Earthing gas main in a flat.

[tusharinuk]

HI all

i have finally managed to run a 10mm green black cable from the gas meter to the main CU in the flat. Now need to make the connections.

1. One the CU side, I cannot find anything that says MET. Instead I have a box which says PME (see attached image ). Is this where the earth cable goes into?

Also if it looks like the PME cannot take any more earth cables considering the 10 mm thick wire coming in. Is there a solution/option?

2. On the gas meter side, I have a earth clamp (2inch) to connect the earth wire. Want to understand if the earth wire should be clamped after the meter(my side ) or before the meter ( supplier side).

kindly assist. i am a novice at this but want to get this sorted before the gas safety guys come in for certification. They had said its not mandatory , but good to do if possible.

thanks for reading.

with regards
Tushar

 

[tusharinuk]

Untitled

• tusharinuk
• 3 Jul 2013
• 1

 

[OwainDIYer]

I hope you mean green-and-yellow cable.

1. You need to fit a new Main Earth terminal, take all the bonding cables to it, and fit a single main earth conductor between the new MET and the PME earth. 10mm might be adequate but I'd expect 16mm with 25mm tails.

2. Customer side of gas meter, see here
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1641803

 

[EFLImpudence]

And turn off the Main Switch while you are doing it.

 

[tusharinuk]

Great. Thanks for the guidance.

Is MET required only if I cannot squeeze another green yellow copper cable in the PME connector? or its a requirement/regulation by itself to have a MET ? (The wiring in the picture is 30 years old, so I am assuming lot of regs have changed)

with regards
Tushar

 

[EFLImpudence]

'Properly fit' rather than 'squeeze'.

The earth connector block is only required for practical purposes.

A MET (Main Earthing Terminal) is always present and is whatever you use for it -

It could be the earth bar in the consumer unit.

 

[bernardgreen]

What is that object leaning against the red meter tail. It looks like a nail that might find its way into any gap around the tail.

And who used all green cable for the earths ? Was it really an electrician who wired this up ?.

 

[tusharinuk]

Well spotted. Its was a nail that has been living there for the last god know how many years.. Its been relieved of its duty now..

The green cables are 30-40 years old. Any chances that older regs allowed such things?

 

[Spark123]

Yep, earth wires used to be green only many many moons ago!!
You usually only have one earthing conductor going to the service head which connects to a metal block which we use as a MET. To this the main bonding and CPCs connect.
I won't advise you to play about with this, better to get someone in who knows what they are doing.

 

[yorkspark]

Is that a solid link fuse carrier seeing as it's red?
Edit:- it looks like it's been coloured in but is scratching white

 

[securespark]

Yep, earth wires used to be green only many many moons ago!!

Please, sir, please! They were allowed to use green only cables and sleeving up until the end of 1977, sir.

 

[Spark123]

I was born towards the end of 1977