Removal of 100 amp supply fuse

Hi Guys

Iam in the process of training to be an electrician and want to fit a new consumer unit in my own home, i have no electricity islolator swithch after my supply meter and want to remove the supply fuse safely i am aware that turnining off the main switch thus eliminating the demand to my house is part of the proceedure,and i know that cover on the supply fuse is tamperproof but am prepared to take that risk in removing it, i just want to know the safest possible method of removing the 100 amp fuse is there a specific tool or correct proceedure as i understand the meter tails will still be alive. Any help is appreciated guys. Regards Sturoy33

mr leung

mr smith has removed your post

as it was felt to advocate illegal tempering with

equipment owned by others

mr smith would appreciate it

if mr leung could refrain from advising other members

to perform illegal activities

thank you

mr smith

Welcome to the forum. There was an industry review of authorising non DNO persons to remove cut-out fuses during 2011, the conclusion was a firm negative. The problem is referred to in this ESC smart meter article. ESC Smart Meter Safety Challenge : Electrical Safety Council Some DNO's do allow special permission for qualified electricians to undertake a fuse removal. But as a general rule this is the exception not the norm. It is not unknown for a fuse carrier to be damaged giving risk to electric shock, arcing or sparking at the point of removal. It would not be wise to consider removal of any fuse carrier without appropriate PPE, gauntlets, face guard etc. This topic has been discussed numerous times on the forum and there are plenty of old threads discussing all sides of the debate.

Doc H.

Thats a taboo subject here...

just cut the tab, and pull the fuse holder with a firm grip. I often carfuly take a bit of electrical tape, and cover over the hole, so bit and pieces cant fall in etc...

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If you were watching the DNO man who had come to remove the fuse ,as no one on the Forum ever does that , you would see that for safety reasons he would remove the fuse cartridge and refit the empty carrier to shield the live connection .

Also by your own definition you are still training, as such it would be unwise for a public forum to suggest it good practice for unqualified persons to remove a suppliers cut-out. More experienced electricians who may have worked on similar sized, (or larger) fuse carriers, such as within industrial applications, would have a greater understanding of the risks and ability to identify any tell-tale danger signs around a suspect fuse carrier.

Doc H.

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Thats a taboo subject here...

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Incorrect, a search of the archives would reveal it is a very widely discussed subject on the forum.

Doc H.

Deke, I watched My local DNO change all My meters during a change over from TT to TNCS, the safety gear that they used was unreal and I do know for a fact that they fitted a 100A main fuse (I saw them fit it)

AndyGuinness

I am not going to comment on this thread much

i have seen the DNO connect up a supply to a meter without safety gear

but then i was a t property for a job to find the meter monkeys changing a meter while being supervised and they both had the face shields and gloves on

i need to change a cu and the tails mmmmmmmm how do i do that without the seal fairy ?????

I am aware legally I would have to inform the DNO about this alteration but have been informed about the time and cost that would be involved by the time i am going to attemept this job i will be fully qualified and will be working under supervision of an experienced spark I wanted to know about this proceedure just for peace of mind and safety reasons.

ask the spark thats doing the job with you

as we dont pull fuses on this forum we cant help much

If you do do it, for christ's sake do it off-load. Best go for a disconnect/reconnect or pay to have an isolator fitted if your DNO charges.

Will somebody please explain to me why it is that as soon as a person qualifies they think they gave the right or ability to do things that they were taught not to do? Is this somekind of reverse psychology going on in education these days.

Just because you pass or qualify doesn't mean you are experienced to do the job. Please for your own safety and learning stick with an experienced spark to gain further on the job knowledge and understanding.

Deke, I watched My local DNO change all My meters during a change over from TT to TNCS, the safety gear that they used was unreal and I do know for a fact that they fitted a 100A main fuse (I saw them fit it) AndyGuinness

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Do you not think its a bit OTT , once the main fuse is out do they really need the space helmet , gauntlets and flash shields?

Reminds me of a Midlands TV News clip a while ago, subject was the Fire Brigade fitting free smoke detectors for pensioners.

A red van pulls up , two firemen get out , don all their gear , big yellow helmets , visors, big boots, then tramp into an old ladie's flat and screw a smokey to the ceiling FFS talk about OTT.

Will somebody please explain to me why it is that as soon as the five weeks are finished some numpties think they have the right or ability to do things that they were not taught to do? Is this somekind of reverse psychology going on in education these days. Just because you got conned out of a few grand for being taught how to use an index doesn't mean you are experienced to do the job. Please for your own safety and learning stick with an experienced spark to gain further on the job knowledge and understanding.

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fixed that for you Sharpie.

Deke, as well as the main fuse, the entire time that the DNO were splicing in the concentric cable, it was live, so I don't blame them one bit for going OTT Myself.

AndyGuinness

Will somebody please explain to me why it is that as soon as a person qualifies they think they gave the right or ability to do things that they were taught not to do? Is this somekind of reverse psychology going on in education these days. Just because you pass or qualify doesn't mean you are experienced to do the job. Please for your own safety and learning stick with an experienced spark to gain further on the job knowledge and understanding.

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rubbish mate, just go for it if your confident, you only learn by doing something for your self in the real world, qualifications mean nothing, iv met electricians mates with more about them than most sparks.

Deke, as well as the main fuse, the entire time that the DNO were splicing in the concentric cable, it was live, so I don't blame them one bit for going OTT Myself.AndyGuinness

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Ah Fair comment then.

rubbish mate, just go for it if your confident, you only learn by doing something for your self in the real world, qualifications mean nothing, iv met electricians mates with more about them than most sparks.

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I am not suggesting by any means that everyone should be tarred with same brush, however the law of averages would suggest that more often than not, I am a great believer that you will not learn on someone else's hands on, but I also believe that working with any substance that has the potential to be fatal required the guidance of a more knowledgeable person. By all means attempt the job but have a more experienced person (competent person) there with you to prevent you doing something wrong at least that way they can explain the reason you are doing it wrong before you cause injury or worse to yourself and possibly others. Never mind the inconvenience your mistake may be to your client.

Qualifications are a piece of paper to say that you have achieved a given knowledge level, not necessarily experience. But you should have an understanding as to what you want to achieve.

You also state an electricians mate which would suggest that they have worked with an experienced spark and therefore gained some of his/her knowledge. I'm sure that if you had someone work for you you would oversee what they did and point out when they did wrong.

Point taken but there is no harm in asking

If you have to ask you really shouldn't be doing it

Ring dno and get them to do it

When your qualified somebody will introduce you to the seal fairy and her trusty latin sidekicks toolious crimperious & ferrulious

It's like the masonics but without having to roll your trouser leg up and get romantic with a goat!