Super Rod has launched an innovative pry tool for heating engineers to ensure safer electrical isolation when working on appliances or installations. PHPI reports.
The Super Rod Pry is the invention of David Beech, a Gas Technical Engineer. After 15 years in the heating industry, he became frustrated by coming across multiple damaged fuse carriers and being unable to remove the fuse for safe isolation, or to inspect the fuse rating. So, David set about developing a prototype design and is now working in partnership with Super Rod, the British manufacturer, who will market the product.
Designed and developed with installers in mind, the Super Rod Pry is a new tool which has an angled pry tip that can easily access and remove fuses from fused spur carriers located in hard to reach locations, such as close to a work top, cupboard or appliance.
In these situations, installers would normally reach for a standard flat blade screwdriver to release the fuse, however this isn’t a great solution and it often results in the fuse carrier getting damaged, which means replacing the fused spur socket, adding unnecessary time and cost onto the job. With the Pry, this problem can be a thing of the past, believes David and Super Rod.
As well as getting into places where a screwdriver can’t, the tool also has important safety benefits. On the underside of the tool, there’s a handy fuse retainer where installers can place the fuse for safe keeping while they work on the appliance or installation. By removing the fuse and safely retaining it, the likelihood of the power being accidentally reconnected – and the risk of electric shock to the installer – is significantly reduced.
Made from a high strength, durable polymer material, the Pry has excellent insulation properties, as well as longevity. To ensure engineers keep it close at hand while they work, the Pry also has a key ring hoop so it can be easily added to an engineer’s key chain.
One installer who got their hands on the device commented: “It’s a fantastic, must-have for your key ring, which any electrician or gas engineer who regularly uses fuse spurs will find invaluable”.
User guide
Step 1
Insert the angled Super Rod Pry tip into the fuse carrier.
Step 2
Apply pressure to the Super Rod Pry tool to release the fuse carrier.
Step 3
Remove the fuse, check for the correct rating and retain the fuse within the clips on the underside of the tool.
Step 4
If required, the fuse carrier can be locked off by inserting the Super Rod Pry tip.
Baxi and Super Rod Pry
To demonstrate the increasing popularity of the tool, Baxi Heating has issued all its heating engineers with the Super Rod Pry, thanks to the company’s ‘Voice of the Engineer’ programme.
A group of Baxi Customer Support field service engineers meet bi-monthly to discuss best practice and talk about ways they can provide an even better experience for their customers. At a recent meeting, one of the engineers brought along a Super Rod Pry tool to show to colleagues.
Chris Riley, National Operations Manager for Aftersales at Baxi, said: “The pry tool was passed around the group and every engineer could see it being a tool they would use every day to make their job easier, safer and more efficient! As a result, we have issued every Baxi Customer Support engineer with the handy little tool, which clips neatly onto a keyring so it’s always ready for action.”
