Electricity supply queries

[nunhead_man]

I'm curious about our electricity supply having had issues over Christmas ....

1) When did electricity come to SE22 / SE15 ?

2) How old is mains cable (mains fuse to street) likely to be if wrapped in cloth?

3) are such cables still in iron pipes that are "made off" at "T's" under the road outside our house?

4) Where are the local sub stations?

5) Assume each mains supply locally is on one of three phases?

Anything else I should know? :-)

[nunhead_man]

Now found out our own supply is simgle phase - so that's one of five!

[nunheadmum]

Sorry, can't answer any of the questions but good to hear that others in Nunhead are having issues - our lights were flickering loads last night and have done so regularly over the past few months. Would be interested to know if anyone knows why? (I keep meaning to phone the national grid line but it's not really an emergency as they never go off, just a nuisance.)

[????]

Don't worry this'll seem like unbelievable efficiency when we are relying on wind power and renwewables and Miliband starts intefering with the market by freezing prices and thus stifling investment. Get used to it.

careful for what you wish for people......

[Salsaboy]

All power to houses is single phase. The supply to a street is usually 3 phase and the supply to an individual house is one of the phases and neutral. Balances out the load.

ETA: What Quids said.

[nunhead_man]

Re flickering it may be worth putting a meter on something - e.g. one of your 13amp sockets - to check if you have voltage or power drops.

If so there could be any number of issues ranging from a partial break in a local cable (originals from meter to substation ran in pottery pipes that can break as drains do), poor earthing, problems at the sub station and so on

[nunheadmum]

Thanks - will get Nunheaddad on that one! I know of several folk up and down the street who are affected so it's not just our house. Thankful though that it's only flickering!!

[vito]

hi there

i am also having lots of probs with flickering lights..

has been like that for the past few months

have called uk power network and they sent a technician over few days ago..he says my consume unit is old and needs to be replaced...

I don t believe it much as i know lots of people having probs and now all of you too..

I am in underhill road near dunstans road in SE22 and prob is not only my flat but also other people around me..

i am calling an electrician and see what he says..

pls keep me posted

happy new year everybody

Vito

[nunhead_man]

Salsaboy - we are defo on single phase in our street - I can see the earth spike on the supply just now as the hole is not filled in

Any answers to my original questions please as in ?

1) When did electricity come to SE22 / SE15 ?

2) How old is mains cable (mains fuse to street) likely to be if wrapped in cloth?

3) are such cables still in iron pipes that are "made off" at "T's" under the road outside our house?

4) Where are the local sub stations?

[merv31]

Hi

We too live in Nunhead and have regular problems with our lights flickering.

Anyway, just thought I would help back up any conversations you may have with National Grid.

[vito]

so...who do we need to call??

any guess?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Who you gonna call? I guess that would be Louisa and her chum.

[vito]

Who s Louisa now?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

This is Louisa:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1241222

[vito]

Think She might be busy dealing with her probs already...

Any better idea?

I have booked an electrician for next week but wouldn t want to spend any money on that if it is, as it seems to be, something related to a whole area..

I have called my supplier and it s not up to them they say

Called uk power network, they came along quickly, but...not up to them so...who else??

[Salsaboy]

If you and your neighbours are experiencing the same problem, surely it's down to whoever maintains/owns the distribution system (the cables etc.). In London it's UK power network, so keep on at them.

[Louisa]

I can put you in contact with Maureen vito and nunhead_man. She's dealt with flickering lights before, you'd be surprised at how spirit can invade your home electrics. It can become rather annoying. If you need her to attend she offers a great service and she will have your lights working a treat within hours. Inbox me.

Louisa.

[Anna27]

Wow this actually seems to be quite a problem in Nunhead then! I thought it was just our street, we've been having ongoing issues with flickering lights but as we have a particularly sensitive RCD system ours actually trips out, just before Christmas it happened about 20 in one day. I'm constantly on the phone to them, even if your lights are just flickering you need to report it, the more calls they get the more seriously the take it.

A few months back it was really bad we had their engineers out they determined that the problem was in the street not our house but said nothing could be done until something went bang!? Anyway low and behold the next day we came home to the road taped off by the fire brigade. The opposite side of the street had a power cut and there had been a fire in one of the cables, dangerously there had also been a gas leak near the fire!

All was put right apparently and electrics were sound for a few months. Now our power is cutting out again and the flickering lights are a daily Issue. So I would urge people to call in, it's how they monitor the situation. Sooner they get it sorted the better it's a right pain having to reset everything computers etc...and as we have seen in our street it can be dangerous!

Rant over!

[vito]

Hi Anna

I understand the situation and agree with You: we need to put pressure on them!

who are You calling? who s Them??

i am calling UK power Network on 0800 783 8838

let me know if that s correct..

thanx

[vito]

Also Anna,

i wanted to ask You..

is your consume unit and the whole electric system old??

i had a technician sent over from uk power network and he said problem was my consume unit as too old

as we are experiencing the same problem but only in one area (nunhead/east dulwich)i don t believe that only in this area we have old consume units and outside this area everybody has new consume units ...if you see what i mean..this has for sure to do with them!

ANYWAY I HAVE JUST BEEN ON THE PHONE, ONCE AGAIN, THAT S MY THIRD TIME, WITH UK POWER NETWORK AND THEY SAY I AM THE ONLY CALL THEY HAVE RECEIVED ABOUT FLICKERING LIGHTS...SO THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT AS IT S ONLY ME AND THEY BELIEVE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH MY SYSTEM....BUT ONLY CAUSE I AM THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT IT...

Once again i have called uk power network on 08007838838

pls do the same if you are experiencing the same prob...

thanx

[Anna27]

Yes we've been calling UK Power network as have our neighbours. We had our house re-wired about 3 years ago so it's a new electrical system but it's also very sensitive compared to our neighbours.

I suggest having a word with your neighbours, provide them with the number as if no one else has called in it seems standard that they suggest it's your problem. Ours are flickering every day now. I think some neighbours didn't want to bother them or presumed it wasn't a big deal but it was affecting our supply more than theirs.

[vito]

I understand....

so even getting the place re wired and updated won t guarantee me an improvement on this matter...

I don t understand than..

Anyway for whoever feels like contacting them (UK POWER NETWORK) on 08007838838 my call ref numbers is 124280J

the more the better...

thanx