Electric main entry fuse box

[Davi]

not sure what you'd call it, but the main fuse, before the meter... who's responsibility is it for this to be maintained, and at who's expense? My electrician has told me it's so old he's never actually seen one before, and while there is nothing really wrong with it, it's not really up to modern standards nor ability (it's only 60 amp rated)

Basically don't want to phone the electric supplier to say I need it changed and them tell me that it does, but they are going to charge me!

[Fatboy]

I remember blowing one as a teenager (I mis-wired a light fitting, and the fuse wire didn't burn through quick enough), and the Electricity board came out and changed it for free from memory as it was blown. It was definitely the property of the electricity board.

Not sure if you'll get it changed for free if it hasnt actually blown though

[Davi]

just to be clear, it's the whole box on the wall they say is not up to scratch, not just the fuse! I'd swap the fuse out myself if it
was just that. Cheers though

[Smiler.]

Which item(s) are you talking about?





Does the consumer unit l0ok like this?

[x type]

Davi said:

not sure what you'd call it, but the main fuse, before the meter... who's responsibility is it for this to be maintained, and at who's expense? My electrician has told me it's so old he's never actually seen one before, and while there is nothing really wrong with it, it's not really up to modern standards nor ability (it's only 60 amp rated)

Basically don't want to phone the electric supplier to say I need it changed and them tell me that it does, but they are going to charge me!

it's your local electricity suppliers responsibility .... the old style electricity board
such as yorkshire or eastern electricity etc. not the ones you pay your electricity bill to such as anyone of these

http://www.electricity-guide.org.uk/companies.html

I pay my bills to swalec but my local supplier is western power

like here

http://www.energylinx.co.uk/electricity_distributi...

give them a ring and say your main incoming fuse (we call it the main cut out unit) needs changing

it should be uprated to 80amp (providing the meter says 80 amp as well ) ((number 1 in the above picture )) even tho' yours may look nothing like it ))

anything after the meter is down to you

Edited by x type on Monday 26th July 22:48

[Davi]

I presume it would be the equivalent of No. 1 Smiler, only made out of cast iron and very... old The meter is still an analogue disc type though oddly doesn't seem to fit with the era of the main fuse unit, so assume that has been updated with the last rewiring some time in the '60-'70s.

My consumer unit is a brand new all singing all dancing MK one (i.e. rubbish and trips every time a light bulb blows)

Thanks for that x type - does that mean the cost is down to them too? If so I'll be happy, if not it'll have to wait till I've earned some money (so maybe 2015 at current rate...)

Edited by Davi on Tuesday 27th July 00:16

[netherfield]

And if it has an old type cable coming in they might even decide to change that as well.

[Dogwatch]

Davi said:

just to be clear, it's the whole box on the wall they say is not up to scratch, not just the fuse! I'd swap the fuse out myself if it
was just that. Cheers though

You certainly don't want to do that! There's no protection between you and the local sub-station. Anyway the Company Fuse (as it used to be called) should have a lead seal on the cover to prevent unauthorised removal. If the seal is broken you could be suspected of trying to bypass the meter.

[Smiler.]

Davi, sounds like a very old pitch-filled cut-out.

Does it look like this?




If not, please could you take a photo & post it here (for posterity)?


Is there any evidence of pitch leaking? This happens in the hot weather (or when the system is loaded).


If it has a fused neutral, DNO's will usually replace these free of charge.

Out of interest, how old is your property?

[Davi]

Dogwatch said:

Davi said:

just to be clear, it's the whole box on the wall they say is not up to scratch, not just the fuse! I'd swap the fuse out myself if it
was just that. Cheers though

You certainly don't want to do that! There's no protection between you and the local sub-station. Anyway the Company Fuse (as it used to be called) should have a lead seal on the cover to prevent unauthorised removal. If the seal is broken you could be suspected of trying to bypass the meter.

The lead seal is looooong gone, judging by the state of the wiring when we purchased it, and the amount of rewiring I've had to do, it's had half a dozen electricians have a go at the place over the years. Fortunately my wifes propensity for attempting to drain the national grid (and bills to prove it) should dissuade any suggestion that we'd ever attempt to bypass it I wasn't suggesting I'd remove the fuse, just replace if blown.

Smiler, that looks exactly like it though mine looks a bit more beaten up LOL.

[Smiler.]

Davi, get on to your DNO & tell them you need a new one. Don't mention that anyone has touched it.

[Davi]

Will do, many thanks

[vdp1]

I would be surprised if they agree to change it. If its a metal enclosure is it earthed adequately. 60 amps is more than enough for the average property so unless it shows signs of overheating or there is visual damage then I don't think you will get much joy. Have any electicians done a "Ze" test to confirm there is an incoming earth supply?

[Davi]

The place has just been fully tested for building regs, so would assume so! It's the one thing they weren't entirely happy about

[x type]

complete and utter tosh that answer from vdp

the metal clad green cut out must be changed under new regulations as they contain asbestos under the rewirable fuse element

60 amp is not enough for a fuse these days

the statutory voltage has been reduced from 240v + or - 10% to The UK supply 230 V +10% - 6%

volts go down ,amps go up we change 60 amp fuse to 80 amp providing the meter is rated 80 amp

they are changed free of charge

Edited by x type on Tuesday 27th July 22:36

[DrDeAtH]

there will be a lovely ceramic fuseholder inside that there cut out... definitely needs changing.

just contact supplier and tell them that it is making buzzing noises and smells a bit funny... guys will be out like a shot.

[Valentine31]

It's called a DCO Stands for Direct Cut Out. The fuse which you can buy at electrical wholesalers is called a bomber fuse ie: because it's massive. I've pulled a few of them in my time as a sparky. It is illegal to do so but my customers insisted. 1 customer couldn't pay the £1000 fine and got 18 days in Holloway prison, and the second customer went to crown court to dispute the £1000 fine and got £5000 fine instead. Reason being the security seal wire is crimped together and on the crimp is a serial number allocated to the national grid or your suplier of leccy. And a spark such as myself or any other registered spark for that matter is usually not qualified for extra high voltage so there for would not have a serial number registered crimping device to reseal the DCO fuse. Not that meter readers check the seals are crimped with a serial number but if they did and it wasn't the crown will accuse you of tampering with the meter or stealing electricity and it doesn't matter if you removed it genuinely the crown never see's it that way. If you want to do wiring works on the consumer unit and don't have a switch fuse to isolate the supply before the meter the electric company now charge you £450 call out and £340 to remove it for a total of about 2 hours tops if longer or more than a day its £4500 to remove it. The old black DCO's which have bitumen lagged TNC-S OR TN-C Systems are a bast@rd to remove they instantly fall apart the fuse connectors fall inside before you fully release it causes a big blue flash or arc as we sparks call them and blows the sub-station fuse and then the whole street has no electricity. Trying explaining that to the national grid.... it's a £7,500 fine and time in prison of plus 5 years if you don't die from recieving about 10,000 amperes. Its not the volts that kill you it's the amps and when you stand in the way of it you become the ground which would be in the region of about 75ohms. So never pull the DCO ask for a DP Switch Fuse 80A to be installed as it's free, then you can isolate the 125A/100A incomer any time you want.

[Pheo]

We don't have an isolator on our main incoming fuse. It is iirc 80amps though. Probably 1970.

Can I ask them to add an isolator or do I have to pay for that?

[stuart313]

Valentine31 said:

It's called a DCO Stands for Direct Cut Out. The fuse which you can buy at electrical wholesalers is called a bomber fuse ie: because it's massive. I've pulled a few of them in my time as a sparky. It is illegal to do so but my customers insisted. 1 customer couldn't pay the £1000 fine and got 18 days in Holloway prison, and the second customer went to crown court to dispute the £1000 fine and got £5000 fine instead. Reason being the security seal wire is crimped together and on the crimp is a serial number allocated to the national grid or your suplier of leccy. And a spark such as myself or any other registered spark for that matter is usually not qualified for extra high voltage so there for would not have a serial number registered crimping device to reseal the DCO fuse. Not that meter readers check the seals are crimped with a serial number but if they did and it wasn't the crown will accuse you of tampering with the meter or stealing electricity and it doesn't matter if you removed it genuinely the crown never see's it that way. If you want to do wiring works on the consumer unit and don't have a switch fuse to isolate the supply before the meter the electric company now charge you £450 call out and £340 to remove it for a total of about 2 hours tops if longer or more than a day its £4500 to remove it. The old black DCO's which have bitumen lagged TNC-S OR TN-C Systems are a bast@rd to remove they instantly fall apart the fuse connectors fall inside before you fully release it causes a big blue flash or arc as we sparks call them and blows the sub-station fuse and then the whole street has no electricity. Trying explaining that to the national grid.... it's a £7,500 fine and time in prison of plus 5 years if you don't die from recieving about 10,000 amperes. Its not the volts that kill you it's the amps and when you stand in the way of it you become the ground which would be in the region of about 75ohms. So never pull the DCO ask for a DP Switch Fuse 80A to be installed as it's free, then you can isolate the 125A/100A incomer any time you want.

What a load of bks.

[Simpo Two]

Epic first post though. I'm going to hand to myself in at the local nick just to be on the safe side. Or maybe I'll fine myself £1M; I haven't decided yet.