Meter exchange and Isolator issue

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082964#Comment_121082964

I think esbn are concerned that on older installations ,if an isolator is fitted then there’d be nothing to prevent a non rec from doing a rewire or board replacement without providing a certificate.

Lenar3556

Lack of an isolator wouldn’t stop the likes of him!

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087762#Comment_121087762

Yup, like this guy.

This is the Esb lad putting in a smart meter trying to explain to a customer that the install is a ball of sh*t and needs to be disconnected. So much wrong here.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087786#Comment_121087786

What's that?

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087786#Comment_121087786

You may want to edit that. You can clearly see a company name

I wonder did he do the solar installation too Or perhaps solar was done before the car charger (that number may be the solar installer)

i think that should be reported to safe electric though

2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121085228#Comment_121085228

This is happening anyway, but I get the point this would make it easier for anyone (REC or non-REC) to replace the DB.

horseman34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087786#Comment_121087786

Is that 2.5sq?

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088577#Comment_121088577

Looks like 4sq

horseman34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088608#Comment_121088608

Imagine forking out close to a grand if not more for the ev charger and the end result is you would have been better off just using the granny cable and not bothering with the charger/install/hassle of all of it

Lenar3556

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088661#Comment_121088661

What is done in the photograph is incorrect, but most cars will only charge at 7.5KW on single phase anyway.

That arrangement will deliver that.

kirk.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121071956#Comment_121071956

Best answer ever on the electrical forum

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088778#Comment_121088778

Not anymore it won't as it was disconnected by the Esb.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088577#Comment_121088577

I thought it looked like 6sq

Risteard81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121088778#Comment_121088778

It may not provide adequate fault protection, however.

Lenar3556

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121090137#Comment_121090137

Agreed. Although it’s a very short length of cable, the PSC would be quite high at that point - A fault on that NYM would probably take out the service fuse relatively quickly.

Not condoning it! But there could be a lot less protecting the concentric coming into the cutout.

lau1247

Just realized I never did reply with the final fix. Wiring was rejigged and isolator reinstalled back in the meter box (don't know why the original isolator was removed, presumably they thought it would be enough once the one in the EV distribution box is sufficient).

Has been waiting for Safe Electric audit since.

JL spark

Still a bag of crap that , basic insulation rubbing on meter box going into the cavity ,

lau1247

Not disagreeing, could be improved but have come a long way compared to how it started

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719907#Comment_121719907

Thanks for the update

this is not an isolator in the meter box

this is an (ocpd) over current protective device to protect the main cables

you never had an isolator fitted

the car charger company isn’t permitted to do this type of installation without an isolator

your installation still doesn’t comply with regulations (although neater)

my recommendation is to get it completely redone and a certificate 1 provided to esbn

id be interested what safe electric say when they come out

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720777#Comment_121720777

Isn't the isolater inside the separate cabinet pictured below on the image outside of the meter box.

Afaik doesn't the last resort allow for this type of Henley block install. The worst part here seems to be the mess and certainly the lack of cable protection into the cabinet entry point.

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121721330#Comment_121721330

I’m talking about the esbn isolator specifically. These works should not have been carried out by the rec as he’d have to be working on a live cable. It’s specifically says that this type of work cannot be undertaken if no mains isolator is installed by esbn.

these Henly blocks aren’t i.p rated and are also outside the permitted area. No mechanical protection on the cables to the outside distribution board is also an issue.

if the job was done properly then there’d be no need for the Henley blocks at all and all the connections would be done on the bus bar in the outside distribution board

the proper way to resolve this is to get a main isolator fitted by esbn and redo the main cabling

(it’d have been much simpler to run the charger back to the existing distribution board in the first place,but that’s a different issue)

a certificate 1 is required for this

listermint

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121721420#Comment_121721420

Ah yes sorry got ya. 100 %

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719907#Comment_121719907

Any update from safe electric

lau1247

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121801091#Comment_121801091

Nothing yet. Still chasing and waiting. What makes it frustrating is I have no way of direct contact with Safe Electric to push it along. The only thing I can do is chase the EV Charger installer.

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121802566#Comment_121802566

So back to your original post

At the moment I'm trying to get my smart meter to change to a day and night.

I thought going back from SM to dumb meter was not an option

lau1247

I thought the same initially but it is possible to go from 24 hr smart meter to D/N meter (it might not longer be the dumb version since I think they have rolled out the smart version in Q3 23).

At the end of the day you will need your provider to make the request. They will try to sway you to use smart plan. If you persist, keep making your case, and advise them that you know it can be done (I know folks that did get it changed successfully) and if you get to speak to an agent that would show any sign of care and competence, they will make the request for you. Be prepared to get rejected.

Also be prepared that they may say to ask ESBN (happen to me). You can then call ESBN but what ESBN will say after you explain again what you want to achieve is that the provider will need to make the request and then they will do it.

What I picked up from ESBN (when I spoke to them before) is that they don't really mind making the change but will need that request from provider which is the key. (ESBN may charge a small amount, but that is the same as normal. My understanding is that first meter change requested by home owner is free which is worth a mention if they say anything about charge)

lau1247

Final update to this saga. Where I left off the last time was that the wiring was corrected by EV Charger installer but I didn't get the completion cert. After waiting for about half a year with regular chasing of the EV Charger installer who told me that it was selected for audit by Safe Electric back in October 2023 before I can get my completion cert. I got tired of waiting on an open ended audit, I have no way of finding out directly myself or get in touch to speak to someone from Safe Electric.

After a bit of research I noted that Safe Electric have a formal complaint process and procedure. (Reference: https://safeelectric.ie/help/complaints-form/ and https://safeelectric.ie/complaints-procedure/ ). The kicker is that the Safe Electric complaint time line states to investigate in 1 day and perform inspection in 7 days thereafter. I thought to myself, surely if they can do a site inspection in 7 days, the audit for mine should not take that long.

Anyway long story short, I gave the EV Charger installer fair warning of what I noted from Safe Electric's website and that I intended to lodge a formal complaint. They didn't even bother responding to the last two messages so i just went ahead and did it. Safe Electric acknowledged the complaint by the next day and cert issued the day after that to ESB. Had I seen this last year, I would have just lodge a formal complaint straight away. I still don't know whether it was the EV Charger installer holding it up or Safe Electric but either way I'm just glad it was moving so didn't push to find out.

Called ESBN again to arrange for them to come out to replace the 24 hour Smart meter to Day/Night Smart meter. I was asked to get BG to submit the request again (since the last one was more than half a year ago). BG made the request. ESBN didn't show up, I ended up calling them to ask why there was a no show and was told I have to pay €200 for some rewiring (Tail upgrade??) from the note the previous ESBN technician recorded from last visit. I have to say I'm still not sure why/what exactly the rewiring is from ESBN side but I'm not going to argue, just happy to finally get it done. Paid there last week and finally got the meter exchanged successfully today.

Finally, I want to thank experienced Boardsies that contributed to this and give me guidance along the way. I'm sure the workmanship of the EV Charger installer is still not fully perfect but at least has improved significantly (compared to when it started) and I got the meter installed. So I will call that a success.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122160750#Comment_122160750

Good to see a positive update. I'm hoping that yours was an isolated case and that the installers are more au-fait with the regs these days. Thanks for taking time to come back and fill us in.

meercat

thanks for the update o.p

Some rigmarole for what really should have been straightforward

If it was done correctly from the start then you wouldn’t have had an additional charge from esbn

lau1247

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122163764#Comment_122163764

Yeah I think if it was done correctly by the EV Charger installer from the get go, I probably wouldn't be charged for it.