigbaddave]

No disrespect to any any body that works for the DNO, but I have had the misfortune of having to ring them twice

1) First time i was pricing a DB and noticed the main service fuse was missing a carrier and was exposing live parts.. i leave the scene and when i return they have sealed with tape and told the customer to wait for a letter and they will come and repair

2) Conducting a EICR, first box - Services Cut out.. C1... There was a big gaping hole in the cut out and to my discused live parts.. At first thought these things happen. When i informed the customer they were shocked as they had only had a guy out the day before changing the meter.. Why on earth would he leave it in that condition????

 

[sparks1973]

Hi
Newbie here returning to the trade after years off the tools, requalified and wondering why I bothered. I called a DNO this morning to enquire if the supply to a property was TT or TN-S as there apppeared to be a 30 year old DIY modification to the earthing arrangement. The customer was adamanet that no electrical work had been done since the place was rewired 30 years ago.
I'd upgraded the C/U to split load, dual RCD and completed all the dead tests [all radial circuits and all surprisingly good] and started Zs and got whacky results all between 12.8 AND 13.5 ohms.
Back to the basics as I looked at what I'd taken as TN-S pulled apart various earth cables to discover that a cunningly hidded earth clamp attached a cable to the armour of the incomer mascarading as the DNO earth taking a tortuous and hidden route to the MET and the cable to the earth rod left unconnected and buried in the garden!
To the point, rather than send out an engineer under flashing amber lights why couldn't they confirm the original supply details? Don't they keep records anymore? all I wanted to do was to make sure that it wasn't a poor TN-S and by the time they arrived a new rod was in and connected!
Anyway hello!

well if the mod was 30 years ago.....
then just get yoursen a Ze....(visuals first of course)..the usual (tug test n stuff)....if the external is good.....
happy days..