Supply cable question

[RobertBM]

I’m looking to turn our electricity meter (inside) 90 degrees and move it 11 inches, which doesn’t effect the supply cable in the loft but means the wall it comes down on will be demolished. Anyone know if I’d need to call in the big network guys to secure it to a the new wall, or would the new meter installer not worry too much about it? Just to clarify the supply cables will still exit from the ceiling from more or less the same place give it an inch or two. Also, would the meter installer be willing to shorten the supply cable so the meter could be higher up the wall?

Advice on this would be appreciated

 

[bernardgreen]

You MUST contact the DNO for your area to have the work carried out by them.

You MUST NOT move the meter or the cut out ( main fuse ) as it illegal and can be extremely dangerous. Fire, explosion are possible if the supply cable short circuits Bending or twisting the cable or the cut out can result in the insulation failing.

The fuse on the cable at the substation may be 800 amps, the short circuit in your house would create the heat of 200 kW in a very small space.

 

[RobertBM]

You MUST contact the DNO for your area to have the work carried out by them.

You MUST NOT move the meter or the cut out ( main fuse ) as it illegal and can be extremely dangerous. Fire, explosion are possible if the supply cable short circuits Bending or twisting the cable or the cut out can result in the insulation failing.

The fuse on the cable at the substation may be 800 amps, the short circuit in your house would create the heat of 200 kW in a very small space.

Obviously you haven’t read my post fully. I have not in any part said I was going to be moving either the supply cable or the meter myself. The meter is going to be done through SSE, not me. My question was about the supply cable being moved by the guy fitting the new meter.

 

[Screech20]

No. The SSE guy (or girl) will only work on the meter, that is their property.

The cutout and cable is the DNO's property. Give UKPN a call and ask them what they suggest.
What is the supply cable? How old is the cutout? Overhead or underground fed?

 

[JohnW2]

No. The SSE guy (or girl) will only work on the meter, that is their property. The cutout and cable is the DNO's property. Give UKPN a call and ask them what they suggest. What is the supply cable?

As you imply, there is some uncertainty about what we are being told. In his second question, the OP seemed to be asking whether the SSE person would be prepared to shorten the cables "to the meter" when (s)h moves the meter and I would have thought that the answer to that would be 'yes' (if necessary), wouldn't it?

How old is the cutout? Overhead or underground fed?

Again, there appears to b no mention of the cutout, but since we are told that there is a 'supply cable' in the loft, one can but presume that it's an overhead supply.

Kind Regards, John

 

[333rocky333]

Anyone know if I’d need to call in the big network guys to secure it to a the new wall,

To be fair on Bernard it does read like your removing the meter yourself.

If as you say SSE are taking the meter off the old wall, then they have no option but to refix it elsewhere

 

[EFLImpudence]

which doesn’t effect the supply cable in the loft but means the wall it comes down on will be demolished.

Doesn't that affect it?

 

[JohnW2]

Anyone know if I’d need to call in the big network guys to secure it to a the new wall,

To be fair on Bernard it does read like your removing the meter yourself.

... and, in turn, to also be fair to the OP, if you'd quoted a bit more, the quote would have included references to the 'new meter installer', and the OP's questions about what that person would, and would not, be prepared to do!

Kind Regarsd, John

 

[333rocky333]

Lost me now john, if "the new meter installer" is refitting the meter, are you saying SSE are gonna remove the meter and just leave it hanging around till "the new meter installer" comes

surely it would be done in one visit by the same SSE person

 

[JohnW2]

Lost me now john, if "the new meter installer" is refitting the meter, are you saying SSE are gonna remove the meter and just leave it hanging around till "the new meter installer" comes ... surely it would be done in one visit by the same SSE person

Of course. I assumed that the "new meter installer" (mentioned in first post) and the "SSE person" (mentioned in a subsequent post) were simply two different descriptions of the same single person - and that the OP's question was about what that one person would be prepared/allowed to do during their (presumably one) visit to the property. Did you read it as meaning something different?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The meter is going to be done through SSE, not me.

Do they know that yet?

 

[RobertBM]

Thanks for all the helpfull replies so far.

I agree I was a little harsh on Bernard as I should have included a ‘having’ in the first sentence to clarify I wasn’t the one moving the meter. However, the post needed to have been read completely for a informed reply, not a half baked one.

Yes the supply cable is overhead in the loft and has two brackets holding it on the facing wall. As you can see from the picture the cable exit from the loft would only have the width of a brick wall difference from old meter to new, not that it would be evident given the ceiling is being removed at the same time as the wall.

Yes the ‘meter installer’ and the SSE person mentioned are the same person. I have written to UK Power Networks who own the cables here regarding this but they say it can take up to ten days for a reply. I’m just trying to know my position so they don’t take me for a ride.

My hope is the person sent by SSE will be able to reposition the cable drop and shorten it as it comes down from the loft. Obviously this can’t be done if they are not allowed to change the horizontal position of the supply cable which has two small brackets holding it to the wall as seen in the picture.

Cheers,

Robert
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[ban-all-sheds]

Where is the main fuse?

 

[RobertBM]

Where is the main fuse?

The fuse box is next to the electricity meter. It’s old so a new consumer unit will be upgraded and relocated by a qualified electrician to stay with the new meter.

 

[securespark]

No, the main fuse on the end of the cable from the loft.

Also, judging by your diagram, you may need more cable to reach your new position, not less.