Earth Bonding and new CU

[Milleniumaire]

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a good day.

I'm in the process of sourcing an electrician to install a new Consumer Unit into a 1940's house, which still has the original "fuse box". Last year the meter was upgraded to a Smart Meter as you can see from the image:

New Smart Meter

• Milleniumaire
• 29 Apr 2021
• 1

Original "fuse box" with newly installed smart meter

Of the electricians that have given me quotes, one has suggested that some earth bonding may be required and they may be right, but I'm not too sure. His suggestion is based on the above photo as he hasn't yet visited the house.

How can I tell if the house has the required earth bonding?

The CU is in a cupboard under the stairs with access from the kitchen and at the other side of the kitchen (about 3m away) is where the water and gas supplies enter the house through an outside wall.

It was my understanding that the connection to the gas and water pipes had to be within a certain distance of the CU. It would be very difficult to run an earth cable from the pipes to the CU as the kitchen floor is tiled, not that this would be an issue for me as the electrician has already quoted for the earth bonding, if it should be required.

Thanks.

 

[winston1]

There is no way that can be a 1940s box, more like 1980s. Regarding earth bonding there is certainly a earth wire going somewhere clipped to the incoming main. Where it goes who knows without tracing it.

 

[AndyPRK]

normally given the age I would say 99% likely you will require a bonding upgrade.
The distance between CU and pipes doesn't matter, it only increases cost slightly.

However the green/yellow wires look more modern than expected, where does that green/yellow near the orange go?
Maybe a photo of the water stop tap and gas meter would be more useful, looking for green or bare wires

 

[Milleniumaire]

Thanks for the quick responses.

There is no way that can be a 1940s box, more like 1980s. Regarding earth bonding there is certainly a earth wire going somewhere clipped to the incoming main. Where it goes who knows without tracing it.

You may be right, I had assumed it was the original CU, but the house has definitely been re-wired at some time although it still as the original lath board walls. When we bought the property about 5 years ago, the fuses were wire fuses and we had those changed.

Yes, I did see that earth cable and have no idea where it goes, but it does look promising to run to the cupboard under the sink (see below). The orange cable is the supply to the garage.

normally given the age I would say 99% likely you will require a bonding upgrade.
The distance between CU and pipes doesn't matter, it only increases cost slightly.

However the green/yellow wires look more modern than expected, where does that green/yellow near the orange go?
Maybe a photo of the water stop tap and gas meter would be more useful, looking for green or bare wires

This is a rental and is a 1 hour round trip, so it's not easy for me to check things out, although I will be going over at the weekend to install a new kitchen tap, so will do some searching for earth cables. However, I did find a photo that the tenant sent me of the pipes under the sink and it does show an earth cable:

Pipes Bottom

• Milleniumaire
• 29 Apr 2021

 

[AndyPRK]

Looks promising.
May not be big enough though.

 

[sparkwright]

For what's worth, the bonding cable looks big enough to me from here.

Winston is quite correct, the consumer unit is considerably newer than 1940s.