hi, i know this questions probably been asked a thousand times, all the electricians i've worked with have always snipped the seals on the main fuse and the meter to upgrade the tails, is this acceptable with the dno as long as you reseal with something afterwards. i'm in the north east. After speaking with a spark at the beginning of the week who told me he always pulls the main fuse but never cut the meter seals he just connects the old tails via a henly to the new tails. I realise this means he hasn't touched the meter but seems a bit strange.
Changing tails
- Thread starter soulman
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best way is to get DNO to connect tails to meter. but we all know how easy that is...
next best way (without breaking meter seals) it to put existing into henley then your new tails from there (leaving long enough to fit into meter at a later date)
next best way (without breaking meter seals) it to put existing into henley then your new tails from there (leaving long enough to fit into meter at a later date)
Why install them into a Henley block when the tails can be terminated into a DP Isolator to make everyone's life just that little bit easier?
AndyGuinness
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Then, if you have installed 25mm tails, but the original ones are 16mm, report a dangerous condition to the DNO and get them to come and upgrade their substandard tails.
Of course, most single rate installations up here have those nice Siemens meters with a built in isolator, and the output terminals are not sealed, making a CU change and new tails easy. Shame all DNO's can't adopt these, and shame they haven't done a dual rate (off peak) version with a built in isolator.
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andy_spark
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If you cut the meter seals to connect new tails straight into the meter, why do you need to pull the main fuse?
If you are feeling brave cut the existing tails and work live, but that is not recommended.
Or If you get hold of someones sealing pliers, some compression wire and some lugs then you can reseal the fuse anyway, again this is not allowed though.
I have seen all of the above being done but the choice is yours.
If you are feeling brave cut the existing tails and work live, but that is not recommended.
Or If you get hold of someones sealing pliers, some compression wire and some lugs then you can reseal the fuse anyway, again this is not allowed though.
I have seen all of the above being done but the choice is yours.
Theorysparky
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i couldnt possibly comment on the previous post................
neither could i, except you should get some of these....
You're right about one thing Soulman, it has been asked a thouand times (1001 now) This is not your fault TBH our governing bodies have faffed about with this for the last 50 years and changed nothing . They spent the whole of last year on a new programme of faffing and again changed nothing.
The latest attempt is get the soon to be fitted Smart Arse Meters to incorporate an isolating switch . The theory is great but don't hold your breath .
The latest attempt is get the soon to be fitted Smart Arse Meters to incorporate an isolating switch . The theory is great but don't hold your breath .
Robin Spark
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I recently got a customer to organise for a dp isolator to be installed for a consumer unit change. After 2 months of them faffing about the supplier came out (southern electric I think), they told customer not enough room to fit isolator even though metering was in a 1000mm wall cupboard, they changed meter with integral isolator, however this was all sealed along with enclosed connections for the tails. So bit of a waste of time in that the tails could not be changed !!
Theorysparky
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you can cut those and reseal them
first of,
DO NOT WORK LIVE - unless your insurance covers you, and I very much doubt you have the qualifications to do so, therefore it would be ILLEGAL
2nd
DO NOT CUT METER SEALS - it is ILLEGAL , without DNO permission
3rd
DO NOT CUT MAIN FUSE SEALS - it is ILLEGAL , without DNO permission
round here we ring Quartz and get a DP isolator fitted,
its either that or talk some idiot into cutting the tails and fitting some ISCOs
WORKING LIVE IS NOT RECOMMENDED AND IMHO IS STRICTLY DISCOURAGED IF NOT PROHIBITED (pending further forum guidance)
DO NOT WORK LIVE - unless your insurance covers you, and I very much doubt you have the qualifications to do so, therefore it would be ILLEGAL
2nd
DO NOT CUT METER SEALS - it is ILLEGAL , without DNO permission
3rd
DO NOT CUT MAIN FUSE SEALS - it is ILLEGAL , without DNO permission
round here we ring Quartz and get a DP isolator fitted,
its either that or talk some idiot into cutting the tails and fitting some ISCOs
WORKING LIVE IS NOT RECOMMENDED AND IMHO IS STRICTLY DISCOURAGED IF NOT PROHIBITED (pending further forum guidance)
personally i think anyone who works live with meter tails are very brave i wouldn't do it. In my opinion, i would always assess the condition of the fuse carrier snip and pull the fuse, then reseal with something later. Who has the time to waste waiting for someone to pull a fuse. the dno should provide a point for isolation they dont in most cases, i think the dno dont encourage it because if you hurt yourself then they would be liable if they gave the permission to pull the fuse. As for the meter tails apparently passed the meter belongs to the customer and 25mm tails should now be fitted, so if they were fitted to a henlys or d.p isolator then are you still responsible for that section of tails. I also think that when you register with a scheme you should be assessed using the correct equipment gloves & facemask pulling the main fuse, as a competant person, until all households are provided with an isolation point.
usually a split cover on the terminals between in and out side, so you can remove the out side cover but not the in
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I've never seen the output side of a meter with built in isolator sealed (though there is provision to do so)
Robin Spark
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This meter had only 1 seal and no seperate cover for disconnecting the outgoing tails to the consumer unit. The isolation switch was like a white sprung loaded round barrel that you turned around with a screwdriver and was integral with the meter. Normally I am used to a separate DP switch in an enclosure where you remove a cover to access the outgoing terminals.
If I can i will get a photo but not sure when that will be.
If I can i will get a photo but not sure when that will be.
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Probably something like this maybe.
SIEMANS S2M ELECTRIC METER WITH ISOLATOR : U.M.S Your Electric meter provider!, Electric meters for energy solutions
SIEMANS S2M ELECTRIC METER WITH ISOLATOR : U.M.S Your Electric meter provider!, Electric meters for energy solutions
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