Live neutral reverse!

[Delboybully]

I go to a job today, a nice simple one to replace a light switch.

They have a nice 8 way board with 6 used ways, all RCBO's installed about 2 years ago. So i turn the light on that this switch controls and turn the relavent braker off and out goes the light. I then pop on my volt stick as i usually do before i check for dead and it beeps. Odd i think. So just to be sure i turn all the brakers of and the volt stick still beeps. I turn off the main switch and volt stick no longer beeps. To double check this i set my tester to volts and run through the same procedure again. Sure enough, there is a voltage at the switch until i turn the main switch off. So i think the sparky who installed the CU has made a big mistake and somehow connected live neutral reverse. So i pop the cu cover off and all looks ok (correct coloured wires in the right postions), the incoming tails look ok (the correct coloured tail in the correct terminals). I test for polarity with my AVI, and the live and neutral are reversed. So i mention to the client that this isnt good and he informs me that the meter was changed 3 months ago. I follow the live from the head and sure enough it goes into the neutral of the meter. Unbelievable, i mean these are supposed to be professionals and it isnt hard to test polarity.

So i phone the DNO and they tell me that it isnt their responsibility as they only go as far as the head and its the billing companies responsibility. So I leave telling the customer to contact their billing company ASAP to get them to sort it.

I am still fuming about this, i cant believe they screwed this up so bad!!!!! Not to mention it very dangerous!!!!!!

 

[Knobhead]

You’ve left it with the customer?

OK it’s not you responsibility but I can picture the scenario:

Customer phones Supply Co.
Once he finally gets through he’s talking total balls because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. To some numbskull in Indonesia that doubly doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Phone gets slammed down, “Oh sod it, it’s working. It’ll do”.

Sorry but I couldn’t walk away from a situation like that and leave it with the customer to sort.
I’ll get shouted at for this but I would cut the seals and put it right.

 

[telectrix]

same here. safety is more important than a couple of seals. (or walruses, come to that)

 

[Delboybully]

I am one of what a lot of you call a 'Electrical Trainee'. I set myself up in november and only do domestic. I have the 17th, 2392 and 2391. On the training course I did I was told never to touch the meter as the suppliers go mental. I have told the customer to call the supplier to get them to sort it out and they have told me they will, they understand that it is a very bad situation. I have also arranged with the customer that I will go back early monday morning to make sure it is sorted, I will make any phone calls needed. I have cancelled mondays job and I am going to stay at their home until it is fixed. I am not concerned with getting paid for any lost time on monday, more concerned with getting the situation safe.

 

[DurhamSparky]

OMG!!

seriously mate your a clown for walking away from that!!

who touched it last "the spark" :95:

as with others I would have changed it and photographed my findings !!! each job is logged to an engineer! i would have went for the pay packet and ensured that this xmas the meter changers kids would have no presents as daddy was a fool!

 

[DurhamSparky]

Electrical Trainee or not!! you left a very dangerous situation.

 

[D80]

I'd have fixed it too. And to OP - don't use a voltstick to confirm if something is dead, it has its uses but its not something I'd use to confirm isolation.

Is the meter not the DNO's equipment though?

 

[MNR]

L-N reversed and they forgot to seal the meter, better just sort it out for them as there are no seals to break.

 

[Knobhead]

[Deleted]

 

[DurhamSparky]

I'd have fixed it too. And to OP - don't use a voltstick to confirm if something is dead, it has its uses but its not something I'd use to confirm isolation.

Is the meter not the DNO's equipment though?

Meter belongs to the Electricity Supplier....! (Deregulation and Stuff...) DNO only interested in assets up until the Service Head (Fuse)

 

[D80]

Fair enough, life is a lot simpler in NI with just the one DNO. All equipment is theirs, regardless of supplier.

 

[Marvo]

I agree with the statements that it shouldn't have been left that way but on the other hand if the DNO are happy to pass the buck then it kinda sets the standard and I can't entirely blame the lad for walking.

It would definitely be worth a follow up call on Monday though to check if remedial action was taken.

 

[Dave 85]

Why waste a whole day waiting around at their house makin Effing phone calls?? Balls to the what they sais at college, just hack them seals off, swap the tails round and get out. It'd take 2 mins and if anyone asks... "seals? what seals?"
If the DNO's wanted their seals kept intact they shoulda given us frikin consumer isolators...
and correct polarity...

 

[JD6400]

Hi Dellboybully , I see it was your first post so welcome and don't get to disheartened by the comments now that you have stuck your head above the parapet !
Well done for at least getting the ball rolling on the problem and for going back on Monday to make sure it is sorted .
To be fair though there are some things that just need to be sorted instantly and this was one of them !
The certainty of some things will come to you with experience , and i suppose this is one of the major stumbling blocks of the Electrical Trainee industry but until it doe's may i suggest you do still come back and ask for second opinions and not just get put off .

 

[D80]

If you cut the seals and pull the bullet, and also cut the seals on the meter...do you get 2 different -------ings and does an engineer from 2 different companies have to come out to refit the seals?

 

[telectrix]

@ delboy. i think that you were faced with a difficult decision. clients safety against technically breaking the law. as you have made the client aware of the situation and are going back monday, not much more you could do. the old farts amongst us would have cut the seals and reversed the tails, but i remember when i was a young sprog, it was drummed into us never to tamper with DNO/supplierts equipment. then however, we didn't have muppets changing meters.

 

[JD6400]

No i think you get a special prize for that one , free lecy !:grinningelf:

 

[DurhamSparky]

If you cut the seals and pull the bullet, and also cut the seals on the meter...do you get 2 different -------ings and does an engineer from 2 different companies have to come out to refit the seals?

Nah electricity supplier will seal both of them...! it can get awkward at times with buck passing and politics...!

 

[HandySparks]

I think I'd have contacted the electricity supplier myself, rather than leaving it for the customer to do. Give them the opportunity to sort it as an emergency job and advise them that I would be pulling the fuse unless they came out promptly.

 

[Marvo]

I think I'd have contacted the electricity supplier myself, rather than leaving it for the customer to do.

He did contact the DNO and they were happy to say it's not their problem.