This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

On the subject of pulling the DNO fuse.

There have been a couple of reports here of the DNO confronting electricians who have pulled their fuse.


It's getting closer to home, a work colleague was doing a CU change on a domestic house last week, no isolator fitted, so he pulled the fuse (no seals present).

South Nottinghamshire.


Around 90 minutes later there was a knock on the door, a guy from Western Power was investigating a power loss at the property, reported by the Smart Meter phoning home.

He gave the sparky a talking to, and warned they are getting strict in pursuing people who do it, he said meter fiddling was rife, so any loss of power is checked out asap.
  • Simple. 


    They should fit isolators and maintain 'their' equipment so that it is fit for purpose.
  • I recall changing a CU in a remote farmhouse, I had just pulled the fuse when there was a knock at the door, I answered it holding the fuse in my hand to see meter reader, he came in read the meter and went
  • Just get a isolator fitted beforehand, think British Gas charged £43 last year. Got one tomorrow but there moving the head s not a problem.
  • I asked one of my customer to get an isolator fitted. Her supplier was SSE and they did it with no charge.

    At home, we have just had a smart meter fitted. My conditions were that it was SMETS2 and an isolator was fitted at the same time. No charge from Opus Energy.


    Dave
  • You have to keep an eye on the DNOs. Prior to last week's service head and meter move, I had established that the DNO would fit an isolator. The gang which turned up had no such expectation, but happily, they found one in the van.


    The householder had been advised to have their sparks on standby, but had they not fitted an isolator, I imagine that the DNO would have retained their fuse with the intention of returning when the consumer tails were ready to be connected to the meter.


    Yes, you have to keep an eye on the DNOs.


  • A cynic who does not yet have a smart meter, might be tempted to pull the fuse and fit an isolator in advance whilst this can be done without detection.

  • alanblaby:

    There have been a couple of reports here of the DNO confronting electricians who have pulled their fuse.. . 

    . . . reported by the Smart Meter phoning home.




    It always has been an offence. The installation of the smart meters is a once in a life time chance to get everything correctly sealed and documented. The other change is that OFGEM are making the policing of seals one of the DNOs performance targets. As you have seen from the reports that are coming to light, the algorithm that marks a single meter with no supply in a street where everyone else is still on supply as a “possible tamper” is fairly straightforward and accurate. 


    Regarding the fitting of isolators, both the Health & Safety Executive and OFGEM are content with the procedures currently in place by the Meter Operators / DNOs for providing isolation for electricians. 


    Regards,


    Alan. 

  • I'll bet they are!

    Nice little earner for em.

    I had a customer last week - told them in no uncertain terms to refuse any offer of a smart meter.

    Another customer had 2 cancelled appointments with Scottish Power to have a isolator fitted - 3 weeks later a really nice guy finally turned up and told me that they weren't bothered about seals being pulled because fitting an isolator was a loss to them financially but they more than made up for it with the vast smart meter subsidies they were receiving from the Govt.

    The present smart meter thing is a very very lucrative number for some if not the customer/end-user. He also said that Scottish Power do not bother policing such matters unless the meter in question is a credit meter, not only this, fiddling gas meters was much more prevalent than fiddling electricity meters.

    Everyone's mileage may vary.

    I point blank refuse to have a smart meter fitted myself. I don't want snoopers monitoring my usage. I pay the bill when it hits the letterbox, no direct debit, paper bill presented quarterly.

    If they are invoicing me for a standing charge they can bloody well work for it.
  • Well said that man!

  • Alan Capon:





    Regarding the fitting of isolators, both the Health & Safety Executive and OFGEM are content with the procedures currently in place by the Meter Operators / DNOs for providing isolation for electricians. 


     




     

    I'm sure they are.  But what about the consumers and their electricians?  It's hardly satisfactory that the customer has to pay the supplier to turn off the power, just so their electrician can do some work, when an isolator could have been fitted at the same time as the new meter.