Friend asked me to comment on the electrics (just bought an house)

Everything looks OK but one thing concerned me.
The CU is mounted approx 6ft high in the utility room and the tails
run done the wall approx 4ft buried in the plaster then pass through
the wall into the back of the meter box. They do run down the corner
of the room within 150mm but I just couldn't help but think what would
happen if someone was to drill or drive a nail into the corner with
nothing other than the Mains 100A fuse to protect them (one hell of a
big bang)

Anyway I pointed out the danger to them but I don't know if any ules
or regs have been broken..

Advice, Opinions and comments most welcome.
Andy

ac1951 coughed up some electrons that declared:

Friend asked me to comment on the electrics (just bought an house)

Everything looks OK but one thing concerned me.
The CU is mounted approx 6ft high in the utility room and the tails
run done the wall approx 4ft buried in the plaster then pass through
the wall into the back of the meter box. They do run down the corner
of the room within 150mm but I just couldn't help but think what would
happen if someone was to drill or drive a nail into the corner with
nothing other than the Mains 100A fuse to protect them (one hell of a
big bang)

Anyway I pointed out the danger to them but I don't know if any ules
or regs have been broken..

Advice, Opinions and comments most welcome.
Andy

Certainly not good to the 17th - in fact 30mA RCD protection on meter tails,
though possible, would fall foul of other regs (that one faulty circuit
should not impact on other healthy circuits).

So mechanical protection like metal trunking/conduit or armoured cable or
simply having the tails visible would be the only way to do it to current
regs.

However, regs are *not* retrospective and given the tails are in a "safe
zone" I can't think if this falls foul of anything in the 16th or earlier.

If I'm wrong, someone will be along shortly.

Cheers

Tim

In article
,
ac1951 wrote:
Everything looks OK but one thing concerned me.
The CU is mounted approx 6ft high in the utility room and the tails
run done the wall approx 4ft buried in the plaster then pass through
the wall into the back of the meter box. They do run down the corner
of the room within 150mm but I just couldn't help but think what would
happen if someone was to drill or drive a nail into the corner with
nothing other than the Mains 100A fuse to protect them (one hell of a
big bang)

At one time at least the old LEB had regulations about how long ordinary
tails could be and I'd guess that wouldn't have complied. They would have
required SWA or similar.

--
*The average person falls asleep in seven minutes *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
ac1951 wrote:

the tails run done the wall approx 4ft buried in the plaster then
pass through the wall into the back of the meter box.

At one time at least the old LEB had regulations about how long
ordinary tails could be and I'd guess that wouldn't have complied.

Five feet or so was too long? I understood the norm these days to be
three metres.

Pete

Pete Verdon wrote:

Five feet or so was too long? I understood the norm these days to be
three metres.

The normal maximum, I mean, not the normal length actually installed.

Pete

For a new installation, most RECs requires tails to be surface
mounted.
You have to jump through additional hoops to have them buried or
enclosed. IEE regs cover the wiring from the meter (or isolation
switch)
onwards.

--
JGH

On Jan 26, 3:11*pm, jgharston wrote:
For a new installation, most RECs requires tails to be surface
mounted.
You have to jump through additional hoops to have them buried or
enclosed. IEE regs cover the wiring from the meter (or isolation
switch)
onwards.

--
JGH

Going to replace the tails as follows;-
Drill through wall immediatly below the CU then run the new tails
through the wall and down to the Meter box enclosed in trunking. The
Service supply (overhead cables) also run down the same wall
Comments ?

Andy

ac1951 coughed up some electrons that declared:


Going to replace the tails as follows;-
Drill through wall immediatly below the CU then run the new tails
through the wall and down to the Meter box enclosed in trunking. The
Service supply (overhead cables) also run down the same wall
Comments ?

Without seeing it and being able to see the minutae, I could only offer a
couple of things to watch out for:

Do you have cavity walls that *may* contain polystyrene insulation? This can
eat PVC (meter tails). If at all possible, unless your sure of the cavity
(if any) contents, it might be worth trying to let a couple of bits if uPVC
or polythene (PET) pipe[1] in to sleeve the holes and pass the cables
through those. It's only the polystyrene issue: double insulated tails are
otherwise tough enough to pass through masonry (and often do).

[1] Don't use metal tube if passing the conductors through separate pipes -
problems with eddy currents and magnetic effects.

Unless the top of the meter box is well shielded from rain, it might be
preferable to come down by the side of the box in the trunking and in
through the side of the box - prevents any possibility of water ingress
dripping onto live parts. If impractical, consider sealing the trunking
well.

Please do watch this space: if I've said any beaulochs, someone will be sure
to correct it soon

HTH

Tim

On Jan 28, 12:29*am, Tim S wrote:
ac1951 coughed up some electrons that declared:



Going to replace the tails as follows;-
Drill through wall immediatly below the CU then run the new tails
through the wall and down to the Meter box enclosed in trunking. The
Service supply (overhead cables) also run down the same wall
Comments ?

Without seeing it and being able to see the minutae, I could only offer a
couple of things to watch out for:

Do you have cavity walls that *may* contain polystyrene insulation? This can
eat PVC (meter tails). If at all possible, unless your sure of the cavity
(if any) contents, it might be worth trying to let a couple of bits if uPVC
or polythene (PET) pipe[1] in to sleeve the holes and pass the cables
through those. It's only the polystyrene issue: double insulated tails are
otherwise tough enough to pass through masonry (and often do).

[1] Don't use metal tube if passing the conductors through separate pipes -
problems with eddy currents and magnetic effects.

Unless the top of the meter box is well shielded from rain, it might be
preferable to come down by the side of the box in the trunking and in
through the side of the box - prevents any possibility of water ingress
dripping onto live parts. If impractical, consider sealing the trunking
well.

Please do watch this space: if I've said any beaulochs, someone will be sure
to correct it soon

HTH

Tim

Just a 9" solid wall no cavity.
The house is a terraced property with an entry running between it and
the nieghbours. The meter box is in the entry and hence protected from
the rain and weather. That said, the most convientant access into the
box is through the side not the top.

thanks
Andy

ac1951 coughed up some electrons that declared:

On Jan 28, 12:29*am, Tim S wrote:
ac1951 coughed up some electrons that declared:



Going to replace the tails as follows;-
Drill through wall immediatly below the CU then run the new tails
through the wall and down to the Meter box enclosed in trunking. The
Service supply (overhead cables) also run down the same wall
Comments ?

Without seeing it and being able to see the minutae, I could only offer a
couple of things to watch out for:

Do you have cavity walls that *may* contain polystyrene insulation? This
can eat PVC (meter tails). If at all possible, unless your sure of the
cavity (if any) contents, it might be worth trying to let a couple of
bits if uPVC or polythene (PET) pipe[1] in to sleeve the holes and pass
the cables through those. It's only the polystyrene issue: double
insulated tails are otherwise tough enough to pass through masonry (and
often do).

[1] Don't use metal tube if passing the conductors through separate pipes
[-
problems with eddy currents and magnetic effects.

Unless the top of the meter box is well shielded from rain, it might be
preferable to come down by the side of the box in the trunking and in
through the side of the box - prevents any possibility of water ingress
dripping onto live parts. If impractical, consider sealing the trunking
well.

Please do watch this space: if I've said any beaulochs, someone will be
sure to correct it soon

HTH

Tim

Just a 9" solid wall no cavity.

Then I don't think you have any problems with your idea. A bit of sleeving
is always good as it helps protect the cable from dislodged masonry lumps,
but I don't think I've ever seen the "boards" bother. The only regs
pertinent are good workmanship and that the cable be installed in a method
suitable for the cable. Clean hole(s) that the cable isn't snagging or
squashed in should be fine. The outer sheath is pretty tough.

The house is a terraced property with an entry running between it and
the nieghbours. The meter box is in the entry and hence protected from
the rain and weather. That said, the most convientant access into the
box is through the side not the top.

Any way that seems reasonable then - though don't overlook the possibility
of driving rain or kids with a hose The "boards" would usually specify
bottom or back exit, but I've seen side and top done where the box was
sheltered.

Cheers

Tim