Dangerous

[Andy jones]

Went to look at a washing machine for a landlord today, it’s in a small lean to. Dryer on top so go to disconnect it. Imagine my horror when I see this

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

That is the dryer cable going into a coin meter with the earth cut off
Needless to say quick call to the landlord refusing to work on it until it’s done properly

[Martin]

Re: Dangerous

I’ve never come across “a coin meter with an earth cut off”. What is one of them when it’s at home anyway?

[iadom]

Re: Dangerous

Andy clearly states ‘the dryer cable going into a coin meter with THE earth cut off’ not ‘AN earth cut off’, quite clear to see in the picture.;)

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

Some tight landlord put coin meters in so the tenants pay every time they use appliances. These are normally connected to the socket and the appliance would plug in that. This one has the dryer hard wired straight into the meter but the earth was left disconnected.

[Martin]

Re: Dangerous

OK let me put it another way as it seems I have confused you both….. The photo shows a connection that has no provision for an earth anyway so how come?

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

I’m assuming the whole cable should go through 1 of the holes and is secured.

[madangler1]

Re: Dangerous

Most meters I have come across we’re never designed for appliances. They were made for hard wiring a specific loads suck as whole flats with the earth provision separately . Just like your meter at home. Meter tails in and out with earth in a block.

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

I’ve seen quite a few of them in bedsits where there’s a laundry room. Tenant then pay for what they use. This one just had me scratching my head tbh

[Martin]

Re: Dangerous

Forgive me guys but I cannot figure why a flat with a pay meter would not have an earth connection? Or does it ?

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

It must have Martin. Like I said the ones I’ve seen before are directly wired to a socket

[Martin]

Re: Dangerous

Andy jones wrote:It must have Martin.

OK so then you couldn’t find one hence why you refused to go any further with the repair, right?

[Andy jones]

Re: Dangerous

Correct. Also meter is key locked so can’t gain access to it, and to be honest it’s a job for an electrician to sort

[aqualectric]

Re: Dangerous

All the ones I have seen have a fused switched spur hard wired to the meter. The machine cable is then connected into the switched spur.
What a mess though. And to think that the electrical industry is snorkeling in regulations and law and training….. and yet this still happens. So all the regulation in the world won’t stop human beings being stupid. (think there’s another thread around here banging on about that……. 😉 )

Steve.

[stratfordgirl]

Re: Dangerous

This can’t have been done by a qualified, Part P registered electrician, surely? Most likely a diy job or possibly rogue trader.

[Author]

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