Isolation switch - Can OVO fit one of these for me?

On thx. Tbh if the installer isn't competent to install an isolation switch i wouldnt want them anywhere near the rest of the installation.

On thx. Tbh if the installer isn't competent to install an isolation switch i wouldnt want them anywhere near the rest of the installation.

I agree. I can’t stand it when they leave open ends and the electrons spill out all over the floor!

If I was adding my isolation switch now, I’d might buy a bigger (wider) enclosure and place a pair of lightning / anti-surge devices next to it. That could be a better position than having them within a consumer unit.

It rather depends on the physical layout of the Distribution Grid in your area.

If there’s a large number of overhead cables, then an incoming surge is probably more likely.

On the other hand, if you have a workshop with machine-tools (or a welder!) then you need to also protect against spikes created within your home. So in that case place the surge-protection devices within the Consumer Unit and make sure you have a separate feed to that workshop!

 

Even if you don’t want anti-surge protection at this stage, just leave room to add a pair of modules later on.

I'll be uprating to an 18th ed. CU with SPD and RCBOs but thanks for the suggestion. 

Glad to hear that @Andrewhr.

For the sake of others who come across this discussion over the ensuing months, may I just translate your TLAs into English?

CU = Consumer unit (which contains the fuses or trips)

SPD = Surge Protection Device

RCBO = Residual-current Circuit Breaker with Overcurrent protection. That means it will trip either if the current (Amps) is exceeded, or if there is electricity leaking from the circuit (residual current), which is a safety protection. All eight of my power-circuit trips in the photo above are RCBOs.

18th Ed. = 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations, which qualified electricians must comply with. In this case the most obvious requirement, which it’s likely that Andrew has in mind, is the need for the Consumer Unit to be made of non-flammable material (ie metal).

The fact that Andrew is using these terms shows that he’s competent in understanding what’s required.

He may indeed being selecting these items himself and then employing the qualified electrician to install them and provide the test certification. That’s what I do.

If others reading this would like further clarification, then please post here and ask. That’s one of the major benefits of this being an open-discussion Forum.

Just to add

TLA= Three Letter Acronym 

To be fully compliant we need to seal all cable entry points with intumescent grommets/sealant. 

@Andrewhr - I can completely understand your thoughts on engineers being able to do one or the other. It’s simply the way they train them, some are trained in one field, others in another. We do have engineers trained in both, however, we just can’t guarantee they’ll be the ones turning up to do the job!

You sound really knowledgeable on the technical side of things, how would you fancy doing a topic or 2 on the installation of the isolation switch and the smart meter, just so others can see the process?

@Transparent - Thanks for the explanation of the technical terms, really helpful (even for me!)

Hello,

Really hoping to get somewhere on this forum. Recently got an electric car and have been trying every fortnight by phone and what’s app to arrange to get a switch fitted in order to have a charging unit installed. Started trying 4 months before we received the car. We just aren’t getting anywhere. We are fobbed off at every turn, transferred again and again on the phone,  and promised a call back which we never receive. We are rural Scotland and my husband has to go and drive 15 mins to then sit at a charging point for hours. The other day he had to work in the car while it was charging. It really is becoming an inconvenience not having a charger at home.

Has anyone had any success in getting an isolator switch fitted recently and how have you managed it?? I would really love to know the secret!

Thank you. 

One was fitted at the same time as my smart meter. I'm surprised that customer services haven't been able to book in a request to fit one.

Why do you need one to get a car charger installed? Do you not have space in your consumer unit for the charger circuit? Or do you need an additional consumer unit to be fitted for the charger?

Thanks for your reply. Customer services have been useless. I thought it would be a case of requesting the job, paying for it and getting it done but no.

The EV company told us we needed one before installing the charger. My husband dealt with them.

I was just hoping there might be a magic number or way of getting this done! It’s really inconvenient. 
 

Thank you.

Let's see if we can get confirmation that you should be able to request this via customer service. @Emmanuelle_OVO  can you help, please?