Does my metal kitchen light switch need earthed?

[Murdochcat]

Thanks. I’ve emailed them. Will see what they come back with. Sweet FA if memory serves.

Then NHBC would be your next step, but they are almost useless

Thing is new builds are thrown up by mainly unskilled workers and things like electrical certificates are often signed off by a QS who rarely visits sites

 

[JohnW2]

That's why I stated not DIRECTLY to do with Building Regulations as the Requirement arises out of the Wiring Regulations.

I disagree.

Even if the "Wiring Regulations" did not exist, basic electrical considerations would dictate that earthing of the faceplate was necessary in order to comply with (the one sentence of) Part P of the Building Regulations.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Colin Brenton]

I wouldn't over complicate this, it can be fixed in an hour or two for a few pounds;

1. Shut off the power (sorry, but it has to be mentioned)

2. Any fitting (socket, switch, light fitting etc) that has an earth terminal on it, take all the earth wires to it.

3. If the back box also has an earth terminal, add a length of green and yellow sleeved wire from the fitting earth terminal, to the back box earth terminal.

4. Re-fix socket (or switch or whatever-it-is) and enjoy a brew.

 

[Sleebagz]

I wouldn't over complicate this, it can be fixed in an hour or two for a few pounds;

1. Shut off the power (sorry, but it has to be mentioned)

2. Any fitting (socket, switch, light fitting etc) that has an earth terminal on it, take all the earth wires to it.

3. If the back box also has an earth terminal, add a length of green and yellow sleeved wire from the fitting earth terminal, to the back box earth terminal.

4. Re-fix socket (or switch or whatever-it-is) and enjoy a brew.

Hi Colin

3 hours later and I’m struggling and I haven’t had a brew yet….!

I’ve bought a new socket, connected all the live wires but can’t fit all the earths into the faceplate Earth terminal. I also now can’t get them all into the Earth at the back box as it’s too fiddly..!!

Can I split them and put some earths to the back box and some to the faceplate? Or do they all have to terminate in the same place with a fly lead to the other Earth terminal?

 

[JohnW2]

I wouldn't over complicate this, it can be fixed in an hour or two for a few pounds;

Probably not even 'pounds', but not necessarily all that easy quick to do in the manner you have described ...

1. Shut off the power (sorry, but it has to be mentioned)
2. Any fitting (socket, switch, light fitting etc) that has an earth terminal on it, take all the earth wires to it.

We've been told that all the 'earth' wires aree currently terminated in the back box terminal. If (as is quite possible) they cannot sensibly reach and be connected to the faceplate terminal, then an appreciable amount of extra work would be required to do as you suggest. If that were the case, then it would be more practical to add an additional fly lead from the back box terminal (with all of the CPCs connected to it) to the faceplate terminal.

3. If the back box also has an earth terminal, add a length of green and yellow sleeved wire from the fitting earth terminal, to the back box earth terminal.

See above.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sleebagz]

Probably not even 'pounds', but not necessarily all that easy quick to do in the manner you have described ...

We've been told that all the 'earth' wires aree currently terminated in the back box terminal. If (as is quite possible) they cannot sensibly reach and be connected to the faceplate terminal, then an appreciable amount of extra work would be required to do as you suggest. If that were the case, then it would be more practical to add an additional fly lead from the back box terminal (with all of the CPCs connected to it) to the faceplate terminal.

See above.

Kind Regards, John

John

Further to your post - if I terminate all the earths in a 30A (30A is all I have in the garage) choc block, then run an Earth from this to the back box and another from the block to the face plate would that suffice?

 

[Colin Brenton]

Re; the above post, yes that is absolutely fine.

 

[JohnW2]

John Further to your post - if I terminate all the earths in a 30A (30A is all I have in the garage) choc block, then run an Earth from this to the back box and another from the block to the face plate would that suffice?

Yes,that would be fine - provided that you could get all the conductors concerned into the choc block terminal.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Sleebagz]

Thanks all. I appreciate your help. Managed to get it all back together using a choc block, and it is working, however I’ve taped it up out of use just so we can have the power back on, as it was a complete mess behind it. Hundreds of wires with it being 3 gang, and hardly any space in the back box for the Earth block and neutral blocks, so I’m going to get my electrician friend to tidy it up if he can.

Always unnerves me securing what are often quite brittle wires into a fitting, then pushing and screwing the faceplate all back into the back box and ‘hoping’ they’ve all stayed in place

Thanks again

 

[mattylad]

Hundreds of wires?
Oh we need a picture of this... please

 

[Sleebagz]

Hundreds of wires?
Oh we need a picture of this... please

Ok, well 24. But still….

 

[blup]

Good practice to earth faceplate to metal back box but is it actually metal, pvd appears to be metal but isn’t so check with continuity tester

 

[JohnW2]

Good practice to earth faceplate to metal back box but is it actually metal, pvd appears to be metal but isn’t so check with continuity tester

What's "pvd"?

If you meant PVC, I wouldn't say that it 'appears to be metal'

 

[blup]

What's "pvd"?

If you meant PVC, I wouldn't say that it 'appears to be metal'

It has the appearance of metal (its used to coat e.g. brass effect taps) but is a kind of plastic AFAIK.

 

[JohnW2]

It has the appearance of metal (its used to coat e.g. brass effect taps) but is a kind of plastic AFAIK.

OK, but what does the abbreviation stand for?

If a switch faceplate was not metal, even though it looked like metal, then (a) it probably wouldn't have an earth terminal and (b) even if it did have an earth terminal(connected to what?) it would do no harm to earth it. In practice, I would imagine that the presence of an earth terminal, connected to the material of the faceplate, in a switch will virtually always mean that it is metal,and needs to be earthed.