Electrical safety risk in home meter boxes from damaged service fuse

The purpose of this Safety Alert is to warn the general public and electrical workers of the risk of electric shock from damaged service fuse holders in older style meter boxes found in homes built before 2014.

Background

Power and Water service personnel have reported finding a number of heat damaged service fuse holders in meter boxes in Territory homes. The damage service fuse holders have live parts exposed, creating an electrical safety risk to anyone accessing the meter box.

Possible contributing factors

• Damage to service fuse holders could occur due to a number of factors including age, exposure to the elements or incorrect installation.

Action required

With the exception of the electrical meter, which is owned by Power and Water, the meter box and other items inside including the meter board, switches, fuses and circuit breakers belong to the homeowner. The homeowner must maintain these in compliance with Power and Water’s meter manual and the Australian Standards.

• Inspect your meter box to determine if a service fuse carrier and base is mounted on your meter panel and that it is in good condition.
• If the service fuse carrier and base are damaged, have an electrical contractor replace the fuse in entirety with a lockable circuit breaker.

Information for electrical workers on Power and Water metering requirements

A circuit breaker as a meter isolator is required for a safe and convenient isolation point for:

• Power and Water Metering Section staff to service and maintain their metering installation.
• Electrical Contractors to safely work on the customers' switchboard.
• Power and Water officers or agents to perform disconnections as requested by the electricity retailer.
• Restoration of power supply by switching on a tripped isolator by the customer or by Power and Water personnel.
• The circuit breaker also provides graded electrical overcurrent protection for the customer's installation.
• The circuit breaker is required to isolate the metering for a customer's installation.

Further information

For further information, please refer to the following:

Guidance information

• NP010 Meter Manual 2014 – Power and Water Corporation

Australian Standards

• AS/NZS 3000:2018 Electrical installations (Australian wiring rules), Amendments 1, 2 & 3