Safe change consumer unit - main fuse seal question

[poul]

hi all
so i have job this is my first consumer units replace job. i have a question about the best, safe way to remove old and fit new. i thint about pull out main fuse but they is sealing, so i think i cant touch ?? if i can i think this is the best waym but if i cant do this how i can pull safety main live cable ?? because is a danger but i have to know, because i thintk i get some other job in future and i looking some good trik to do this Problem is, this main cable is very stiff and difficult to remove.
thanks for any halp

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Dont be afraid mate...pull the bullit (fuse) but make sure you turn OFF the main switch on the dis board first as you dont want any loads on the bullit when you pull it/reinstate it. If the fuse carrier looks crap or old then use VDE long nose pliers wont you and be sure to remove the bullit from the carrier and reinstate the empty carrier (so everything is covered) and the IP rating isn`t compromised. Safety first mate...............

 

[poul]

thanks...
so we talking about main fuse (100A) before meter ?? so if yes i can cut seal, and pull out ?? what next with seal, how i can fit new ? Sorry for my question, but i have be shure what i do

 

[D Skelton]

You don't need to fit a new seal because it didn't have a seal when you pulled it

 

[Knobhead]

The subject rolls on :24:

 

[D Skelton]

Hit the nail on the head there Tony

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Dont be afraid mate...pull the bullit (fuse) but make sure you turn OFF the main switch on the dis board first as you dont want any loads on the bullit when you pull it/reinstate it. If the fuse carrier looks crap or old then use VDE long nose pliers wont you and be sure to remove the bullit from the carrier and reinstate the empty carrier (so everything is covered) and the IP rating isn`t compromised. Safety first mate...............

"Safety first"?

You're telling him to do something illegal and dangerous, and you think that's safety first?

Has he been trained and equipped to safely pull the fuse?

Is he authorised by the DNO to do it?

Have you ever heard of the EAWR?

 

[D Skelton]

I spy a contradiction!

The EAWR's don't permit working live! How else is he suppsed to isolate the CU?

It is also not illegal to pull the fuse, just illegal to cut the seal. And of course, none of us ever cut seals

 

[Geordie Spark]

I spy a contradiction!

The EAWR's don't permit working live! How else is he suppsed to isolate the CU?

It is also not illegal to pull the fuse, just illegal to cut the seal. And of course, none of us ever cut seals

The only seals I've seen recently were swimming around the Farne Islands.

 

[mogga]

I spy a contradiction!

The EAWR's don't permit working live! How else is he suppsed to isolate the CU?

It is also not illegal to pull the fuse, just illegal to cut the seal. And of course, none of us ever cut seals

EWAWR also covers doing work you are trained for and are competant IF something were to go wrong ( broken old bakelite holder ect ect ) then where would you stand then theres the LEGAL aspect of interfeering with DNO equipment ?
HOW long will it be before we read that due to advice given on forum to "Just pull the big fuse" that we read of some poor sod being injured or worse as he,She ddint understand the risks involved in "Just pulling" the main incoming fuse ??

Im all for not working live and would only do a CU change dead anything else is sheer lunacy hence Iv writen to my MP about the monopoly that DNOs have and the differences between them re cutting seal fitting isolator I think an isolator should be free fit and Madatory but hey guess what Im still waiting for a reply

 

[telectrix]

what's a seal?

 

[malcolmsanford]

EWAWR also covers doing work you are trained for and are competant IF something were to go wrong ( broken old bakelite holder ect ect ) then where would you stand then theres the LEGAL aspect of interfeering with DNO equipment ?
HOW long will it be before we read that due to advice given on forum to "Just pull the big fuse" that we read of some poor sod being injured or worse as he,She ddint understand the risks involved in "Just pulling" the main incoming fuse ??

Im all for not working live and would only do a CU change dead anything else is sheer lunacy hence Iv writen to my MP about the monopoly that DNOs have and the differences between them re cutting seal fitting isolator I think an isolator should be free fit and Madatory but hey guess what Im still waiting for a reply

Mogga I agree entirely, I posted here before that one of the worse accidents I saw was a lad getting badly burnt when an old cast fuse carrier disintegrated in his hand, he was so lucky not to be hurt more than he was, but still has webbed fingers.

This I have to say was not a DNO cut out fuse but on an old switch fuse, but there are more cast/Bakelite heads out there as cut outs than switch fuses, and every chance of running into one that is going to bite you back.

I don't want to bring up the time served DI argument, but I wonder how many DI will have had training in how to deal with potential dangers of old cut outs that are still in use today.

 

[D Skelton]

HOW long will it be before we read that due to advice given on forum to "Just pull the big fuse" that we read of some poor sod being injured or worse as he,She ddint understand the risks involved in "Just pulling" the main incoming fuse ??

Im all for not working live and would only do a CU change dead anything else is sheer lunacy hence Iv writen to my MP about the monopoly that DNOs have and the differences between them re cutting seal fitting isolator I think an isolator should be free fit and Madatory but hey guess what Im still waiting for a reply

I agree entirely!

EWAWR also covers doing work you are trained for and are competant IF something were to go wrong ( broken old bakelite holder ect ect ) then where would you stand then theres the LEGAL aspect of interfeering with DNO equipment ?

There's nothing criminal about interfering with DNO equipment. They could take you to a civil court but this would never happen as the case would get laughed out. If you can clearly demonstrate that you know what you are doing and that pulling the main fuse is for your own safety and is in compliance with the EAWR's then there's no case. The only criminal aspect is if you cut the seals, but like I said, no electrician ever cuts seals do they?

 

[SW1970]

Contact the DNO and get them to fit an isolator (customer will need to instruct). In my area (SEPN) it costs £44.

That way:

- there's no risk of you receiving a shock from cutout that may fail during extraction/insertion
- you're not interfering with equipment that doesn't belong to you or the customer (irrespective of H&S legislation)
- your CU change job is much easier
- there's a nice isolator installed ready for the next guy/gal

Lead time is normally a few days but depends on location.

 

[D Skelton]

Try doing that where I am and you'll be waiting a month before you even get a confirmation phone call! haha