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Ask The Trades › DIY Forum › Electrical Questions › maximum length of meter tails

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maximum length of meter tails (Read 5424 times)

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maximum length of meter tails
Feb 10^th, 2005, 3:52pm

As I'm rewiring my house which started pre Jan 1st and need to increase the length of the tails, I thought I would ask the kind man from Siemens who was parked outside my house if he knew what the max length was for this area. He wasn't too sure and said it was in the regs?. I can't find it !, does anyone know where in the book?. He thought it could be 4m.
Anyway I explained that I would be putting in an isolator switch like on the last job which had 2 consumer units.oops Embarrassed

promptly got told off for breaking the seal, never got chance to tell him that the people uprating the fuse put a new one on whilst they were there Cry

, anyway does anyone know?
Also isn't it a bit daft that if you break the seal for the main fuse to isolate the supply and break the seal to uprate the tails to the meter you have to inform the suppliers and the metering service ???

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LSpark

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Re: maximum length of meter tails
Reply #1 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:12pm

Without going into a debate about meter seals, 4m is fine for you're tails, it's important to keep tail's as short as possible due to volt drop, which would be severe for 80Amps or 100Amps without going that far, however up to 4m is usualy a figure that the REC say is ok

Btw are you an electrical contractor or are you just doing it as DIY?, there are implications to both and It would help to know..

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Re: maximum length of meter tails
Reply #2 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:28pm

Thanks for the reply L.spark
I'm qualified to 236 pts 1&2, I have my 2381 and 2391.
I currently work permanant nights with a company but not as an electrician. I've got fed up with my current job and have decided to start installing with a view to become a self employed spark later this year. When I can get hold of my father-in-law (retired ex-spark 42yrs in the game) he comes to give me a hand as he knows a helluva lot more than me , i'm finding out there is a massive difference between the classroom and the real world.
hope this answers your question

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LSpark

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Re: maximum length of meter tails
Reply #3 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:38pm

No problem JD

Yep, that's the difference between theory and practice for you Wink

The first few time's you do something, you're learn there’s a better way to do it afterwards, but it's all good fun, and it's nice to be able to continually improve the way you do thing's, just make's you’re self better at the game..

Just don't forget about part-p, that will probably be the thing that get's you're goat the most Roll Eyes

« Last Edit: Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:40pm by LSpark »

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Lectrician Administrator Trade Member Author Offline Ask The Trades Posts: 8814 Total Thanks: 109 For This Post: 0 Braunton, North Devon United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: maximum length of meter tails Reply #4 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:57pm mOST RECS HAVE LIFTED THE LENGTH BAN. sOME STILL INSIST ON 3M OR LESS! bEST TO ASK aND IF SOME HAS A SPARE MINUTE, CAN THEY INVERT MY capitals
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LSpark Global Moderator Trade Member Author Offline Posts: 8069 Total Thanks: 3 For This Post: 0 London, UK United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Electrician	Re: maximum length of meter tails Reply #5 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:59pm Sorry what's that you say little leccy..? What...? I can't hear ya mate!
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Re: maximum length of meter tails
Reply #6 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 4:59pm

You're right about part p. Cry

I don't disagree with it entirely, I just think that there might be a better way to implement it, maybe a data base for sparks that don't want to join one of the clubs.
The thing is I do a lot of work for a Plumber, so although I haven't enrolled yet (still clearing the backlog of pre Jan 1st work Wink

. this should be done by March 31st though Grin

, I will have to eventually.
Anyway, as far as the learning goes,as long as there are chaps like you lot on here and my father-in-law to pick the brains of I think I will be alright. Grin

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JD Junior Member Offline Posts: 20 Total Thanks: 0 For This Post: 0 Gender:	Re: maximum length of meter tails Reply #7 - Feb 10^th, 2005, 5:06pm [quote author=Lectrician link=1108050754/0#4 date=1108054624] mOST RECS HAVE LIFTED THE LENGTH BAN. sOME STILL INSIST ON 3M OR LESS! bEST TO ASK LoL, I tried . I felt like Bart Simpson being told off. aND IF SOME HAS A SPARE MINUTE, CAN THEY INVERT MY capitals [/quote]
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