DNO Fuses In Flats Replaced By Dummy

NickD · Mar 19, 2014

Now obviously I have not seen this with my own eyes as it would involve pulling possible DNO fuses which I would never do...but I have it on good authority that there is a certain small block of flats where each flat has, in a meter box outside the front door, its own meter and what appears to be a DNO fuse holder; and in each of these "DNO" fuse holders there is, where one might have expected a BS1361 fuse, a thick tubular metal dummy.

Now, this could be because elsewhere in the block there is a main fuse cupboard with correct fuse protection for the distribution circuits to the individual flats. ****Is such an arrangement not uncommon, in your experience?**** Or, it could be that there is no such cupboard and the whole thing is in fact a complete bloody nightmare. There is no easy way to know without asking the block management, who a) I wouldn't trust to be right if asked the colour of orange juice, and b) might get nasty and suspicious.

My natural inclination, if it were up to me, which of course it isn't, would be to stick your metal tube up your backside and get a suitable rated BS1361 in there.

Thoughts?

Knobhead · Mar 19, 2014

Have a look for the intake the fuses will be there, possibly in a Ryefield board. This has cropped up a number of times on here.

High Tower · Mar 19, 2014

It won't be a tube it will be a flat blade across the two terminals.

It's completely normal to do this, see it quite often, especially in flats. There is even a area in brum that's one big council estate and when they were built, the DNO thought it was easiest to drop a 3ph head into every 3rd house and then split out to the neighbours either side. It's all right until some bright spark things they want to cover up the head!, in this case each house had a single phase head fed from the 3ph with a solid link in it, as it gives them something to terminate their cable into.

Like I say house I went to someone had bricked the 3ph into a porch wall!!!!!

7029 dave · Mar 19, 2014

The dummy fuse's you describe, are called link fuse red in colour, normaly found when muliti ways are installed ie blocks of flats,and supplier is run off to other floors etc then link fuse/ cut out fitted.

Engineer54 · Mar 19, 2014

There is just no hope for some people out there!! lol!! Bet he wasn't too pleased when his perfectly laid brickwork had to be hacked into either, however neatly it was done!!

High Tower · Mar 19, 2014

Engineer54 said:
There is just no hope for some people out there!! lol!! Bet he wasn't too pleased when his perfectly laid brickwork had to be hacked into either, however neatly it was done!!

Engineer54 · Mar 19, 2014

It won't be a tube it will be a flat blade across the two terminals.

It's entirely possible that it could be a tinned copper tube. They are generally used as neutral solid links, but have also often seen them used in BS1361 /88 carriers too. They are made to the exact same dimensions as the actual fuses, so they will in fact be perfect fit within fuse carriers. Flat blade links won't fit many of the DNO service fuse carriers that i know of...

High Tower · Mar 19, 2014

Engineer54 said:
It's entirely possible that it could be a tinned copper tube. They are generally used as neutral solid links, but have also often seen them used in BS1361 /88 carriers too. They are made to the exact same dimensions as the actual fuses, so they will in fact be perfect fit within fuse carriers. Flat blade links won't fit many of the DNO service fuse carriers that i know of...

I stand corrected then!

All of the ones I've seen ( only in brum) are blades

Guest111 · Mar 19, 2014

Seen these quite a lot,in fact I wrote a response in PE magazine to a chap who said he'd found one on an inspection and he thought it was wrong,they were very common where a Ryefield was involved or something similar,as someone else has said they are often in a red carrier to denote from outside that it contains a solid link.

NickD · Mar 19, 2014

Engineer54 said:
It's entirely possible that it could be a tinned copper tube...made to the exact same dimensions as the actual fuses, so they will in fact be perfect fit within fuse carriers. Flat blade links won't fit many of the DNO service fuse carriers that i know of...

That is exactly what they look like, as if they were specifically engineered for the purpose....or so I have it on good authority. OK, this clears it up, thanks guys. Wonder where the main board is then...

Guest111 · Mar 19, 2014

NickD said:
That is exactly what they look like, as if they were specifically engineered for the purpose....or so I have it on good authority. OK, this clears it up, thanks guys. Wonder where the main board is then...

On the ground floor there will be a small room,if the flats have storage sheds in the communal area it will look like one of them and all the gear will be inside,I had a client who lived in a flat and the metering set up was actually inside her storage cupboard!

mechelec · Mar 20, 2014

Here's one I prepared earlier. Don't worry I got it of a mate who's got a mate who knows a guy at the local DNO

7029 dave · Mar 20, 2014

mechelec said:
Here's one I prepared earlier. Don't worry I got it of a mate who's got a mate who knows a guy at the local DNO

View attachment 23695

Mr hey you have cut me off. lol Some of those are sealed units, some are not as above.

GLENNSPARK · Mar 20, 2014

phil d said:
Seen these quite a lot,in fact I wrote a response in PE magazine to a chap who said he'd found one on an inspection and he thought it was wrong,they were very common where a Ryefield was involved or something similar,as someone else has said they are often in a red carrier to denote from outside that it contains a solid link.

yeah...i`v seen several postings to caught on camera from folk claiming they`v come across a bodge....always makes me chuckle when i see the postings/pics...