Meter Tails 16mm 0r 25mm

[haj]

Talking with a collegue today regarding meter tails.I went to look at a c/u change 80A main head on 16mm Tails i said should be 25mm but he said 16mm was ok 25mm for 100A main head. Whats the word out there with you good men ?
Cheers

 

[chocolate]

Always go for the better option with cable sizes. I would personally never use 16mm whatever the incomer fuse. Even if you know it's 60A or 80A, pretend it's 100A and put in 25mm2 tails ( double insulated ). The 17th Ed. recommends that anyway whatever.

 

[flukey]

i only fit 25mm

 

[securityvillage]

As previously stated 25mm for me too.

 

[haj]

Thanks guys i quoted OSG it says SHOULD be 25mm not must be 25mm he says leave them alone i think change them.

 

[flukey]

Thanks guys i quoted OSG it says SHOULD be 25mm not must be 25mm he says leave them alone i think change them.

quite right haj, exact wording is

"polarity should be indicated by the colour of the insulation and the minimum cable size should be 25mm2"

theres 2 shoulds in that statement. would your mate ignore the first should the sameas he would the second should

25mm it is then

 

[garyp1155]

Talking with a collegue today regarding meter tails.I went to look at a c/u change 80A main head on 16mm Tails i said should be 25mm but he said 16mm was ok 25mm for 100A main head. Whats the word out there with you good men ?
Cheers

hi i assume that it was a house you went to so has to be 25mm .also double insulated hope this helps.

 

[Peter Woodford]

Do you get leb in to pull fuse or are we aloud to disconnect from there meter

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I always use 25mm tails, just remember to upgrade the bonding cables to suit.
The meter tail size is dependant on the cutout fuse rating as far as i `am aware.

 

[Mac]

Do you get leb in to pull fuse or are we aloud to disconnect from there meter

Just do it.Pull the fuse.Who says there was a seal on the cut out anyway

 

[philsheriton]

You are supposed to get them to pull the fuse (its their equipment) but i always do it my self problems start at the main fuse if youre up rating the tails from the meter to the consumer unit then you should also change them from the incomong supply point ( the fused inlet)Probably stating the obvious burt rememmber the meter is wired live neutral neutral live good luck you obviously can't seal the job but to be honest most work i come across the meter is never sealed any way good luck phil S

 

[ajelec10]

Do you get leb in to pull fuse or are we aloud to disconnect from there meter

Peter if you are in any dout as to weather to remove the suppliers cut out. dont be. Basicly the electricity at work act says that every installation has to be provided with a means of isolation for safe working. So if the supllier has provided a means of isolation ie a swich or the meter with a built in isolator (not designed to be switch under load) then all is fine but if they have only provided a cut out and meter then they can not argue why you have cut their seal and removed the fuse. what do they expect you to change the tails LIVE!?????
Hope this helps
Regards
AJ

 

[haj]

Thanks gentlemen as far as pulling the cut out as said earlier JUST DO IT we need to stay safe dont we 25mm & 16mm earth it is then !
I digress i have been asked to wire a loft conversion my questions are is it ok to extend the upstairs ring and lighting or should i take a couple of new direct feeds from the board not so easy but possible i think.Do i need to beware of any regular problems that pop up with loft conversions ?
Cheers Guys

 

[Risteard]

what do they expect you to change the tails LIVE!?????

No, they expect you to contact them to remove the fuse.

Interfering with the Supplier's equipment is illegal and is subject to a Stg £1,000 fine.

 

[ajelec10]

Yes in an ideal world, but its just not reasonalbe practicable is it. so you are a good boy and phone them every time you want to change some tails and you sit around waiting for them to pop out and do it for you. Don't think you would win many jobs if you are chargeing on the costs??. They have obvsioly seen a problem with the old units and thats why now they install either a swicth or the meter with the isolator built in.
Many Thanks
AJ

 

[flukey]

Yes in an ideal world, but its just not reasonalbe practicable is it. so you are a good boy and phone them every time you want to change some tails and you sit around waiting for them to pop out and do it for you. Don't think you would win many jobs if you are chargeing on the costs??. They have obvsioly seen a problem with the old units and thats why now they install either a swicth or the meter with the isolator built in.
Many Thanks
AJ

im with you aj, ive tried to go the proper route far too many times, at my expense

strange that because since i decided to snip them myself ive yet to find one with a seal

 

[DAVIE99]

You are supposed to get them to pull the fuse (its their equipment) but i always do it my self problems start at the main fuse if youre up rating the tails from the meter to the consumer unit then you should also change them from the incomong supply point ( the fused inlet)Probably stating the obvious burt rememmber the meter is wired live neutral neutral live good luck you obviously can't seal the job but to be honest most work i come across the meter is never sealed any way good luck phil S

Most suppliers are fitting isolator switches to there set ups now anyway so in time there will be no need to pull the fuse or cut the seals.
I was with scottish power a few year back and they had a lot of work fitting isolators and all the new builds in the last few years have to be fitted with an isolator when a new connection is being fitted.

 

[danzor]

Just do it.Pull the fuse.Who says there was a seal on the cut out anyway

"seals" ? Never seen one of them before, one's I always come across have already been cut

 

[DAVIE99]

HA HA, your right mate, very right, you do get the goodie two shoes a lot though, they see a seal and its like f4nny fright for them!

 

[saveloy]

You are supposed to get them to pull the fuse (its their equipment) but i always do it my self problems start at the main fuse if youre up rating the tails from the meter to the consumer unit then you should also change them from the incomong supply point ( the fused inlet)Probably stating the obvious burt rememmber the meter is wired live neutral neutral live good luck you obviously can't seal the job but to be honest most work i come across the meter is never sealed any way good luck phil S

You are not allowed to change the tails from the main service fuse to the meter. Any equipment before the meter is the responsibility of the DNO.

 

[ryanryan]

Just do it.Pull the fuse.Who says there was a seal on the cut out anyway

has anyone ever been prosecuted for cutting fuse seals?

 

[Spudnik]

Whilst everyone is jollying about pulling the service fuse, may i point out that,

SOME service fuses are reasonably old and can basically fall apart in your hands as you pull the carrier.

If in any doubt DONT DO IT.

Thinking your working safe could end up killing you.

 

[flukey]

Whilst everyone is jollying about pulling the service fuse, may i point out that,

SOME service fuses are reasonably old and can basically fall apart in your hands as you pull the carrier.

If in any doubt DONT DO IT.

Thinking your working safe could end up killing you.

quite right jason. use your discression when deciding to pull it. think ive been lucky so far as all have come out as expected

 

[ezzzekiel]

You are supposed to get them to pull the fuse (its their equipment) but i always do it my self problems start at the main fuse if youre up rating the tails from the meter to the consumer unit then you should also change them from the incomong supply point ( the fused inlet)Probably stating the obvious burt rememmber the meter is wired live neutral neutral live good luck you obviously can't seal the job but to be honest most work i come across the meter is never sealed any way good luck phil S

I have never given a thought to pulling the main fuse and would always do it as its the only practical way of getting the job done HOWEVER dont go altering any tails on dno side as suggested above, fit a isolator and your new tails to db and reconnect dno side into isolator and if you think they in a bad way just report it to them, ive worked under dno authority for a long time and yeah service fuse seals tend to be overlooked but you really shouldnt be altering any of their equipment.

 

[c.boy]

Just do it.Pull the fuse.Who says there was a seal on the cut out anyway

oh your very naughty!!! talk nicely to the authority guys get a box o seals and a crimper happy days!!!

 

[ezzzekiel]

the crimper wont be serial embeded which identifys the last dno guy to work on the cut out though, not that it matters lol

 

[Mac]

oh your very naughty!!! talk nicely to the authority guys get a box o seals and a crimper happy days!!!

How many cut out's have you come across that have seals on

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Whilst everyone is jollying about pulling the service fuse, may i point out that,

SOME service fuses are reasonably old and can basically fall apart in your hands as you pull the carrier.

If in any doubt DONT DO IT.

Thinking your working safe could end up killing you.

This happened to a spark either last year or year before, he ended up with a hand full of live fuse and it killed him.

I never pull the fuse i prefer to pull the meter tails out with very good vde 10kv pliers.

 

[Mac]

This happened to a spark either last year or year before, he ended up with a hand full of live fuse and it killed him.

I never pull the fuse i prefer to pull the meter tails out with very good vde 10kv pliers.

I was working with a bloke that done that,guess what happened.He never told me what he did and i got a nice belt.Lucky the customer was out of the house,tails were at head height.He wouldn't cut the seal.I ended up cutting the seal and you are allowed to cut the seal if it's an emergency.

 

[sparky paul]

I tend to not cut the fuse unless its newish,as above been doing it live for yonks and never had a problem yet.


just remember to remove the cables in the right order.