Pulling main fuse and smart meters

[Eric12]

Ah but it is!

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 (which is a statutory law, unlike the regs) has regulation 14 that states:

No person shall be engaged in any work activity on or so near any live conductor (other than one suitably covered with insulating material so as to prevent danger) that danger may arise unless –
(a) it is unreasonable in all the circumstances for it to be dead; and
(b) it is reasonable in all the circumstances for him to be at work on or near it while it is live; and
(c) suitable precautions (including where necessary the provision of suitable protective equipment) are taken to prevent injury

See page 37 of the free document here:

https://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsr25.pdf

Yea but could it be argued (probably not but I say it anyway) that a certain DNO's rule says its illegal to pull the main fuse (I know its subjective). Why cant they sort this out we electricians are in limbo land. I give you an example, a employee working for a EV charger firm doing one install per day, every property has a smart meter and no isolator. So he pulls a fuse every day, then he gets audited by an EV auditor, and the question is asked "did you pull the fuse ?" Who is in the wrong in the eyes of the auditor ?

 

[Eric12]

While obviously we cannot condone any sort of fuse-pulling activity on these forums, anyone who is doing that sort of work really should be trained to recognise when to leave it to the DNO. Basically anything looking damaged or very old would be an instant red flag.

Couldn't agree more, well said

 

[pc1966]

Yea but could it be argued (probably not but I say it anyway) that a certain DNO's rule says its illegal to pull the main fuse (I know its subjective). Why cant they sort this out we electricians are in limbo land. I give you an example, a employee working for a EV charger firm doing one install per day, every property has a smart meter and no isolator. So he pulls a fuse every day, then he gets audited by an EV auditor, and the question is asked "did you pull the fuse ?" Who is in the wrong in the eyes of the auditor ?

I think the policy varies a lot from DNO to DNO, but it is not something I usually get involved with. I believe there are some that issue temporary seals to registered sparks who ask (and probably have done some basic course) which would appear to be the best way forward.

I suspect the DNO's biggest concern is really about accidents involving a cut-out shorting before the main installation fuse and the resulting risk of fire, arc-flash injury, and damage to their network.

In many ways smart meters are more likely to pick up the theft of electricity as it would be fairly simple to see a meter's daily load drop suspiciously after a power interruption. Defiantly illegal, but less likely to kill someone than a fire.

 

[Eric12]

I think the policy varies a lot from DNO to DNO, but it is not something I usually get involved with. I believe there are some that issue temporary seals to registered sparks who ask (and probably have done some basic course) which would appear to be the best way forward.

I will deffo talk to the next DNO UKPN when I see one about the seal situation. Well good night and stay safe

 

[ipf]

The strange part of this problem of pulling the main fuse is in the last few years on a few jobs where I have had to get the DNO in to replace the old service head I got chatting to the DNO lads doing the jobs and I was left with a few seals to seal the service head and on one occasion the meter as well when I had finished the work so me pulling the fuse to do my work didn't seem to be a big issue for them

Same here. Same DNO for us, though.

Could be a bit awkward years ago but I've never really had any trouble and tend to get a top up of seals every so often.

 

[Welsh_sparky_21]

This is an issue that is starting to get more of a ball ache for me, when theres a smart meter installed without an isolator and I really need to cut the power (CU change for example). My question really is this, has anyone here, or any of your customers been fined/reprimanded/imprisioned/threatened in any after a smart meter has alerted the provider that powers been cut, due to pulling the main fuse ? I ask now because im looking at ever increasing jobs now where the fuse really needs to be pulled and im becoming reluctant to do it; trying to explain to the customer is just annoying and many of them im sure have no idea. Its come to the stage now where instead of pulling the main fuse im taking tails out of a live henley block (if fitted). Ive seen on DS youtube channel that firms did exist that done the job for £90 or some such amount but have now stopped as its deemed unsafe/illegal/whatever. Ive also read ia previous Napit periodical that there was some kind of "training & certification" that would allow electricians to pull the main fuse, but that cans been kicked down the road once more by the looks of it. Anyways without going into a rant about it has anyone here, or any of your customers been fined/reprimanded/imprisioned/threatened for pulling a main fuse due to a smart meter alert ??

Never had any problems doing it, had it do it a few times recently. I’ve probs changed more dbs that don’t have an isolator. Never had any fall back

 

[Eric12]

Never had any problems doing it, had it do it a few times recently. I’ve probs changed more dbs that don’t have an isolator. Never had any fall back

Neither have myself tbh, have had any fallback that is

 

[UNG]

Same here. Same DNO for us, though.

Could be a bit awkward years ago but I've never really had any trouble and tend to get a top up of seals every so often.

I'm right on the border of the ENWL and SP Energy Networks areas and never had a problem with either of them

 

[littlespark]

When you go to price a job for a CU change, tell the customer to contact their supplier to get a service isolator fitted. No CU change until that’s been done.

I’d rather not have the hassle of getting contacted weeks down the line to explain my actions on a particular day.

Yes, I’ve pulled the odd fuse…. After switching everything off. No load, no arc.
Yes I’ve pulled live tails out the outgoing side of a meter. Same, no load.

But I’d rather not have a smart meter reporting what I’m doing.

 

[Alan-N]

Had to pull a few doing EV chargers when the tails need to be upgraded and there is no isolator, I have self-adhesive seals issued by SSEN , there is no course, you simply contact them and as long as you are part of a CP scheme you get directed to a depot to pick them up 5 or 10 at a time, procedure can be found here https://www.ssen.co.uk/globalassets...electrical-contractors/1-pr-net-cab-009-1.pdf