Black goo under fuse

[szymm]

What is this under my fuse/meter and who do I need to contact about it?

 

[flameport]

Bitumen or pitch.
Contact the network operator, call 105.

 

[Vicario]

I contacted my DNO (UK Power) about exactly the same problem last week. They said that this isn't considered an emergency if there's no heat or smell of burning near the main fuse, but they will come to have a look if I book it in as a fault and possibly change the fuse and holder if deemed necessary. The blokes who did my fuse upgrade a couple of years ago commented that the old fitting was contaminated by oil which was used in older cabling in the street and which, especially in hot weather, can flow to a low point and seep out. My fuse is below pavement level and over the summer I noticed it happening again - just a drip or two this time. I thought I'd better report it again so I eventually got round to it. Yours seems quite bad though so definitely report it. (I thought that you only see pitch in older cutouts nowadays but I'm sure the experts here will know).

 

[333rocky333]

I thought that you only see pitch in older cutouts nowadays but I'm sure the experts here will know).

I think your right, it looks like a new cut out on a. Old cable, I wonder if that stuff is serping off the actual cable

 

[Guitarguy]

I can tell you exactly what is happening- the original pitch filled cutout has been replaced with that one. Instead of blowing it down properly and removing all the pitch and heat shrinking it up, they have just removed enough to re terminate the live and neutral. Now it has started dripping off with the warm room temperature, also a bit of oil from the cable mixed in to the mess. Wants redoing properly or it will keep making a mess

 

[Old Salt]

Easy enough to ring them and say you can smell burning and its getting hot

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I thought I'd better report it again so I eventually got round to it. Yours seems quite bad though so definitely report it. (I thought that you only see pitch in older cutouts nowadays but I'm sure the experts here will know).

It's the pitch/oil within the cable, which also the same material they use to seal the cable ends. The insulation is paper, which should it become moist, becomes conductive, and so moisture has to be kept out, by sealing the ends. The oil, over many years, can migrate, through the cable, to the lower points, pushing the pitch out, specially if the cable gets warm. Nowt to worry about, so long as the DNO are aware.