Layout

Below is a diagram illustrating the electrical path from the point it enters your home to the point of use. For illustration purposes typical parts have been used, your own installation may look different but the principles remain the same.

1 Service cable: This is the suppliers cable, it usually will be a SWA, (steel wire armour) cable. It will be approximately 1 inch in diameter, black and very firm, sometimes the earth cable is external to the main cable and will usually run next to it.

2 Service fuse: This the first fuse in your electrical system. Typically you wouldn’t need to use this fuse or ever have to replace it. If you have to cut all power you can simply pull it out of its socket, you should contact the supplier before doing so unless it is an emergency.

3 Meter: As you probably know this is where the amount of electricity that you use is monitored. Everything up to and including the meter is owned by the service provider and should not be removed or adjusted by anyone other than the service provider. The cables coming from the meter are referred to as meter tails and they connect to your consumer unit.