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Unsafe Supply Cable?


Hello I’ve recently bought a house and have been doing some rennovating, after pulling down some of the plasterboard I’ve discovered the supply to the meter comes in from under one of the walls and travels maybe 3 m along and up the wall to the meter, the wire is completely unsupported, apart from where it is connected to the meter and, as far as I can tell, there is no protection device like a circuit breaker or fuse for that part of the line as it just comes out of the ground then into the meter. I don’t know what the safety rules are for the supply cable, but it seems a bit dodgy having a length of cable loose inside my house, which I cannot isolate and cannot guarantee would trip if the insulation was damaged and it shorted.

 

I’m wondering is this normal? If not, is it my or OVOs responsibility to rectify?

Best answer by speuk

It will be the responsibility of the local supply company Distribution Network Operator (DNO). If you contact them and explain the situation they will come out and inspect and take remedial action if required 

 

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Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
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Howdy @CallumJMSmith ,

!!!BIG SCARY SAFETY DISCLAIMER WARNING!!!

 

This sounds like something that might require professional advice from an electrician. Please do not rely purely on the advice we provide here, just to be safe!

We can try to offer some advice, but could do with as many photos of what you’re seeing as possible. Could you post some for us?


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  • Carbon Catcher*
  • March 5, 2023

 @Blastoise186

 

Yes I can get some photos, but won’t be back up at the house until the morning.

 

@speuk

 

My DNO is SSE, which I understand are owned by OVO anyway? Would I still contact SSE directly?


BPLightlog
Plan Zero Hero
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  • Plan Zero Hero
  • March 5, 2023

Photos would be useful. Supply cables are generally quite robust - the cable will probably be protected with a metal outer and depending on the lay, it should be captured moving towards the main in coming connection. There will be a main fuse and then a feed into the meter and from there into a distribution board which is where the trips and other circuit breakers are. 


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  • Carbon Catcher*
  • March 5, 2023

Yes, contact SSE


Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
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Thanks, that’ll help a ton.

Your DNO wouldn’t be SSE as in the energy supplier, it’d be SSEN which is a different company that OVO doesn’t own. Their website is https://www.ssen.co.uk/ and if you need to call urgently, you can call 105 to get connected to their team.


 @BPLightlog

 

The wire, from where it comes out of the ground and into the meter is entirely inside my property and does not have any protection devices above ground before the meter.

 

@Blastoise186

 

👍 Oh right, that’s my confusion then.

 

Thanks for the help guys, I think it’s best if I get in touch with SSEN.


Blastoise186
Plan Zero Hero
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You’re welcome.

We’ll keep this thread unlocked so please do feel free to stop by again if you need us. :)

Oh and erm… Sorry for that super giant scary disclaimer thing. It’s something we kinda have to do in cases like this one (otherwise OVO’s lawyers would throw the book at us!).


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