Mains Isolator Switch Charges

[leolec]

I was under he impression that isolator switches where free but I've just been told by meter services that they're £40 anyone else found this?

 

[Amp David]

Heard of fees of 70 quid near to us.

Put them in on most CU changes myself

 

[malcolmsanford]

Amazing how 2 sparks differ lol ..............I'm the opposite really I don't fit unless I was asked to. How often do you have to isolate an entire installation.

To me they are a connection in a solid cable and therefore prone fault. The less connections I have the better espicially in larger cables. Saying that it is my opinion and there are nothing wrong with doing it.

Back to OP most DNO will connect into a switch but rarely will supply one unless they charge for it.

 

[Amp David]

Fair points there Malcolm. Never do it for free, as the cost is in any prices i quote. I see it as most customers tend to get me back to do other jobs so in the event of having to pull the main fuse further down the line, I can just easily isolate.

 

[jaresquire]

I do think they should be compulsory, fitted by DNO as seems unsafe that you can't 'legally' isolate your installation entirley but have to break seals etc

 

[Des 56]

I do think they should be compulsory, fitted by DNO as seems unsafe that you can't 'legally' isolate your installation entirley but have to break seals etc

You wont "catch" me breaking seals

 

[telectrix]

You wont "catch" me breaking seals

sometimes they fall off when asked nicely

 

[Amp David]

Won't catch me either, too quick lol

 

[telectrix]

the last electrician that was here must ave done it

 

[Kamikaze]

I have yet to see one with a seal....lol

 

[telectrix]

think the killer whales must have ate 'em

 

[leolec]

Got one booked for Jan which must have been visited by killer whales, this one will remove 3 cu's and 2 pairs of henly's

 

[MWE]

Are any of you guys part p registered??

 

[Amp David]

Is this a trick question?

 

[telectrix]

i've been certified, if that counts.

 

[Goody]

I was under he impression that isolator switches where free but I've just been told by meter services that they're £40 anyone else found this?

Pick one from here -> Wylex Isolator REC2S 100A 2 Pole Switch x 1 on eBay (end time 28-Jun-11 18:25:28 BST) and go DIY'ing. I did one and it's great.

Best of luck!

 

[MWE]

We are not allowed to break seals and remove mco and we have to work under safe isolation ie not live. So how if i were to go out and fit a new CU and this job happened to get pulled at my next inspection do i get away with it?? without an isolator fitted??

 

[Des 56]

50 UTILITY SEALS AND SEALING PLIERS/ELECTRIC METERS/ | eBay UK

 

[MWE]

Got the seals and the pliers but still doesn,t answer how i fit the cu without removing the MCO if the job gets pulled at next inspection???

 

[telectrix]

your assessor is not the DNO. he's more concerned with safe isolation than if a seal is missing (probably been missing for years)

 

[MWE]

So you are saying then that the assessors turn a blind eye if a new CU has been fitted, although there is no means of isolation apart from removing the MCO which we are not allowed to do. So then when the job gets pulled up for assessment and he asks "what was you're method of safe isolation" I say????? Is this really what part p is about???

 

[Goody]

If you break the seal, fit an isolator and re-seal it using your own seal/crimping tool, do you think the assessor would come with a magnifying glass and check the authenticity of the seal?

When I spoke to my DNO, they said that they wouldn't fit an isolator and that I should call an electrician to do that. When I explained to them that the electrician would have to break the seal & pull the fuse, they said, "electrician would know what to do". What would you do in this kind of situation?

You are an electrician, aren't you? mg_smile:

 

[leolec]

Like those seals - I did one recently where I fitted an isolator the customer chopped the seal a few years ago - he had retired from a very large desk in the civil services and would have fitted the cu as well if I'd overpriced the job!

 

[Thenitwentbang]

Just had one fitted by EON locally. Supplied and fitted completely free of charge.

Apparently, they only do this in areas, where they 'own' the van / engineer fleet. Some of their work is still sub-contracted (to Siemens, I think) and if you are in an area, where the sub-contractor still operates on their behalf, the charge is about £40.

Have to say that, personally, I got great service from them - but the charge / no-charge policy does seem to be a bit of a postocde lottery.

 

[rsmck]

Scottish Power and British Gas both charge in my area anyway (Glasgow South) - we're with Scottish Hydro / SSE and I had asked them come out to replace the tails in our new house (see my first thread here for why ).

They fitted a new meter (free of charge) with a built in isolator (small rotary switch) where only the left side of the meter is sealed (you can open the right hand side to replace tails) - annoyingly when Scottish Power's engineers came out later the same week they then wanted to fit a separate isolator as they didn't recognise the meter! (thankfully i persuaded them otherwise as there was no suitable space for it!)

That said I know someone in Edinburgh who had an isolator fitted for free by EON.

 

[MBunce]

Most DNO's don't know what your talking about when you ask and when you get to the right person it can take over a week to get fitted. Having said that EDF, EON and N-Power fit for free. This has to be booked through the supplier but they don't fit it so why should they charge!!!! EON do EDF's and N-Power are united utilities or something like that.