Earth connected to live

[JohnW2]

As already mentioned, that's not automatically the case. Given the prevalence of plastic service pipes these days, it's quite possible for an installation to have no effective earth other than the DNO PME facility. And if this is the case, then little current would flow....

True,but ...

... but everything "earthed" would be live.

Only "live" in the sense of being (well!) above true earth potential. In the absence (such as you postulate) of any extraneous-c-ps, the building would be an equipotential zone, so the fact that 'everything was live' would not affect (or even be noticed by) anyone/anything wholly within the building. It would only be an issue for those 'with one leg in and one leg out' of the building, or touching the infamous ('earthed' outside tap etc.

Kind Regards, John

 

[bernardgreen]

or touching the infamous ('earthed' outside tap etc.

or reading the outdoor gas meter, changing the bulb in an outdoor fitting.

 

[sparkwright]

Yes, but i think i would remember intentionally knocking out the plastic of a cut out, presumably hitting a screwdriver with your pliers, when I should not have been dismantling it in the first place, would not you.

I don't understand your question.

He DOES remember intentionally knocking out the plastic in the top of the cut out, and presumably if you do that you will be dismantling it as well.

 

[JohnW2]

... or touching the infamous ('earthed' outside tap etc.

or reading the outdoor gas meter, changing the bulb in an outdoor fitting.

They would come within the scope of my "etc." above (which you correctly quoted!)

Kind Regards, John

 

[333rocky333]

I don't understand your question.

He DOES remember intentionally knocking out the plastic in the top of the cut out, and presumably if you do that you will be dismantling it as well.

Sorry, was not really a question.
Previous posts appear to suggest there was possibly already two access holes, 1 on top and 1 on side and the likelyhood the old earth was removed meaning 1 hole at least.

So for the "Installer" as we were told, remembered knocking out the plastic.
I was questioning why he would need to knock out a new hole and that, would he not remember, why and where he actually did.

Due to the potential risk of stripping down the suppliers head, let alone the legality of doing so, the few times i have done I can certainly remember what I actually did and why.
And as i poorly said earlier, I would expect you and others, also would likely remember exactly what you done .

Anyway it all seems quesswork, theres not enough info, we dont even know if the cable is actually being used as an earth conductor, as others said if the consumer unit was actually renewed, even the most basic of tests would have flagged up the issue.

 

[dannyboi2003]

I've been thinking about this post and whilst I have nothing new to add I have been wondering if the earth cable pictured actually does terminate into the head or is it just resting there for the photo. As someone suggested previously is the customer trying to get out of paying the bill, a very elaborate scheme if they are trying it on but I still can't see someone with 25 years experience making that mistake. They would no doubt have carried out live testing on the new board so if that earth was connected like that then we'd likely be discussing the electricians funeral arrangements rather than their alleged mistake.

 

[opps]

I'm not going to swear to it but I think the blue arrowed cable entry has been unplugged and looks cleaner than the rest
, equally I think the relevant screws look unused. Although unconventional I've encountered the earth connexion made at that point (just as I've found additional neutrals from the side connexions)
View attachment 233802
The red arrowed screw appears to have been tightened with a smaller screwdriver than I'd expect an electrician to use.
As has been mentioned the earth is usually taken into the side and I imagine it was originally retained by the green arrow screw which has been undone and left open and i suspect the screw to the right is the same.

At the moment the jury's out for me.

I don't have a dog in this fight, but most of the screws look like someone has used the wrong sized screw driver over the years.

I am not an electrician but recently replaced a B class 6 amp for a C class one for a mate. His builder's "electrician" had put a Wylex MCB in an an older (discontinued) MK consumer unit, bending the busbar to accommodate it. The same electrician left a blank space- I ordered a second hand blank to fill the gap.

In no way am I maligning the OP's electrician, but I often find myself working in houses where supposed electricians have made a complete mess.

BTW, I have recommended that my mate get a real electrician to test his set up.