appliance shocks

[alkey]

Hi i,ve been having problems in my kitchen,all the metal appliances keep giving me shocks, including the oven even though its on a circuit on its own.So I invested in a socket tester,this showed a live neutral reverse.
I then tested all my sockets on the other 2 circuits in the house this also showed the same problem!!
The new kitchen was fitted 2 years ago but the recieving electric shock problem is fairly recent.Our earth is the old spike in the ground.
Please can any one advise as to what the problem is and how major the work is likely to be!

 

[electronicsuk]

For some reason, it would appear the main earth to your house has become live. As you're TT, RCD protection should be provided across all circuits due to the poor earth impedance (in comparison to TN-S or TNC-S) provided by the earth electrode, which under a L-E would not allow sufficient current to flow to trip an overcurrent protective device such as a fuse or MCB.

Either your RCD isn't operating properly, or the connection to the earth electrode has failed, and you also have a live - earth fault somewhere in either an appliance of the installation. A 'Martindale' style socket tester uses a neon lamp or LED between N and E to indicate a L-N reversal, as normally N and E would be at the same potential, preventing the lamp from illuminating. However, as your earth has become live, there is apparently enough potential between earth and neutral to cause this indicator to illuminate.

This needs the assistance of a competent electrician as a matter of urgency.

 

[RF Lighting]

Your socket tester is most likely lying.

I think you have a live to earth fault, and as there is no effective connection to earth, all your metalwork has come live.

Your socket tester can only detect first fault conditions, but you have 2 faults which confuses it.

Currently your installation is in an incredibly dangerous condition. I would seriously recommend that turn it off, and call an electrician ASAP.

Not sure how extensive the work will be. Some testing should give an idea of where the fault is, and then an effective earth will need to be installed, and also an RCD installed to provide automatic disconnection in the event of a fault like this.

 

[alkey]

Thank you very much for your help !!

 

[bongos]

Let us know the outcome...

 

[alkey]

Well the electricians are here and it looks like a faulty lighting circuit is sending a fault to the consumer unit thus affecting all electrics in the house they are trying to fight their way through the mess of cables that constitutes my upstairs circuit!!
A word of warning to everyone a cheap sparky is not the way to go as i am now finding out at my expense.
Once again thank you for your advice.

 

[ricicle]

A word of warning to everyone a cheap sparky is not the way to go as i am now finding out at my expense.

I think most on here could have told you that

 

[alkey]

Not that obvious really ,I took 3 quotes and took the one that was cheaper,and he wasn't that cheaper either!

 

[RF Lighting]

Did they get to the bottom of the fault? Have they installed a proper means of earthing for you, and also installed / repaired your RCD?