Old Electrical Equipment - Supplier cutout
Typical electricity supplier cutout.
Black plastic cutout
This is a typical supplier cutout as found in most UK homes.
The underground supply cable enters the bottom of the cutout. This is a lead sheathed cable, and the earth connection is the lead sheath. In this example, someone has fitted a B951 type earthing clamp to the cable. This is incorrect, as this can lead to the cable being crushed. The connection should either be soldered, or a constant pressure spring clamp.
The live and neutral wires exit the top of the cutout. The live (red) is fused, the neutral (black) is a solid link. Removing the fuse will disconnect the supply.
The fuse carrier is sealed with wire. When the fuse is removed, the terminal inside is still live, and the next fuse is the one in the substation. A serious fire would result if the live terminal cam into contact with the neutral or earth.
The red and black wires connect to the electricity meter.
Meter with supplier cutout
This photo shows the electricity meter next to the supplier cutout.
The vertical copper cable in the centre goes from the electricity meter to the fusebox. The earth connection to this is also wrong - it should have a proper earthed gland on the end. As shown, the only earth is a small piece of wire clamped under one of the cable cleats.
The copper cable is MIMS - mineral insulated metal sheathed. Also known as MICC or PRYO. In this installation, the meter and cutout were in the basment, and the fusebox in a 2nd floor flat.
This meter was replaced with a new one shortly after this photgraph was taken.
