DNO Main fuse

[Guitarist]

I would like to start by saying that I have never touched a DNO main fuse. I have always wondered though, whether some electricians might be tempted to keep a few spares in their vans to get customers up and running, rather than bother the very busy DNO people, if one was to fail. Anyone else ever wondered about this?

 

[Richard Burns]

Obviously that would be very bad, and actually the DNOs are not keen at all on someone replacing a blown fuse.
Slightly more laid back about removal of the fuse (unofficially).
But if the seals have fallen off and the fault is definitely repaired!!! then may be OK.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Have done in spain when some dodgy builders went straight into the meter box for a "big supply" and blew mi fuse....got a couple of spares as well..

 

[telectrix]

i generally leave a fish by the CU. the seals then jump off for the fish.

 

[sedgy34]

I had a call out to a shop last year the guy was locking up and he couldn't get his shutters down the electric had gone off so I got testers out to find main fuse had gone ping, luckily I had some on the van eh

 

[Guitarist]

I had a call out to a shop last year the guy was locking up and he couldn't get his shutters down the electric had gone off so I got testers out to find main fuse had gone ping, luckily I had some on the van eh

That was very noble of you sedgy. Horrible to see someone in distress and not be able to help them.

 

[sedgy34]

That was very noble of you sedgy. Horrible to see someone in distress and not be able to help them.

we all offer a service! my services were honoured

 

[mayfair]

Nobody had a talk with the DNO sparky and got some seals off him, Last time i asked here (Spain) got some wire and the seals no probs....save them getting called out for silly jobs. Or does it not work like that in UK ...........Sorry been away a long time so please dont shoot me down.

 

[Jay Sparks]

Nobody had a talk with the DNO sparky and got some seals off him, Last time i asked here (Spain) got some wire and the seals no probs....save them getting called out for silly jobs. Or does it not work like that in UK ...........Sorry been away a long time so please dont shoot me down.

If the seals are MISSING and the customer wants them back on then you can buy a set of 50 seals and wire for around £4 from ebay. I have some (JUST IN CASE!!!!!!) and they are great. Never had to use them yet though (honest)!!!!!! lol


Jay

 

[cbw]

Did one the other day, customer had a massive cooker fault (FIRE)

Old wylex rewirable had the equivelent of a nail in it

Hence 60A main fuse blew.

Called UK power networks and they were there before I could tidy my tools away!


(I have seals and main fuses in stock, however always best to try the correct procedure first)

 

[plugsandsparks]

Nobody had a talk with the DNO sparky and got some seals off him, Last time i asked here (Spain) got some wire and the seals no probs....save them getting called out for silly jobs. Or does it not work like that in UK ...........Sorry been away a long time so please dont shoot me down.

All seams a bit random in UK, i needed to cut the seals of a large DNO box that contained the meter transformers ( was chasing a phase sequence problem) anyway i bumped into the meter man about a month later and asked for some seals to seal it back up. Comprendez non.... looks like i will have to go on ebay

 

[Guitarist]

All seams a bit random in UK, i needed to cut the seals of a large DNO box that contained the meter transformers ( was chasing a phase sequence problem) anyway i bumped into the meter man about a month later and asked for some seals to seal it back up. Comprendez non.... looks like i will have to go on ebay

Isn't a coded crimping tool needed on the ferrules?

 

[DurhamSparky]

If the main fuse is blown it blew for a reason!! find fault rectify and get DNO to replace "in the NEDL region it is classed as emergency and a 4 hour response time is given, (normally takes 45 mins)!! "

pulling replacing and cutting seals is one thing but i don't fancy the risk of blowing my hand off should the fault be INSIDE the service head or Meter!!!

 

[dingledong]

yes a coded crimping tool is needed guitarist ! if you want to reseal , but there are 4 or 5 different seals and you would need the tool for each one

 

[Guitarist]

yes a coded crimping tool is needed guitarist ! if you want to reseal , but there are 4 or 5 different seals and you would need the tool for each one

Just curious really. Never touched one and don't intend to either.

 

[Guitarist]

If the main fuse is blown it blew for a reason!! find fault rectify and get DNO to replace "in the NEDL region it is classed as emergency and a 4 hour response time is given, (normally takes 45 mins)!! "

pulling replacing and cutting seals is one thing but i don't fancy the risk of blowing my hand off should the fault be INSIDE the service head or Meter!!!

I disagree mate. The only fuses I have come across which were blown had done so for no reason at all other than they were "old and tired", as the EON guys always say when they replace them. However, I totally agree that I would not want to take the chance.

 

[1shortcircuit]

If the main fuse is blown it blew for a reason!! find fault rectify and get DNO to replace "in the NEDL region it is classed as emergency and a 4 hour response time is given, (normally takes 45 mins)!! "

pulling replacing and cutting seals is one thing but i don't fancy the risk of blowing my hand off should the fault be INSIDE the service head or Meter!!!

I am of the same opinion.

Watching seals fall off to achieve safe isolation is something that happens but replacing a blown fuse (whilst the examples above were justified) is not something that I would consider.

If I got caught for removing a seal to achieve safe isolation then I believe there is an argument to be had. Deliberately tampering with the DNO's equipment to carry out a job that they should be doing is a totally different kettle of fish and an argument that I believe I could not justify?

This is just my opinion on what I would or would not do :thumbsup

 

[oldtimer]

I got called out to one that had blown as the customer tried to change a shower pullcord switch so the DNO came out only to find it was not the flat fuse that had popped but the one in the bottom of the stair and the house factor had the key

Why did this go well the shower had a 40A CB and the main fuse was 100A but the fuse at the bottom of the stair was 60A and was quicker to react to the short circuit than the CB

 

[sedgy34]

in my case it was overload as he extended the shop which topped it over and eventually it gave way

 

[Dean Williams]

Obviously that would be very bad, and actually the DNOs are not keen at all on someone replacing a blown fuse.
Slightly more laid back about removal of the fuse (unofficially).
But if the seals have fallen off and the fault is definitely repaired!!! then may be OK.

last year i blew a 60A fuse at a local industrial unit, i called the Dno (manweb), and they replaced the fuse and gave me a handful of fuses should i blow anymore.

 

[Knobhead]

Fit a no-blow fuse!
View attachment 12219
I think it was Widdler that originally posted this.

 

[mechelec]

Isn't a coded crimping tool needed on the ferrules?

Mole grips will suffice.

 

[oldtimer]

DNO upgraded this head end 7 years ago so what do you think is missing ?

 

[sedgy34]

err could it be the Main Earth to the CU or the dno fuse seals

 

[oldtimer]

Both actually the customer had no main earth for 7 years because the guy who fitted it mumbled something about getting an electrician out to look at the main earth now that was last year I was called out to another house recently with the exact same fault. Me I think its criminal but then I have to realise that they are above the law so for anybody thinks we have come a long way since the dark ages should think again mind they have not got the time to pass a law that says leave an installation in a safe condition and for the price and time of a 1 metre length of 16mm green and yellow cable

 

[wildgoose]

Ever seen one of those large DNO clear plastic boxes which fit over the service head and the meter? They put their seals on them too?
Went to a house last year and had to upgrade the main earth for the new owners. What a coincidence that the seals just happen to be missing because I needed to have access to the TNCS earthing block!

 

[Guitarist]

When the EON guy came out to me a few weeks ago to fit a DP isolator (free of charge), he even sealed the henley block on my side of the meter. I asked him why, when it was on my side and I would need access to it. He said that they have to seal everything, but up to me if I want to break the seal....

 

[truckster]

When I was on the books a few years ago one of the other guys went to a cottage on Exmoor that had no power, found the ancient 60A main fuse had gone. Tested installation which consisted of about three lights, half a dozen sockets and a cooker. Tested fine so he replaced the fuse with another 60A one he had on the van. Boss rang Western Power and asked for the fuse to be resealed.(perhaps not the cleverest idea!) The brown stuff hit the whirly thing, firm was warned that WP were considering legal action to the tune of £5000 and were reported to NICEIC. So I would never replace a DNO fuse.

 

[edexlab]

I'm sure this has been talked about before , I read a thread recently which directed you to a link re HV training run by SP manweb I had a look and noticed they also do a main fuse removal half day course presumably for meter replacement and the like
Does anyone know if
A) it's open to electricians
B) you did this course you could get permission from other DNO's to remove their fuses

I have rung but got the run around from people who didn't know which department i needed to speak to
The reason for wanting to do a course is that last year I had a meter installer threatening to cause trouble after I'd done a job via tails to Henley block and he knew there was no Henley there previously ,so he said it was obvious that we'd (allegedly)pulled the main fuse , which we did reseal as there were no seals on when we got there.
Anyway nothing ever came of it he probably got told to shut up and forget about it but I was obviously a bit concerned at the time and rather than have the worry I'd prefer to go and do the course .

 

[trev]

What a coincidence that the seals just happen to be missing because I needed to have access to the TNCS earthing block!

What a stroke of great luck

 

[Knobhead]

B) you did this course you could get permission from other DNO's to remove their fuses

I don’t suppose it listed the DNO’s that would give this accreditation?

 

[edexlab]

I tried them again and finally got through to someone at WPD still waiting for SPManweb
it seems that unless you are currently operating a contract with a DNO then they won't authorise you to remove fuses no matter what training you've had the only exception is for a distress change of CU .
This I think is a bit strange that they won't allow someone who can demonstrate that they are skilled and professionally qualified and registered with an accredited body and willing to undergo more training to do this

but get a job with a meter provider do an induction and a half day course and off you go!

I don't believe that they would lose money they could probably make a few quid offering a course
I don't know anybody who arranges for a proper isolation (some do arrange for isolators to be fitted) but if they do they only do it the once ,then after waiting around for half a day for reconnection and don't bother the next time.

 

[Steve_P]

Pulling fuses seems to vary from area to area and if you're on a competant person scheme. Here in Cornwall if you phone the DNO the answer is a flat "NO", a friend in the Oxford area though, used to get "NO CHANCE" when he was notifying direct, now he's on a shceme, it's "Yeah ok, tell us when you're done and we'll seal it again".

As for just pulling it? that's what the DNO are for even if I may or may not have some seals in my van :cheesy:

 

[edexlab]

Ever seen one of those large DNO clear plastic boxes which fit over the service head and the meter? They put their seals on them too?
Went to a house last year and had to upgrade the main earth for the new owners. What a coincidence that the seals just happen to be missing because I needed to have access to the TNCS earthing block!

I noticed the NICEIC have the insulated 4mm allen keys for sale on their shop website
presumably they sell these for profit while saying they do not advise you to mess with the cutout
(which is the main intended use for this tool although these tools can be used on other things also)

 

[sedgy34]

Used for the cutout yeh