Ysatis Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 Can anyone give me any information on the proceedure in having an electricity supply installed.We have bought a building plot near Civray (86) and asked our estate agent to organise the water to be connected ( this after-sale service was included in his fee) which was done without any hiccups and quite swiftly.We have asked him to arrange the connection of the electricity (just across the road, the pole is about 10-15ft away ) to be connected to/in our pig shed next to the road. First to get a price and some info and then, assuming no surprises, to go ahead. We've heard nothing from him in 6 weeks, apart from he is waiting to hear from the electric company. This may have been a wee excuse as he might have overlooked our request.Does anybody know roughly how long it takes to get it done and how much. This might be asking ' how long is a piece of string?'. Will the electric company want any information off us etc. etc.Where is the nearest office and is it the EDF that supply that area as I'm quite 'green' to all of this.Any advice gratefully received. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 I think that this should be fairly straightforward. EDF will normally provide a temporary connection to the site for building purposes (chantier), and the pig shed sounds a pretty sensible place to put this. Later on when the house is built, the new electrics should be checked by CONSUEL and EDF will then be able to connect the permanent supply. It's probably best to call in at your local EDF office and talk to them direct about getting the temporary connection and setting up an acount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Guerriere Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 Also extra words ... "compteur de chantier" = temporary meter for building, "coffret de chantier" = temporary meter cupboard with the EDF fuse, meter, disjoncteur de branchement and a small consumer unit for temporary power supplies.... bon continuation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 Will we have to supply the consumer unit ourselves or do EDF supply it. Also I read earlier in one of your posts ( I think it was you ) that you don't see many/any electric showers in France. Now I'm worried because we have just sited a static caravan ( from England )on the land, which is all electric and wanted to run the caravan from this supply installed in the shed. I 'm assuming this is possible. Our estate agent has visited the site with somebody from EDF and I told estate agent of our plans to run 'van from this supply ( 'van had probably not arrive then!! ) I know that we will have to connect the 'van to the consumer unit ourselves.Hope you can throw some light on this. Hoping caravan will be usable as nagged husband to buy one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 What is the French for ' consumer unit ' (for an electricity supply). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 It is called a Tableaux.In your case you will need a Tableaux de Chantier, which costs about € 70 from Brico Depot, for example. This has three sockets for wandering leads. Normally, EDF will fit the "tails" from the Compteur into the Tableaux when the install the mains line in.Your electrical contractor should supply the main Tableaux for the house as part of his contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thank you Gluestick. I think I will ask my estate agent if he has organised EDF to install the consumer unit as I don't know. I'm very 'green' to all of this. Can I assume that it won't be a problem connecting the static caravan to the supply as a temporary measure until the house is built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Pleasure, Liz.Connecting your 'van or indeed anything else, is simply a matter of fixing an extension lead from the 'van into one of the power sockets on the Tableaux.In fact, just as you would on a site. The only caveat is to ensure that you do not overload the supply, as if you do, the EDF isolator will trip out. Worth checking what loads you will need for building the house. Shouldn't be too great, as the contractors will probably use a beefy diesel mixer and may well use a 110 volt site generator for their power tools, as well.EDF will not install the Tableaux: they will merely arrange an engineer or two (they often come in pairs!) to run a supply lead from the pole to the pighouse. It is up to you to organise the Tableaux.Best to ask a local electrician if you are not confident to fix the tails from the Compteur into the Tableaux. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 26, 2006 Author Share Posted April 26, 2006 I have now heard back from my estate agent (who is French but speaks quite good English) and he's says, quote: " It is a temporary connection to the nearest electric post. This post is situated to the other side of the road opposite your stone wall. So you need to find somebody can connect the shed to the post and install a supply tableaux de chantier. I am asking for you the authorisation to pass on the road with an electric cable. " I'm now a little confused. What will the EDF do exactly. Surely we don't have to connect a cable to the post opposite. Suppling the tabeaux de chantier and installing it in the shed is one thing, but shimmying up a post...not sure!! But that's how it sounds.Also, how long does a ' temporary ' supply last for and then what are the options after it ' runs out '. A friend of mine said 12 months. Advice gratefully received, I've had 2 sleepless nights thinking about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Liz:The only persons who can legally connect to the main supply, are engineers working for EDF: or, in the very unlikely event, contractors, engaged by EDF and working on their specific instructions.I know no retailer or Bricolage, or Chappi ( a trade heating and electricity supplier), who can supply a meter!EDF will run the supply into the pighouse. They will install the meter (Compteur) and their safety cutout: it is then up to you to arrange the connection of the "Tails" from the cutout.If you have the Tableaux already in situ, then EDF may, make the connection for you: smile nicely!Personally, I would visit your nearest EDF-GDF office, order the supply, sign the paperwork and ask for a visit date. They can normally rustle up someone who speaks reasonable English: even on the end of he telephone.Thereafter, install the housing for the Tableaux, Compteur and Cutout and wait!Also pester EDF as they can be notorious for slippage!Get some sleep: large glasses of red sherbet helps![;-)] Heh! You are thinking France, here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerac Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 As I understand it EDF will only allow a temporary supply for a maximum of 12 months, and I believe that it is limited to 3KW, so for hot water it will supply an immersion heater but not an english type instant heat shower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 That's what I thought, you have to have qualified people for that job. What happens after 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Liz:I'm sure that EDF would extend the supply contract, if the project over-runs. Ask them!By the way: don't forget to secure the box for the supply and meter with a good padlock: or you could find people using your supply!For the caravan, in any case, I would suggest a gas water heater: much more normal, as both site vans and tourers are very limited, normally, on the power available for site power hook-ups. Gives you showers and hot water for washing etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Layne Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Not too sure what happens, but we had a temp supply installed about 2 years ago having successfully asked on 2 occasions to extend the period. It could be cut off at any time though I presume. The problem is that for the permanent supply, you need to have completed the new wiring installation (incl telephone and TV aerial points!) to the whole house. As we still have half the building to convert from barns to useable space, it will be a while before it is 100% complete. We are just making the most of the power while it lasts and will have to get a generator if EDF cut us off I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 28, 2006 Author Share Posted April 28, 2006 Thanks everyone for your help. Shed is already padlocked. I'm less worried now.I had a better nights sleep last night, took your advice Gluestick and had a couple of red sherbets!! It's a pain not being there more often to sort things out. I will play it 'by ear' after 12 months. We haven't even drawn plans up for the house yet so goodness how long it will take before we get to telephone and aerial points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted April 29, 2006 Author Share Posted April 29, 2006 Thanks to you all, La Guerriere, Gluestick, Jerac and Layne for your advice and information. I'm reasonably 'genned up' up now on the temporary supply installation of electricity and I look forward to my supply. Hpoefully won't be too long now.Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted April 29, 2006 Share Posted April 29, 2006 Hope it all goes well, Liz.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 Hello all,I'm just re-reading this post and you said layne:We are just making the most of the power while it lasts and will have to get a generator if EDF cut us off I suppose.My worry is that after the temporary supply 'runs out' how do you/we stand with getting electricity in the future. We are in a slightly different situation. We bought a building plot with the intention of not doing anything for at least 10yrs, but reading posts on this forum that's not how it works. We have 4 pigs sheds and a small barn in a hamlet.We bought a static caravan and put it on the land (got Mairie's permission) and thought have the electric connected 'très bon'.But that's not so simple, well it is having a supply connected, it's the long term outlook for maybe 3/4/5/ years. Thinking about having a generator from the start and not committing to EDF until house is built.The caravan is all electric, didn't concern me when we bought it as I didn't think about the electric being a problem.It's my own fault, should have done a bit more homework beforehand.Has anybody an answer to what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 LizI think that I would be a bit careful about leaving the static there for ten years and sometimes staying in it.This is really a permanent home and could well create problems on planning and with the Mairie.A genny would solve all your electricity problems: however, without worrying you, I would check how long you can leave the static there and sometimes reside, 'cos what you are really doing, is to change the plot into a sort of camp site, for which you would need permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 Sorry Gluestick, I didn't make my account very clear. It was our initial idea when we first started looking for somewhere in France was with a ten year plan. Half the kids left home, other half doing their own thing, bit more money in bank and not too old or worn out!!Hopefully. But that seems to be changing by the week with the more info I'm gathering, so our 10 year plan is reducing, more like to a 2/3 or maybe 4 year plan. It's become obvious with CU and Planning expiry dates one has to keep within. Our house build will be brought forward. Not sure how we're going to pay for it!! Already living on a building site in UK. The static was always a temporary thing. Have got a touring caravan but it starting to show it's age, it's almost but not quite, as old as me. So plumpt for a static. And today have decided to go down the generator path, less hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted May 3, 2006 Author Share Posted May 3, 2006 Just out of interest, is EDF the only supplier of electricity in the Vienne/Charente/Deux-Sèvres area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ysatis Posted May 4, 2006 Author Share Posted May 4, 2006 Has anybody had any experience with the companies 'Sorégies' and/or 'Poweo'? I have e-mailed them but not yet had a response. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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