no earth wire in my house
- Thread starter anisaadil
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C
cumbriahandyman
Who told you and how did they know?
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How long is a piece of string? No one can give you a price. However there are a number of ways to earth. We use the names TN-S, TN-C-S (PME) and TT.
The TT uses an earth rod the rest use an earth supplied by the electric board.
In a housing estate all houses from the same transformer should have the same type of earth. The only person who knows what all the other houses have is the supply authority (Not billing agent). As a result the supply authority is obliged to tell you what type of earth your house should have. So step one ring supply authority and ask them what type of earth you should have.
You will either get an answer straight away or they will try to fob you off as to answer they will need to send some one out to look. Often when they do send some one out they will give you a TN-C-S supply which means they provide the earth. However likely you will need an electrician to connect that into your consumer unit.
Metal in the ground has two electric names.
1) extraneous-conductive-part
2) earth electrode
If the supply uses an earth electrode and the supply authority changes the supply to TN then the earth electrode changes name and becomes an extraneous-conductive-part. This name change causes some confusion with statements like you can't have an earth electrode with a TN system. Well that is correct but it does not mean you pull the earth electrode up it just means it changes name and becomes an extraneous-conductive-part.
We here statements like you can't use gas and water pipes as an earth electrode however they are connected to earth as an extraneous-conductive-part.
So in the past many houses were earthed but not officially there was no earthed metal in the ground that we are allowed to name as an earth electrode.
But over the years gas and water have moved over to plastic and as a result many houses have ended up with very little metal in the ground earthing the house. Even where an earth electrode is used the amount of electric which can transfer to the ground through such a small rod is not enough to blow a fuse. As a result where earth rods are used with what is referred to as a TT system we now have to also use a ELCB to disconnect the supply. The ELCB came in two types v and c and there was a problem with the ELCB-v and they are now outlawed and we use the ELCB-c only which is more commonly called a RCD. You can see if you have a RCD or ELCB as they have a "Test" button on them. They can be stand alone or built into the consumer unit which is the name given to the fuse box as modern ones don't have fuses but MCB's or RBCO's which look like switches. If built into consumer unit likely it is a RCD if however a stand alone unit it could be old type. Posting a picture would be best way to be sure.
So now we wait for your reply. Why don't you think there is an earth? And what system do you have? Do you have an ELCB of any type? If so what type?
The TT uses an earth rod the rest use an earth supplied by the electric board.
In a housing estate all houses from the same transformer should have the same type of earth. The only person who knows what all the other houses have is the supply authority (Not billing agent). As a result the supply authority is obliged to tell you what type of earth your house should have. So step one ring supply authority and ask them what type of earth you should have.
You will either get an answer straight away or they will try to fob you off as to answer they will need to send some one out to look. Often when they do send some one out they will give you a TN-C-S supply which means they provide the earth. However likely you will need an electrician to connect that into your consumer unit.
Metal in the ground has two electric names.
1) extraneous-conductive-part
2) earth electrode
If the supply uses an earth electrode and the supply authority changes the supply to TN then the earth electrode changes name and becomes an extraneous-conductive-part. This name change causes some confusion with statements like you can't have an earth electrode with a TN system. Well that is correct but it does not mean you pull the earth electrode up it just means it changes name and becomes an extraneous-conductive-part.
We here statements like you can't use gas and water pipes as an earth electrode however they are connected to earth as an extraneous-conductive-part.
So in the past many houses were earthed but not officially there was no earthed metal in the ground that we are allowed to name as an earth electrode.
But over the years gas and water have moved over to plastic and as a result many houses have ended up with very little metal in the ground earthing the house. Even where an earth electrode is used the amount of electric which can transfer to the ground through such a small rod is not enough to blow a fuse. As a result where earth rods are used with what is referred to as a TT system we now have to also use a ELCB to disconnect the supply. The ELCB came in two types v and c and there was a problem with the ELCB-v and they are now outlawed and we use the ELCB-c only which is more commonly called a RCD. You can see if you have a RCD or ELCB as they have a "Test" button on them. They can be stand alone or built into the consumer unit which is the name given to the fuse box as modern ones don't have fuses but MCB's or RBCO's which look like switches. If built into consumer unit likely it is a RCD if however a stand alone unit it could be old type. Posting a picture would be best way to be sure.
So now we wait for your reply. Why don't you think there is an earth? And what system do you have? Do you have an ELCB of any type? If so what type?
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Are you in a rural or urban area?
If you need to install an earth spike rather than relying on a supplier provided one, you need to take into account how old your consumerf unit (fuse box) is.
TT systems require a split board with a 100ma RCD, as TT (earth spike) earthing isnt considered as reliable as one supplied by the network.
I was quoted around the 250 mark by the network operator to install TNCS in my home. You will find any work done by the network is extortionate and somewhat of a monopoly unfortunately.
If you need to install an earth spike rather than relying on a supplier provided one, you need to take into account how old your consumerf unit (fuse box) is.
TT systems require a split board with a 100ma RCD, as TT (earth spike) earthing isnt considered as reliable as one supplied by the network.
I was quoted around the 250 mark by the network operator to install TNCS in my home. You will find any work done by the network is extortionate and somewhat of a monopoly unfortunately.
We need to find out what the person meant by "earth wire".
That could really mean bonding. So perhaps we should wait more info from anisaadil and a PICTURE before guessing about supply characteristics..
That could really mean bonding. So perhaps we should wait more info from anisaadil and a PICTURE before guessing about supply characteristics..
Or a board with circuits protected by 30mA RCBO's.
Come to think of it, unless the cables in the walls or partitions have an earthed metallic covering or are installed in earth steel conduit, you can use a split board with two 30mA RCDS protecting all circuits
Given him a chance JohnD, he was up at 0305hrs this morning.
I thought they used a 100ma to prevent nuisance tripping? I know 100ma doesnt offer protection from shocks, as it is usually also an S type, but not use I would want lights nuisance tripping because of a 30 ma type B on the circuit uneccessarily
hi people sorry for the delay
yes was up til 3.05am.
basically my washing machine was not working as it should called insurance whom advised ive got no earth in the socket and it is dangerous so he would not fix the washer
now i know my house has got earth to sum areas e.g. part of the lights have got earth, but some havent, same with the sockets sum have, and sum havent. so earth is here but noty everywhere
any clues?
thanks for all your helpfu;l relpies
yes was up til 3.05am.
basically my washing machine was not working as it should called insurance whom advised ive got no earth in the socket and it is dangerous so he would not fix the washer
now i know my house has got earth to sum areas e.g. part of the lights have got earth, but some havent, same with the sockets sum have, and sum havent. so earth is here but noty everywhere
any clues?
thanks for all your helpfu;l relpies
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Your house has probably been messed around with by an incompetent DIY'er, as it sounds as if you're saying that some sockets don't even have a CPC (earth wire) present. I'd suggest the best thing you could do is spend a couple of hundred quid and have a Periodic Inspection Report carried out on the property, and then go from there if there are any serious problems found.
C
cumbriahandyman
How do you know this? What tests have you done?
Can you supply any pictures, sparks (I am not one) like pictures.
You don't actually need a CPC for the lights if the switches and lights are plastic, but of course your sockets must have earth wires.
Just so you understand the seriousness of this; if an appliance, say for example your washing machine was to develop a fault whereby a live (the red or brown) wire were to touch a metal part, the fuse wont blow, either on the plug or the fusebox. What effectively happens is your appliance casing, if metal, becomes live.
An appliance could be anything. It could be a metal lamp, netal spot lights, it could even be your pipework coming into contact with a live wire. As a worst case, imagine how you would feel if a poorly fitted wire in a metal light switch were to come loose, and make that switch live?
It really isnt worth discussing this, the earth connection is fundamental to the safety of everyone in your home. It needs to get sorted as soon as possible.
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