Anybody had problem of no isolation switch from SMETs to Fuse Box? Charges?

PennyForThem_2

What did your utility supplier or your electric regional distributor charge for installing it?

[Deleted User]

Octopus offer it as a standard upgrade for free when a smart meter is fitted.

molerat

Something that should have been in the specification of the poorly thought out and not fit for purpose programme.

mmmmikey

Hi - haven't had a problem not having an isolation switch between the meter and the fuse box, and most houses I've owned haven't had one. Other than swapping out the fuse box / consumer unit (which would be done by an electrician who could fit an isolation switch at the same time) there's very little need for one AFAIK. The consumer unit has a switch where the cables from the meter go in and the design of the consumer unit makes it safe to work on once this switch is off. An electrician can add new circuits, change breakers and so on without the need for an additional isolation switch. On the rare occasion when the whole system does need to be isolated, this can be done by removing the fuse on the incoming supply, which accroding to the letter of the law should be done by the DNO but many electricians do this themselves by informal agreement with the DNO.

Be interested to know what prompted the post? Is there a problem you have or work that needs doing that specifically requires an isolation switch?

tacpot12

I paid to get one added to our system before we have to have a Smart Meter. Our current meter, some 20 years old, has an isolator under a sealed cover, but the seal was never installed so it's an easy job to add one now, and very difficult to do when a Smart Meter is installed.  Molerat is right; it should have been a requirement that all Smart Meters were to have an local isolation switch - another missed opportunity!

mmmmikey

tacpot12 said:

I paid to get one added to our system before we have to have a Smart Meter. Our current meter, some 20 years old, has an isolator under a sealed cover, but the seal was never installed so it's an easy job to add one now, and very difficult to do when a Smart Meter is installed.  Molerat is right; it should have been a requirement that all Smart Meters were to have an local isolation switch - another missed opportunity!

I think I'm missing something here, could you help me with something?

I had understood the question to be about an isolating switch between the meter and the fuse box i.e. after the smart meter, so I don't understand why there's a problem whether you have a smart meter or not? What difference does it make whether the next swicth in the chain is before or at the consumer unit? I've got a smart meter and no isolator switch and I can't think of an occasion where that would be a problem? If there was a need to isolate anything before the consumer unit you'd need an electrician anyway so they could do whatever needed doing at that time? And I can't think what would need doing on the meter side of the consumer unit anyway, other than actually swapping out the consumer unit? So I don't understand why not having an isolator switch between the meter and the fuse box is a problem?

Thanks, Mike

Mister_G

When EON fitted my smart meter recently, I just happened to have a spare isolator switch handy!

The meter installer very kindly fitted it for me for a few chocolate Hobnobs and unlimited quantities of tea!

I find that having the ability to isolate the Consumer Unit is quite handy.

I should add that I am an electrician, but our local DNO is not too happy about us pulling their fuses.

I know that other DNOs are more tolerant.

MWT

mmmmikey said:

I think I'm missing something here, could you help me with something?

I had understood the question to be about an isolating switch between the meter and the fuse box i.e. after the smart meter, so I don't understand why there's a problem whether you have a smart meter or not? What difference does it make whether the next swicth in the chain is before or at the consumer unit?

Currently most electricians are fairly casual about pulling the main house fuse when they need to do anything between the meter and the consumer unit, but once a smart meter is fitted they get a lot more careful as the meter will report any loss of grid connection.

Agreed that there are only a limited number of tasks that require it, but with the increase in EV use for example a lot of installers are putting henley blocks after the meter and before the consumer unit to power EVSE and typically the customer has already had a smart meter upgrade at that point so it becomes important.

mmmmikey

Ah - OK thanks both, that makes sense to me now

I suppose as well as EVs there are things like solar panels, battery systems, extra consumer units for showers or extensions and so on. And presumably there are still a few old fuse boxes about with fuse wire type fuses that may not have the same level of protection once the cover is taken off. So not everyday stuff but enough to make it worth having the conveneince of the isolation switch.

So in my case where I've already got the smart meter installed I should probably just get whoever does the next bit of work on the meter side of the consumer unit to fit an isolation switch, but it hardly seems worth doing until I need it. Would you agree?

And if you're having a smart meter fitted well worth trying to persuade the meter installer to add a switch, but if they won't you're just back to where I am and it's not a huge deal and just a bridge to cross when you need to. Again, does this sound reasonable?

Thanks again, Mike

p.s. not meaning to gloss over general comments re: smart meter roll out but that's another matter for another day (and given the emotions it stirs I think I'll duck out of that discussion )

MWT

mmmmikey said:

So in my case where I've already got the smart meter installed I should probably just get whoever does the next bit of work on the meter side of the consumer unit to fit an isolation switch, but it hardly seems worth doing until I need it. Would you agree?

And if you're having a smart meter fitted well worth trying to persuade the meter installer to add a switch, but if they won't you're just back to where I am and it's not a huge deal and just a bridge to cross when you need to. Again, does this sound reasonable?

Yes to both.

Just factor in the time it may take to get the switch fitted, and if you are with Octopus you may be able to get it done free even if the smart meter is already there...

When I was planning for the arrival of my EV, and the need to install EVSE, my smart meter was already in place but without an isolation switch. Octopus arranged for one to be fitted as it should have been done along with the smart meter according to their standards.

I can't promise that other suppliers will be as helpful...

QrizB

MWT said:

mmmmikey said:

So in my case where I've already got the smart meter installed I should probably just get whoever does the next bit of work on the meter side of the consumer unit to fit an isolation switch, but it hardly seems worth doing until I need it. Would you agree?

And if you're having a smart meter fitted well worth trying to persuade the meter installer to add a switch, but if they won't you're just back to where I am and it's not a huge deal and just a bridge to cross when you need to. Again, does this sound reasonable?

Yes to both.

Just factor in the time it may take to get the switch fitted, and if you are with Octopus you may be able to get it done free even if the smart meter is already there...

I went so far as to buy an isolation switch (only £10 or so) and have it to hand when my smart meter installer turned up.

As it was, he offered to fit one without me having to ask so I've still got the one I bought here somewhere!