Electrics - Isolation Switches

tee_pee_2

REading this with interest as I need a new consumer unit and not sure where to start. I went on a NICE ( I think) web site but I got confused with jargon, is it simply ring an electrician and let em get on with it, only my dad said the electric board have to come out and check the work. IS that the case?

mebumu

Don't know if this helps, but I recently got in touch with my supplier (British Gas) to ask them to fit an isolator switch so that I could get my electrician to safely install a new consumer unit; exact wording of their response as follows:

"I confirm we could fit an isolator switch on your electricity meter, in order for your electrician to fit the new consumer unit. The job is chargeable and you would need to pay £46.26 in advance.

We would also fit the isolator switch at the same time as when the electrician would arrive to fit the new consumer unit. Once you have a date for when the consumer unit is to be fitted, you would need to contact us on 0845 955 5300*, so we can arrange an appointment. Please make sure you contact us approximately 2 weeks in advance of the appointment you have booked for having the new consumer unit fitted, as the work has to be carried out on the same day."

baldelectrician

mebumu wrote: »

We would also fit the isolator switch at the same time as when the electrician would arrive to fit the new consumer unit. Once you have a date for when the consumer unit is to be fitted, you would need to contact us on 0845 955 5300*, so we can arrange an appointment. Please make sure you contact us approximately 2 weeks in advance of the appointment you have booked for having the new consumer unit fitted, as the work has to be carried out on the same day."

Typical BG, the point of the isolation switches is the supply AFTER the meter is switched off before it gets to the consumer unit.

This then allows your electricain to switch and lock off the supply prior to doing any work (the switches have a lock off facility with an appropriate device)

sparky883

Was it sellotape dursley.donkey?

27col

If the isolator switch was fitted on the incoming side of the meter it would mean that electricity could be stolen quite easily, because you could by-pass the meter. I doubt that any supplier would permit that. Many years ago, when installing a new CU, I disconnected the output side of the meter rather than the pull the main fuse. After all this time, I cannot remember why I chose to do it that way. I expect all electricians have worked on live wires. However, it certainly concentrates the mind. I remember switching the radio off so as to have no distractions. There are ways and means with seals and we all have our own little ways of dealing with them.

123oleary

its been about five years since i worked for a contractor but back then the electric board were always fine about coming out and fitting an isolator . this would be arranged by my boss rather than the customer, not sure if they charged or not. leccy companies have definately got a lot more fussy with sparks cutting their tags in the last ten years.

KittaKatta

Hi, I just had a surveyor around and I was told that I need an isolation switch installed between the main switch and the fuse box. I rang three different providers (since the electricity is provided by EDF in the region, but I have just moved to e on from NPower) and only e on seems to have a faint idea of what I was talking about... but can't help for now as we have just switched to them and they don't have all the meter details, as NPower haven't yet passed them on.
After telling us that it's actually illegal to have a 'normal electrician' fiddle with the thing, at the end of the conversation we were told to get an electrician do the job anyway, and give them a call so that they can come and check if the job has been done properly (??). I really don't mind how we get there, so long as we get there legally and no-one gets hurt.
I have an electrician coming over tomorrow to look at the job - we'll know more later (maybe).
But is this all to do with some new silly health and safety rules (that obviously not many people know about yet), or is it really something risky for an electrician to do!?
An electrician came by and told us that an RCD can be done instead and that the energy provider does not even have to intervene. Not sure whether this is true or not - e-on didn't really know much about it... Any ideas?