1963 built house and electrics

[ocraz]

Hello
My house was built around October 1963. I had someone check my electrics in case they need rewiring and he told me it was not earthed. Is this possible?

I do not want to rewire if it is not necessary but I do not know how to check this. Can anyone help?

 

[omega015]

Do you know if they meant you had no earth to places like sockets and light switches? or was it no earth to your consumer unit/fuse box? Do you have anything that says RCD? Could you perhaps post some pictures of your fuse box, cables etc...?

BTW who was it that checked your electrics? And employing an electrician who can do some testing/inspection on your electrics will tell you if you NEED a rewire or not. It might be you just need a few specifics doing for safety.

 

[Robin0577]

It is quite possible that your lighting circuits are not earthed, it was quite common practice in the early 60s

It is also quite possible that your whole installation is earthed by a means which is no longer considered acceptable, such as relying on the water service pipe.

A clear photograph of the innards of a light fitting or switch, taken WITH THE POWER TURNED OFF, would likely help us determine the first part

Some clear photos of your meter and fusebox arrangements would likely help us determine the second part.

 

[ocraz]

Do you know if they meant you had no earth to places like sockets and light switches? or was it no earth to your consumer unit/fuse box? Do you have anything that says RCD? Could you perhaps post some pictures of your fuse box, cables etc...?

BTW who was it that checked your electrics? And employing an electrician who can do some testing/inspection on your electrics will tell you if you NEED a rewire or not. It might be you just need a few specifics doing for safety.

He just said there is no earth to the electricity so not sure. I should have an estimate soon so will let you know. My plugs have 3 wires, earth, live and neutral, so thats why I thought it must be earthed. Sorry I may sound daft as know nothing about it.

 

[ocraz]

It is quite possible that your lighting circuits are not earthed, it was quite common practice in the early 60s

It is also quite possible that your whole installation is earthed by a means which is no longer considered acceptable, such as relying on the water service pipe.

A clear photograph of the innards of a light fitting or switch, taken WITH THE POWER TURNED OFF, would likely help us determine the first part

Some clear photos of your meter and fusebox arrangements would likely help us determine the second part.

Many thanks for this, I will take some photos and upload them here. From what I understand there is no earthing to the water pipe.

 

[John D v2.0]

If there's no connection to the metal water pipe then what's missing is bonding, not earthing, and is a lot less serious than an ineffective earth although still classed as dangerous.
Did he test the earth resistance (plug something on a cable in and read some numbers off it, it probably beped when he pressed a button on it) ? Or just a visual inspection?

 

[ericmark]

1966 was date when lights had to be earthed, not sure when we were stopped from using a water main as an earth rather than bonding to water main, but likely when house was built even if no earth electrode the water and gas would have earthed it.

Also be aware the GPO also fitted earth rods for their party lines, so finding an earth rod does not mean it uses a TT system, I don't know when the ELCB-v was banned and the ELCB-c replaced it, however many old properties lost their earth due to the resistance through the ELCB-v. So yes likely many old properties don't have an earth.

 

[John D v2.0]

He said there's no earth to the water pipe, it's not clear whether the water is the earth and isn't sufficient, or whether it's the bonding that's missing.
Either way photos would help!

 

[securespark]

14th Edition is when use of the water pipe was prohibited.

It was allowable in my 1955 copy of the 13th Ed., but not in the 14th.

1985 was when voELCB's were deleted from the regs.