Smart meters, pulling fuses, what’s the latest?

[Rpa07]

Was searching around previous threads going back into 2016 reference to pulling the fuse upstream of the meter. Trying to find whether it makes the meter go doolally with self preservation!
I’ve only pulled the fuse on one modern smart and it was ok, we’ll it didn’t shreak at me!
I’ve got a stand alone RCD that I can leave in place until I’ve done all my CU change and the time to do it but wondered if anyone has any stories or are they all mythical tales. Cheers

 

[Octopus]

And each smart meter installation gets £350 from HM government ...

 

[Octopus]

Duplicate ...

 

[Rpa07]

And each smart meter installation gets £350 from HM government ...

Meaning how creative of them to dupe the government on another scam, seems like everyone is up to it!

 

[stevels4]

Cut Out fuse removal is classified as a Network Switching Operation and therefore should only be carried out by personnel trained and authorised to do so.
Do you have the correct PPE for removing and refitting cut out fuses.
How do you establish if a cut out is operating hot? Do you check the fuse carrier and cut out for signs of physical damage,correct fuse rating and terminal tightness?
How do you approach metal clad cut outs which may contain asbestos?
Does your liability insurance cover this operation, should there be a cut out fire this will be investigated by the DNO.
How do you re-seal the cut out to prevent that curious child that was watching you earlier removing the fuse and placing their fingers in the cut out?
By venturing on the “other side” you are leaving the realms of 7671 and getting involved in Mocopa and DNO rulebooks, it is strange that when a DIYer generally asks for advice on these forums the first recommendation tends to be “get an electrician in” so in this case I would advise getting the DNO or MOP in and get a DP isolator fitted prior to your visit.

 

[Dave OCD]

Yes of course that's the textbook way of doing things but in my experience trying to organise this with the DNO is a nightmare,even when you get some sense at the other end of the line the timescales given are ridiculous, so why not offer competent electricians a little training with a test if deemed necessary then give authorisation ?

 

[Octopus]

The DNO's seem to want to make things as difficult as possible ...... so alternative courses of action take precedence

If they had dedicated numbers to call, to arrange such events, things may change OR should they ALL adopt the same approach as SSE things may change.

 

[NDG Elecs]

Cut Out fuse removal is classified as a Network Switching Operation and therefore should only be carried out by personnel trained and authorised to do so.
Do you have the correct PPE for removing and refitting cut out fuses.
How do you establish if a cut out is operating hot? Do you check the fuse carrier and cut out for signs of physical damage,correct fuse rating and terminal tightness?
How do you approach metal clad cut outs which may contain asbestos?
Does your liability insurance cover this operation, should there be a cut out fire this will be investigated by the DNO.
How do you re-seal the cut out to prevent that curious child that was watching you earlier removing the fuse and placing their fingers in the cut out?
By venturing on the “other side” you are leaving the realms of 7671 and getting involved in Mocopa and DNO rulebooks, it is strange that when a DIYer generally asks for advice on these forums the first recommendation tends to be “get an electrician in” so in this case I would advise getting the DNO or MOP in and get a DP isolator fitted prior to your visit.

In the ideal world yes that is the way Steve. Not always entirely feasible in reality though.

As a slight aside you question whether the typical sparks liability cover would include risks associated with the cut out. I would hazard a guess not, partly due to insurers being slippery so and so's, and partly due to not being 'trained up' in this area... But then again am I to presume my indemnity insurance covers me for the first six items on an EICRs inspections.... As I understand it these items are not within the scope of 7671...yet there they are in the model forms...
I am in no way having a go, just curious as to yours and others take on this.

 

[ashrow]

I love all the debates but if i come across a smart meter i just remove the load from the supply, cut the tails and then tape over the ends, when ready i strip the tails and terminate into 100Amp D/P block or new consumer unit and away we go...
All the debates of removing/tampering of seals, working live etc etc
After working with electrics for around 30 years there is ways we should do things and ways we just get on with it.

 

[Octopus]

the first six items on an EICRs inspections.... As I understand it these items are not within the scope of 7671...yet there they are in the model forms...

Inclusion of these items is plain daft ............ a spark can't improve these aspects so the tick boxes should be for reference only and have NO BEARING on the outcome of the report... IMHO

 

[Percyprod]

Totally agree with Stevels4, stick to what you know. If you are not lv authorised then you should not be messing with the the dno's system, whether you think you are capable or not. Having said that I still don't think that dnos are being awkward, as I have said before it was a regular job for me to isolate an installation for the sparks, sometimes calling back later in the day to re-connect, and there was no charge as far as I know. That was with ENWL. Of course, you can always just take off the meter terminal cover and drop the tails out, nothing to do with dno then!

 

[stevels4]

Totally agree with Stevels4, stick to what you know. If you are not lv authorised then you should not be messing with the the dno's system, whether you think you are capable or not. Having said that I still don't think that dnos are being awkward, as I have said before it was a regular job for me to isolate an installation for the sparks, sometimes calling back later in the day to re-connect, and there was no charge as far as I know. That was with ENWL. Of course, you can always just take off the meter terminal cover and drop the tails out, nothing to do with dno then!

But then it does become something to do with the MOP with no seal on the meter, routine safety checks are carried out on meter installations and a missing seal could result in Revenue Protection becoming involved. Worse still it would result in an audit fail for the meter technician.

 

[stevels4]

I love all the debates but if i come across a smart meter i just remove the load from the supply, cut the tails and then tape over the ends, when ready i strip the tails and terminate into 100Amp D/P block or new consumer unit and away we go...
All the debates of removing/tampering of seals, working live etc etc
After working with electrics for around 30 years there is ways we should do things and ways we just get on with it.

So live working with no PPE......interesting.

 

[Des 56]

So live working with no PPE......interesting.

It used to be that the electrician was able, competent and used to working with electricity,he was expected to and was often experienced working live

It now seems that whole emphasis is on personal protection after you set the bomb off

I suppose given the whole H+S obsession that permeates society, it is an expected response that the majority would agree with

 

[Spunkywads26]

But then it does become something to do with the MOP with no seal on the meter, routine safety checks are carried out on meter installations and a missing seal could result in Revenue Protection becoming involved. Worse still it would result in an audit fail for the meter technician.

Maybe it is a good idea to befriend your local DNO guys when out and about. They are good guys generally I have found and have given me a few seals to reseal a meter after I have finished working on the tails. I asked them about this subject and they told me that they are always attending sites and finding missing seals but it is too much hassle to report. They just reseal along with any other work they are there for and then away they go.

 

[Squid]

I have had 3 smart meters as i switch every year for the best deal. the first barely got a signal and i had to manually give them readings still, the second meter was eon, i switched to npower so it stopped working and resorted to a dumb status, start of last year i switched back to eon due to the discounts and promo's. the meter that was once an eon meter could no longer be read by them having somehow lost its smart features!?? they could manually call it to get a reading but it would no longer auto send data. so they came out and fitted a new smart meter. I recently switched to edf who then proceeded to fit another smart meter! none had an isolation switch you could operate!

I just bypass the meter every so often and create my own "discount" tariff, saves all the faffing around.

 

[Squid]

If the Smart Meter is "that" Smart then pose the question to the Smart Meter, simples........

 

[Octopus]

So live working with no PPE......interesting.

No different to taking the cover off a fuseboard and not turning the main switch off.

 

[Rpa07]

Goodness, I did that today - I’m not in trouble am I?

No different to taking the cover off a fuseboard and not turning the main switch off.

 

[stevels4]

I tend to disregard missing seals (unless it is accompanied by a pungent smell in the air)!
Do the required job and then re-seal especially if there is a brand new CU sitting nearby

 

[stevels4]

No different to taking the cover off a fuseboard and not turning the main switch off.

It is when you are stripping live meter tails back to fit into the blocks.

 

[Rpa07]

Yeh, I didn’t and wouldn’t be doing that!

It is when you are stripping live meter tails back to fit into the blocks.

 

[The Ghost]

Ok @Rpa07 I'll bite, you scoff with your "tin foil hat" remarks. Think then on this my friend
In the city of God there will be a great thunder
Two brothers torn apart by Chaos while the fortress endures
The great leader will succumb
Now you may not be familiar with Nostrodamus but the above is what he said. It is clear to me what this means. The "Two brothers" are clearly electricians and the DNO people. "Torn apart by chaos" is clearly the chaotic and vituperative relations we have with our "brother" And of course "The great leader will succumb" refers clearly to the weakness of the electricians in opening the forbidden seal. And of course the "Thunder" is when it all goes wrong and blows up when you pull the fuse. So you see there is no "tin foil" conspiracy theory here, this was alluded to as far back as the 16th century you see! Hah!