Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

So what is involved in extending the incoming main by about three
metres? Three metres of tails and some sort of Henley block I'm
guessing. No complications with the routing, just drill through the
wall.

I'd do this sort of job myself, legal or not, when they monopolise the
work to the extent that a job that involves about forty quid in parts,
if that, becomes a one-grand plus quote.

Made my blood boil and it isn't even my money!

What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

On 30/10/2011 16:38, wrote:
Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

So what is involved in extending the incoming main by about three
metres? Three metres of tails and some sort of Henley block I'm
guessing. No complications with the routing, just drill through the
wall.

I'd do this sort of job myself, legal or not, when they monopolise the
work to the extent that a job that involves about forty quid in parts,
if that, becomes a one-grand plus quote.

Made my blood boil and it isn't even my money!

What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

Not all jobs are as simple as they appear at the outset. I recall, when
I worked for an electricity board, what should have been a simple job of
fitting an extra socket outlet turned into a major job involving the
replacement of an entire incoming sub-main up three floors because it
was in such poor condition.

Colin Bignell

wrote:
Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

So what is involved in extending the incoming main by about three
metres? Three metres of tails and some sort of Henley block I'm
guessing. No complications with the routing, just drill through the
wall.

Your guess would be wrong. The LEC will not do joints inside the house (nor
normally underground in a garden if they can help it) and they do not use
Henley blocks.

Best guess is that they are taking the new supply back to the street ring
main.

--
Adam

clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.
To comply with your electricity supply contract who-ever moves
your meter must:

- cut the sealed links and remove the incoming supply head fuse
* NOTE - THIS MUST NEVER BE DONE IF THE INCOMING SUPPLY
* HEAD IS A CERAMIC FUSE HOLDER AS IT WILL FALL TO PIECES.
* STOP AT THIS POINT AND BOOK A SUPPLY HEAD REPLACEMENT.
- disconnect supply tails from the supply head
- cut the sealed links from the meter
- disconnect the supply tails from the meter
- move the meter to its required new position
- connect the supply head to the meter with continuous,
unbroken lengths of supply tails of required CSA for
the installation (usually 25mm^2, though some are 16mm^2)
- replace the incoming supply head fuse
- replace the sealed links

JGH

wrote:

I'd do this sort of job myself, legal or not, when they monopolise the
work to the extent that a job that involves about forty quid in parts,
if that, becomes a one-grand plus quote.

I had it done a few years ago in a house I was renovating. Moved from
inside to out for about £140. I think they were prepared to
extend/replace the cable from the pole but there was enough slack that
they didn't need to bother.

That was Western Power Distribution (was SWEB.)

--
Scott

Where are we going and why am I in this handbasket?

jgharston wrote:

* NOTE - THIS MUST NEVER BE DONE IF THE INCOMING SUPPLY
* HEAD IS A CERAMIC FUSE HOLDER AS IT WILL FALL TO PIECES.
* STOP AT THIS POINT AND BOOK A SUPPLY HEAD REPLACEMENT.

Where do you get that idea from?
I did a rewire last week with the oldest Incomer I have ever seen, big
cast iron case, all ceramic inside.
The meter had been replaced less than a year ago.
Inside, the cut out was in perfect condition, complete with fuseholders
for 3 fuses, with the neutral bypassed, only the Line being fused now.
The house was built in 1931, so it may have been from then.

Alan.
--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks
or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.



To comply with your electricity supply contract who-ever moves
your meter "must":

"Should" may be a better word.

--
Adam

On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Colin Bignell

On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:57:29 +0000, Nightjar
wrote:

On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

For a moment I thought we were back in the 'voltage detectors' thread.

Nick

In message , Nightjar
writes
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Colin Bignell


I came across a pirate radio transmitter a few years ago where they had
screwed self tapping screws into the meter tails and then used croc'
clips to attach to them. This was in an external meter box at a radio
site on top of a hill and was left open to the weather.

Why does Darwin's law always fail to provide at these moments?


--
Bill

Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks
or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Line taps.


--
Adam

On 30/10/2011 21:51, ARWadsworth wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks
or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Line taps.

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

Colin Bignell

In article
,
wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

My meter was moved at some time from the cellar to the top of the cellar
stairs. They used SWA cable from the riser to the meter.

--
*Work is for people who don't know how to fish.

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

A.Lee wrote:
jgharston wrote:
* NOTE - THIS MUST NEVER BE DONE IF THE INCOMING SUPPLY
* HEAD IS A CERAMIC FUSE HOLDER AS IT WILL FALL TO PIECES.
* STOP AT THIS POINT AND BOOK A SUPPLY HEAD REPLACEMENT.

Where do you get that idea from?

Big yellow warning text at:
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ndent_supply_2
plus Electrical Installation lectures 20-ish years ago, plus
confirmatory advice from a former YEB supply installer, plus
confirmatory advice from a current NELD supply installer when
he was installing a supplu next door.

JGH

In article , Bill
scribeth thus
In message , Nightjar
writes
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Colin Bignell


I came across a pirate radio transmitter a few years ago where they had
screwed self tapping screws into the meter tails and then used croc'
clips to attach to them. This was in an external meter box at a radio
site on top of a hill and was left open to the weather.

Why does Darwin's law always fail to provide at these moments?



Thats sort of operation is about par for the course these days they are
in it for the money and it can be rather sizeable. Nicking someone's
rooftop and electricity are the norm sadly...

Ofcom seem to have lost control of them..
--
Tony Sayer

In message , tony sayer
writes
In article , Bill
scribeth thus
In message , Nightjar
writes
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Colin Bignell


I came across a pirate radio transmitter a few years ago where they had
screwed self tapping screws into the meter tails and then used croc'
clips to attach to them. This was in an external meter box at a radio
site on top of a hill and was left open to the weather.

Why does Darwin's law always fail to provide at these moments?



Thats sort of operation is about par for the course these days they are
in it for the money and it can be rather sizeable. Nicking someone's
rooftop and electricity are the norm sadly...

Ofcom seem to have lost control of them..

This particular one had his TX taken 3 times and on the last raid his
studio too.
Strange thing is that I recently helped some one who seemed very
familiar to set up a legal community station :-)

--
Bill

On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:28:48 -0000, ARWadsworth wrote:

jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks
or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.



To comply with your electricity supply contract who-ever moves
your meter "must":

"Should" may be a better word.

Indeed. Without red tape, everything is 10 times easier and 10 times cheaper. It's why the UK is so far behind.

--
http://petersparrots.com
http://petersphotos.com

Drugs lead nowhere, but it's the scenic route.

wrote in message
...
Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

snip

One question nobody seems to have asked.
Do you have to use your current retail supplier of electricity to do this,
or can a qualified 3rd party (or other electricity supplier) do the work?

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

This business of no places where unmetered current can be taken from is a
bit of a joke, after all, anyone mad enough to try this will not be swayed
by insulation in any case.
Its almost like presuming guilt though, don't you think?

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article
,
wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

My meter was moved at some time from the cellar to the top of the cellar
stairs. They used SWA cable from the riser to the meter.

--
*Work is for people who don't know how to fish.

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

On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:19:06 -0000, David WE Roberts wrote:

Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter
moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the
job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

One question nobody seems to have asked.
Do you have to use your current retail supplier of electricity to do
this, or can a qualified 3rd party (or other electricity supplier) do
the work?

AIUI meters and supply head have to be done by their respective
owners.

There are now effectivetly two demarcation points in an electricity
supply. The DNO has the incoming line up to and including the main
cutout. Who ever you buy your electricity from does from the cutout
to the outlet terminals of the meter. After that any "competent
person" can do the work.

I'm half in the process of trying to get our supply head and meters
shifted but Electricty North West (aka NORWEB) are a right pain to
deal with. The meters could go in a box outside but said box is on
the back of the property behind two gates. Apparently meters these
days can only be on the side or front and not behind any gates... We
would really like some one with authority from ENW to come out look
at the situation and say no you can't do that but you could do this.
Will they send some one out nope, you have to fill in the form, send
in plans, etc etc first. They will then quote (from the plans) which
you have to accept before they *might* send someone to actually look
at what is proposed. Or they might just send the engineers who suck
teeth say "can't do that squire" and depart.

Bear in mind the ENW are just the DNO, they will only move the supply
head and cut out. One has to also co-ordinate with the people we
actually buy the lecky from to get the meters shifted...

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:19:06 -0000, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:


wrote in message
...
Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

snip

One question nobody seems to have asked.
Do you have to use your current retail supplier of electricity to do this,
or can a qualified 3rd party (or other electricity supplier) do the work?

It's the 'local' distribution network operator who does the work, who
will almost certainly not be your supplier the way the industry has
fragmented. I can't recall OFGEM opening up this area of work to
anyone else.

--

On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:18:34 -0700, jgharston wrote:

clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar as
they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.

Why can't they solder/weld (I'm not sure that soldering is still the
right term given the size of the cables!) with a sleeve over the top (and
put it in a box if they're worried about mechanical strain relief - but
the point is it would end up as a solid joint)?

Surely that would be no more and no less tamper-proof than the actual
cables either side of the join?

Jules Richardson wrote:

On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:18:34 -0700, jgharston wrote:

clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar as
they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.

Why can't they solder/weld (I'm not sure that soldering is still the
right term given the size of the cables!) with a sleeve over the top (and
put it in a box if they're worried about mechanical strain relief - but
the point is it would end up as a solid joint)?

Surely that would be no more and no less tamper-proof than the actual
cables either side of the join?

They used to solder massive cores in the street[1] - I believe they usually
crimp them these days.


Can you believe the soldering involved pouring molten solder from a ladle
over the cable and ferrule and catching the runoff in another ladle - all
while the cable, and ladles were live whilst sitting on a rubber mat...

--
Tim Watts

They used to solder massive cores in the street[1] - I believe they usually
crimp them these days.


Can you believe the soldering involved pouring molten solder from a ladle
over the cable and ferrule and catching the runoff in another ladle - all
while the cable, and ladles were live whilst sitting on a rubber mat...


Yep.. Seen 'em do it albeit sometime ago now:!..
--
Tony Sayer

In article , Tim Watts
wrote:
Jules Richardson wrote:

On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:18:34 -0700, jgharston wrote:

clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks
or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar as
they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from.

Why can't they solder/weld (I'm not sure that soldering is still the
right term given the size of the cables!) with a sleeve over the top
(and put it in a box if they're worried about mechanical strain relief
- but the point is it would end up as a solid joint)?

Surely that would be no more and no less tamper-proof than the actual
cables either side of the join?

They used to solder massive cores in the street[1] - I believe they
usually crimp them these days.


Can you believe the soldering involved pouring molten solder from a ladle
over the cable and ferrule and catching the runoff in another ladle -
all while the cable, and ladles were live whilst sitting on a rubber
mat...

it was called "jointing". I watched them do it in the late '50s.

--
From KT24

Using a RISC OS computer running v5.16

ARWadsworth wrote:
To comply with your electricity supply contract who-ever moves
your meter "must":

"Should" may be a better word.

That's why I put it in quotation marks, because, of course
I'm not going to suggest in a public forum that somebody
does this work themselves in a safe and controlled
manner without informing the distribution company and
getting their permission or getting them to do it instead



JGH

Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 21:51, ARWadsworth wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley
blocks or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Line taps.

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

They are.

--
Adam

On Oct 31, 10:59*am, "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:19:06 -0000, David WE Roberts wrote:
Was talking to a mate of mine who is having his electric meter
moved
from one room to the next and they've quoted over a grand for the
job
- this is British Gas apparently who also do electrics.

One question nobody seems to have asked.
Do you have to use your current retail supplier of electricity to do
this, or can a qualified 3rd party (or other electricity supplier) do
the work?

AIUI meters and supply head have to be done by their respective
owners.

Not the case

We had ours moved by EDF who are our DNO but they said any Lloyds
registered company can move heads.
The only problem is that EDF have a universal service obligation to
do this and the other companies do not
cost to move up to 10 meters just over a grand. Meter company did not
charge
The
It turned an integral garage into a proper bedroom and was worth every
penny.

It was jointed to the lead sheathed incomer under our block paved
drive which they dug but I had to fill and the engineers said they did
4 a day.
However if the job had gone wroing they would I expect bring a genny
for temp power
I met a few clowns who said thet they knew a man who would come in his
lunch hour for a few hundred quid cash and do the job but I like to
get things done by the book so I declined

On 31/10/2011 17:28, ARWadsworth wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 21:51, ARWadsworth wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
On 30/10/2011 18:18, jgharston wrote:
clangers wrote:
What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley
blocks or something more substantial?

It must be a single continuous cable, no Henley blocks or similar
as they are points where unmetered electricity can be taken from...

Although a couple of nails driven into the cable is probably a more
common way of doing it.

Line taps.

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

They are.

The cleverest we got was a chap who dug two quite small holes in the
party wall and drove 6 inch nails through them into the meter tails
belonging to his next door neighbour. Unfortunately for him, he hit the
ones coming out of the meter and the neighbour called us in to
investigate why his meter readings were suddenly a lot higher. Even so,
it took a keen-eyed engineer to spot it.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar wrote:

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

They are.

The cleverest we got was a chap who dug two quite small holes in the
party wall and drove 6 inch nails through them into the meter tails
belonging to his next door neighbour. Unfortunately for him, he hit
the ones coming out of the meter and the neighbour called us in to
investigate why his meter readings were suddenly a lot higher. Even
so, it took a keen-eyed engineer to spot it.

I know engineers that will fit a new unmetered supply to a house for £200 if
you dig the hole ready for the new connection.

They turn up with YEDL signed van (yes a works van not a copy) and they do
the connection on their dinner break

Not bad for 1 hours work.

--
Adam

On Oct 31, 7:55*pm, "ARWadsworth"
wrote:
Nightjar wrote:

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

They are.

The cleverest we got was a chap who dug two quite small holes in the
party wall and drove 6 inch nails through them into the meter tails
belonging to his next door neighbour. Unfortunately for him, he hit
the ones coming out of the meter and the neighbour called us in to
investigate why his meter readings were suddenly a lot higher. Even
so, it took a keen-eyed engineer to spot it.

I know engineers that will fit a new unmetered supply to a house for 200 if
you dig the hole ready for the new connection.

They turn up with YEDL signed van (yes a works van not a copy) and they do
the connection on their dinner break

Not bad for 1 hours work.

--
Adam

wonder if they collect the £200 then dob em in a collect some kind of
reward ?

Martin

Martin Warby wrote:
On Oct 31, 7:55 pm, "ARWadsworth"
wrote:
Nightjar wrote:

Only if the people who steal electricity have become a lot more
sophisticated since I was in the industry.

They are.

The cleverest we got was a chap who dug two quite small holes in the
party wall and drove 6 inch nails through them into the meter tails
belonging to his next door neighbour. Unfortunately for him, he hit
the ones coming out of the meter and the neighbour called us in to
investigate why his meter readings were suddenly a lot higher. Even
so, it took a keen-eyed engineer to spot it.

I know engineers that will fit a new unmetered supply to a house for
200 if you dig the hole ready for the new connection.

They turn up with YEDL signed van (yes a works van not a copy) and
they do the connection on their dinner break

Not bad for 1 hours work.

--
Adam

wonder if they collect the £200 then dob em in a collect some kind of
reward ?

Well that is a good way of not getting repeat business.

--
Adam

On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:56:33 -0000, ARWadsworth
wrote:

Martin Warby wrote:


Well that is a good way of not getting repeat business.

But how many times would you need to get an unmetered supply installed?

--
Rod

polygonum wrote:
On Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:56:33 -0000, ARWadsworth
wrote:

Martin Warby wrote:


Well that is a good way of not getting repeat business.

But how many times would you need to get an unmetered supply
installed?

Everytime you move?


--
Adam

On Oct 30, 11:54*pm, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:
In article
,
* wrote:

What is the accepted way to extend the incoming main? Henley blocks or
something more substantial?

My meter was moved at some time from the cellar to the top of the cellar
stairs. They used SWA cable from the riser to the meter.

--
*Work is for people who don't know how to fish.

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

Hi,
My meter was moved from ground floor to the attic room due to some
space constraints. They used SWA cable for mine too. Hope this helps.
-John