Main power switch

[tonyv]

My 3-pase supply has a main power switch in the EDF meter box by the roadside.The cable then goes underground for some 30 meters, and enters the house. It then splits into two tableaux; one for the 3 phase system, with a 4-pole RCD and a couple of 4-pole circuit breakers; and another fror the domestic systems, consisting of 3 rows of one 2-pole RCD and a number of 2-pole circuit breakers. Each row is fed from a different phase.

The upshot of this is, that apart from the main EDF switch up the road, I have 4 seperate isolators in the house. Whilst this works well enough, I have a slight concern that in an emergency there's a bit of faffing around required to power everything down. One area that l'installation electrique doesn't cover is 3-phase. So, for the experts out there, (a) Is this arrangement legitimate, and (b) is this arrangement desirable? ie, Should I install a main isolator before the incoming supply splits?

[Nick Trollope]

Short answer, if the distance to the EDF breaker is less that 30M, and it is on your property, then the current setup is OK.

I would add a 4-pole interterupteur sectionneur (a posh switch) in the house, in the incoming supply (as if the distance was more than 30M).

 

[tonyv]

Thanks for your advice, Nick.

The EDF pole is on my property but due to hedges, etc. is only sensibly accessible from the road.

The cable run is probably only about 15-20 M, but to reach the box, I have to walk down the drive, out of the front gate, up the road, and jump over a ditch; in all certainly more than 30M!

Whatever the normes say, I think I'll take your advice, and fit a "posh switch".

Thanks again,