Electricians - Please educate me on new connections

[PurpleFox]

I am in the process of creating 9 flats within an existing building.

I have ordered and paid for SSE to install 10 new connections which originally included the installation of a 10 way ryefield board. They subsequently revised their quote as they no longer fit these boards and the price dropped by £5k. They are now installing the new cable on site to agreed meter / service area and they say will terminate with a supplier cut-out.

Seems I now need an electrician who can do the necessary with this 'cut out' and prep for the energy suppliers who will then install the meters? My usual sparky hasn't done this before and is no help.

Can anyone with similar experience advise the process as I am not sure what I am asking for........ Do I need an electrician to fit a ryfield board and then the meter installers connect directly to that? Does my electrician fit the tails and connect the meters? Does it need to be someone with certain qualifications or can any experienced sparky do it?

Ideally I want all the meters together in a communal area, with a switch fuse on each, 16mm split concentric cable to a consumer unit in each flat.

Thanks in advance.

[MustangGT]

With 9 flats will you be going 3 phase? If so, you need a qualified 3 phase installer, which I am not.

[PurpleFox]

Good question, it says:

SSEN to terminate mains by installing 1 x 400A cut-out to internal meter area

Customer to prepare internal meter area and arrange installation of multi-service distribution board. Customer to act as BNO for provision of 10 x supplies

Due to policy change SSEN no longer offer Ryefield / MSDB risers

[Teddy Lop]

MustangGT said:

With 9 flats will you be going 3 phase? If so, you need a qualified 3 phase installer, which I am not.

There is no deliniation to recognized qualification standards. I guess one week wonder type domestic focussed courses might not go near it.

OP it's not regular work for most sparks but it's pretty straightforward, I'd expect any competent outfit to be able to turn their hand to fitting one even if it is their first. It's just a kind of big chunky fusebox that sits on the DNO side of things.

Edited by Teddy Lop on Friday 30th July 16:13

[PurpleFox]

Thanks for that, but still not sure exactly what I am asking them for.....

Do I need a ryefield board connected to suppliers cut-out with 10 ways setup ready for meter operator to install their meters?

Or will they just laugh and hang up?

[SpeedBash]

You anywhere near these guys: https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtisanelectricsUk

I've seen them do some commercial stuff as well as jobs a bit further afield.

From their YT videos, seem very helpful and could offer some guidance.

[megaphone]

This would be better in 'homes and gardens', there are some electricians who often post on there.

[skwdenyer]

PurpleFox said:

Good question, it says:

SSEN to terminate mains by installing 1 x 400A cut-out to internal meter area

Customer to prepare internal meter area and arrange installation of multi-service distribution board. Customer to act as BNO for provision of 10 x supplies

Due to policy change SSEN no longer offer Ryefield / MSDB risers

Sorry, a bit late. Worth being conscious what being BNO entails responsibility / liability wise - now, and in a continuing sense.

[worsy]

Possibly a bit late, could recommend someone to speak to if you are North West/West Midlands/North Wales.

[mrmistoffelees]

Try JRS Mechanical Services if you're north Wales/north west/midlands areas.

[scottyp123]

We've worked in a few different areas on house to flat conversions and renovations of appartment buildings. And what I will say is every single area has a different way of doing things, Electricity northwest or whoever they were at the time did the full thing, supply installed, bemco/ryfield board, all the trunking and tails ready for the meter company to install their meters and me to install the islators.

The one in the north east fitted the bemco but insisted I installed all the trunking, they then came back and fitted all the meters. Other areas were different again, not done one in Scotland though.

I don't get how they don't install the bemco board though, if they just fit the supply head that only gives you a single 3 phase feed, how do you split it to all the flats, all the stuff before the meter is the DNO's property so you shouldn't really be messing with it anyway. Or are they saying they will install it but you have to buy it.

Is there no main isolator before the bemco unit either? I would imagine that a 400A supply will have some pretty hefty tails and crimp lugs as well, beyond the scope of quite a few every day commercial electricians, I certainly haven't got any hydraulic crimping sets.