ESB

lomb

can anyone tell me what timeframe esb take to put a new connection in from the point of paying them? thre is no pole needed as there is a supply nearby. thanks for any help

muffler

They wont be as busy now compared to last year where there was a 4 month waiting time. Im only guessing here as it will vary depending on where you are but it wouldnt be unreasonable to expect a connection within about 6 weeks.

A quick phone call to your local ESB engineering office will get you a better response.

lomb

thanks, whenever i ring the local design office(north dublin) the phone rings out and no one is there:rolleyes:
i will keep trying. i sent them a cheque 2 to 3 weeks ago and have heard nothing. is this normal?

muffler

It can take them several weeks to get a written reply back. If you ring after 8 in the morning you may get hold of someone as they tend to go out "on site" after that.

lomb

cool thanks

Tester46

muffler wrote: »

It can take them several weeks to get a written reply back. If you ring after 8 in the morning you may get hold of someone as they tend to go out "on site" after that.

Ah, wouldn't it be great to work in the public service. I am very busy in my (private sector) job too but I'd be out on my ear in the morning if it took me "several weeks to get a written reply back".

Why do we all just accept this type of crappy service? Have we just become so immune that we expect our public services to be ****e and we just move on regardless? And let's face it, the ESB engineers are not the worst paid people in society...

Just a thought.

lomb

esb is a monopoly, they dont have any competition so they can do whatever they want.

mickdw

Its all pretty much set out on the application form. I built at the height of the boom and they performed as per the timescale on the application form.
They quote you within 7 days of receipt of application. You then pay them. They then say they will complete the connection within 12 weeks if no upgrade of network etc is required.You also have to give tem the reci cert 2 weeks in advance of you wanting connection. So if you paid them in good time there should be no delay whatsoever with connection. Im sure your build is taking more than 12 weeks so everything should be fine

unclebill98

I found them very fast.....in taken your cash. I sent them chq and got the paper work back after 1 week and the chq ldg after 4 days. I've asked for connection last dec and they came out xmas eve and put the fuse in and nothing else. Took me until the 15th of january to be told there was a hole in the box and that they would not install because of this. As of last friday they said its was going in yesterday.... no show then or today.

So the wait continues.....

mickdw

unclebill98 wrote: »

I found them very fast.....in taken your cash. I sent them chq and got the paper work back after 1 week and the chq ldg after 4 days. I've asked for connection last dec and they came out xmas eve and put the fuse in and nothing else. Took me until the 15th of january to be told there was a hole in the box and that they would not install because of this. As of last friday they said its was going in yesterday.... no show then or today.

So the wait continues.....

Yes they are very exact now on location and installation of meter box. Probably overly exact but you obviously had a fault with your installation so hard to blame them on that. The key is to ensure that they have no excuse to pull off site, as they will not come back for weeks.
Its pretty simple to ensure the box isnt damaged, it is in the proper accepted location, fixed at the correct height with the customer feed and esb duct entering box in the proper positions.

unclebill98

Very true. The hole in question is one of the 2 that are made to feed in the cable. The installer had punched out both and never filled in the one not needed. I know its a simple job to fill it in but its not there job.

My problem was the lack of telling me thats why. Took them ages to tell me. After all I've had stern words with the builder, cause at least they should know stuff like that holds up installation.

Tester46

unclebill98 wrote: »

Very true. The hole in question is one of the 2 that are made to feed in the cable. The installer had punched out both and never filled in the one not needed. I know its a simple job to fill it in but its not there job.

My problem was the lack of telling me thats why. Took them ages to tell me. After all I've had stern words with the builder, cause at least they should know stuff like that holds up installation.

But it is typical of the beaurocratic nonsense that we have come to expect from semi-state "services". If the manual and the union says that the box must be a particular way, then God help you if it isn't. Not even their electrical engineering degrees or their years of experience can persuade them to do something even vaguely different from what the unions have agreed with the employer as being the "approved" procedures...

But, the rest of us are worse for just accepting that this is just the way it is...

Fatswaldo

The reason for the exact nature of the box condition is due to building/fire regs. They will not repair a box because then they are liable for any subsequent problems associated or caused by the electrical supply (ie vermin getting in and chewing the cables etc.) Unfortunately, the biggist culprits are the builders who almost never get the preparation right. The specification is really simple to follow - they just cant be bothered or take short cuts.

Im not defending ESB Crews here (they are well paid) but most work crews have more than one job to do in a day. If they are delayed on one job early on in the day then someone else will suffer later on. If they have to leave the job then it must be rescheduled - end of the queue. As jobs must be planned up to one month in advance for power outage notification reasons, this will cause a delay.

Although they are not so busy now, you should still allow the time quoted on the form to have a supply as lines/transformers etc still have to be checked for capability. Make sure that your builder sticks to the specification and that the box and the ducting leading up to it is in good condition and there will be no problem.

gummibear

Have to agree with last post. I found them excellent here in Waterford. Got application in and chq paid in about 1 week. While we were building away they came and visited site decided on pole location, checked with me if it was ok and it was down within a fortnight. The wait from then was down to getting house to the stage of needing power. As soon as Sparky sent in cert they rang next day to see if the trench work was done and were out 4 days later to finish the job. Very efficient! (especially considering that this was the same week that 80000 homes, including our present home, were powerless due to storms) I am sure it is a regional thing though!;) Like everything in this country you get lucky with who you dealing with... sometimes!