DNO or Dunnos? The frustration.

sevuk · Feb 16, 2018

I'n on a bit of a rant.

I've known an electrician before who likes to call them the "dunnos." I've not often had to deal with them as I'm normally just a sub-contractor. Except some years ago I had to get I believe SSE out who were so easy to deal with I barely remembered it, the guy gave me a spare fuse in case I blew it up. Wasn't sure how to take that!

Anyway this week we've been inspecting a building with a three phase supply, no paperwork available even though it's been maintained by a company for 5 years.

I could hazard a guess the fuses are 100A, and I couldn't de-energise the building to do a proper Ze, with the earth disconnected from the installation (i'm not sure anyone does that, my old boss never did).

I thought you know what I'll call the supply authority as I remember college said they should have these things on record.

After getting passed onto company after company, I realised there's so many reasons people don't involve them.

I'm having difficulty again today trying to book an engineer to pull a fuse in a single phase property. First they had no idea what I was talking about, and just a couple of days ago they were all to ready to come out I just needed to agree the date range with the customer which is the only reason I didn't book it then.

Anyone else had these difficulties? Is it usual for them to ask the customer to arrange it instead? I would expect them to maybe check with the customer, but what if they don't understand what they're asking and they had to organise it themselves?

suffolkspark · Feb 16, 2018

get the supplier to come and fit a main isolator before you want to do the job, I've done that with no issues a few times

sevuk · Feb 16, 2018

suffolkspark said:
get the supplier to come and fit a main isolator before you want to do the job, I've done that with no issues a few times

Probably would be sensible, there's old VIR cables from the head, I was going to replace them to the meter. I really can't remember what happened when the man moved the meter last time I was involved in something like this, whether he put in the cables or I did. Or we supplied the cable and he did it.

Would they do this if they fitted an isolator?

I'm really trying to do things the proper way, most people I know would either pull the fuse or do it live with no load on the system...

suffolkspark · Feb 16, 2018

Get the customer to call their supplier and tell them there's old VIR meter tails and they're brittle, (doesn't matter if they aren't) they'll probably replace from head to meter and meter to an isolator FOC then, some have a set charge for fitting an isolator otherwise and I've got over it this way.

Obviously many of us will just pull the fuses if we have to, but If I have time to schedule in a CCU change a while in advance then I do it the "proper way"
expect a 3 week wait for a scheduled main iso fitment, but I the tails are nackard they'll come out sharpish.

sevuk · Feb 16, 2018

Thanks,

This house also has an old off peak meter attached, would be good to avoid getting involved in all that as it's the supply authority's anyway. I'm considering whether the head flap should be replaced as it has a hair line crack in it. From a common sense point of view it's not unsafe. I don't think you can see it in the picture I've attached. It's a three phase head box but only 1 phase is used.