Meter Tails

[ldoodle]

Hey,

Nice quick one for a change. My meter tails are excessively long. How much to get them trimmed down a bit. You can just make out the meter to the left of the photo, so rather than looping down like it does now, I'd like them to exit the CU, drop straight down to below the level of the meter, bend left, then bend straight up in to the meter.

Untitled

• ldoodle
• 26 Sep 2013
• 1

I'm in Kent.

PS: When we moved in it was a pay as you go meter. When British Gas changed it over should they have trimmed them down anyway, as the Gas side of British Gas (we also had a PAYG gas meter) said the tails don't conform to current standards - to close to gas meter.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The power will need to be disconnected on the supply side. MAybe you have an isolator?

Can we have a picture of the meter itself please as some have an integral isolation switch.

You'll need a competent electrician to do this work. If you don't have an isolator you'll need a spark who is able/permitted to break the supply companies seals and remove the supply fuse.

Its an hour's work tops. = £90+ VAT in Central london ( see http://www.pimlicoplumbers.com/company-charges) less out in the sticks.

 

[ldoodle]

Thanks.

Yeah will provide a better picture.

There is no separate isolation between meter and CU. I wonder if originally (years ago) the meter was higher up, needing a longer loop of cable.

 

[Jackrae]

Looks like the gas man also did a crappy job of fitting/levelling the new gas meter if my eyes interpret the photo correctly.

 

[JohnW2]

PS: When we moved in it was a pay as you go meter. When British Gas changed it over should they have trimmed them down anyway, as the Gas side of British Gas (we also had a PAYG gas meter) said the tails don't conform to current standards - to close to gas meter.

Indeed - those long tails ought to at least be clipped so as to keep them an acceptable distance from gas pipes and meter (25mm from pipes - guidance is less clear about meters, but may be 150mm). However, that is not the responsibility of your supplier or meter operator - being on 'your side of the meter', it is part of your installation, and therefore your responsibility to ensure that it complies with regulations.

However, clipping the cables would take a couple of minutes and cost a few pence in materials. I can't help but wonder whether it's worth spending more serious money than that to get the tails shortened (presumably just for the sake of appearance?), given that it's clearly not your living room that we're talking about?

Kind Regards, John

 

[chris765]

If you don't have an isolator you'll need a spark who is able/permitted to break the supply companies seals and remove the supply fuse.

I believed UKPN (DNO for the area) would be the only 'official' route to have this done?

 

[EFLImpudence]

PS: When we moved in it was a pay as you go meter. When British Gas changed it over should they have trimmed them down anyway, as the Gas side of British Gas (we also had a PAYG gas meter) said the tails don't conform to current standards - to close to gas meter.

I'm confused.

If British Gas put the tails where they are and British Gas say they don't conform, can you not tell British Gas that British Gas have said this and get British Gas to put it right?

Oh, and cut off a bit.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm confused. If British Gas put the tails where they are and British Gas say they don't conform, can you not tell British Gas that British Gas have said this and get British Gas to put it right?

You're obviously not familiar with Balkanisation We're told that it was 'British Gas' who installed the tails but 'the Gas side of Brtish Gas' who said they don't conform!

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Nevertheless, it is British Gas who have done it wrong.

 

[EFLImpudence]

I am familiar with Vulcanisation.

It was in Star Trek.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I am familiar with Vulcanisation.

It was in Star Trek.

Nah, car tyres, surely..

 

[JohnW2]

I am familiar with Vulcanisation. It was in Star Trek.

Was that the process whereby Mr Spock was created?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I believe that you can get all sorts of items made out of vulcanised rubber, if that's the sort of thing you like

 

[JohnW2]

Nevertheless, it is British Gas who have done it wrong.

True, but a different 'British Gas' who say that it is non-compliant!

However, to be serious, as I wrote last night, I would not have thought that any flavour of BG are responsible for the post-meter tails, are they? Isn't it down to the owner of the installation (perhaps the person who installed the CU) to sort out the length and routing of those tails - I doubt very much that the person who changed the meter would have connected new, over-length, tails to the CU, would they?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

I suppose so - but it WAS British Gas who fitted the new meter and left the tails where they are.