earth rod?

[Persuaders]

I am having a bathroom installed and the fitter called out a electrician to wire up the whirlpool bath. I wasnt in but in basic terms he refused to do it as he could not find the earth rod. Forgive my ignorance this is what i see....the house is about 12 years old, rural location. There are only red and black mains cables at the connection box, but at the consumer unit (with RCD) there is a large earth cable. There are also earth bonding connections to the water pipe which run through the cavity in the house (timber frame)

As its only 12 years old surely it has a rod, if not have they earthed to the water pipe?

If so whats the guys problem dont we just whack in a £2 earth rod and run a cable from the consumer unit to it??

 

[andy]

I am having a bathroom installed and the fitter called out a electrician to wire up the whirlpool bath. I wasnt in but in basic terms he refused to do it as he could not find the earth rod. Forgive my ignorance this is what i see....the house is about 12 years old, rural location. There are only red and black mains cables at the connection box, but at the consumer unit (with RCD) there is a large earth cable. There are also earth bonding connections to the water pipe which run through the cavity in the house (timber frame)

As its only 12 years old surely it has a rod, if not have they earthed to the water pipe?

If so whats the guys problem dont we just whack in a £2 earth rod and run a cable from the consumer unit to it??

what earthing system do you currently have? is TNs or TNCS you dont need an earth rod. see page 3 of for reference for diagrams of earthing

 

[Steve]

I am having a bathroom installed and the fitter called out a electrician to wire up the whirlpool bath. I wasnt in but in basic terms he refused to do it as he could not find the earth rod. Forgive my ignorance this is what i see....the house is about 12 years old, rural location. There are only red and black mains cables at the connection box, but at the consumer unit (with RCD) there is a large earth cable. There are also earth bonding connections to the water pipe which run through the cavity in the house (timber frame)

As its only 12 years old surely it has a rod, if not have they earthed to the water pipe?

If so whats the guys problem dont we just whack in a £2 earth rod and run a cable from the consumer unit to it??

Where does it go???????????? This will help us greatly in determining your electrician's problems.

 

[Persuaders]

hi guys, i have no idea, A what earth system i have or B where the earth goes when it comes out of the consumer unit (apart from around the house that is)

one of the problems is that the house is timber frame and has a brick face. This means that there is a cavity around the whole hse between the timber and the brick---anything could be behind there.

any clues i could look for?

 

[Steve]

So the earth just leaves the CU and goes away from this area altogether?

If it doesn't go into the service head (where your meter connects to), then you have a TT earth and should have an earth rod. It will be close to the perimiter of the house (outside) driven into the soil, though it may be covered up. Look for where the earth wire exits the house.

 

[Persuaders]

done that, but will re check.

So they MUST of put one in to pass building regs ?

 

[andy]

hi guys, i have no idea, A what earth system i have

well take the time to do as i already told you to. look at page 3 of for reference for earthing diagrams. if you cant be bothered to tell us all the info then we cant be bothered to help you

 

[Persuaders]

hi guys, i have no idea, A what earth system i have

well take the time to do as i already told you to. look at page 3 of for reference for earthing diagrams. if you cant be bothered to tell us all the info then we cant be bothered to help you

keep your hair on andrew im looking for help not abuse, simply replying quickly as people appear to be online

 

[Persuaders]

Thanks crafty, yes its TT, but as far as i can tell nothing exits the house. Earth just appears on the consumer unit and seems to run around the house

 

[Lectrician]

An electrician will not undertake the majority of works unless a satisfactory earth is present, and that the main equipotential bonding is upto scratch.

You mention water, and earth cable.

What size is the cable to the water? Do you have oil or gas?

A photo would help.

If you where not on site when the spark arrived, he wouldn't do the bath until the earthing was sorted, and he wouldn't do this until he got the ok from you.

 

[Persuaders]

we have oil and lpg, the earth connection that i can see on the cold water pipe looks like 6mm and the earth in the consumer unit is thicker id say 10mm

 

[Persuaders]

Found it! concreated into the outhouse/utility!

 

[Qedelec]

So that's VERY inspectable isn't it!!!!!!

Scewfix do a very nice plastic box to enclose the spike with lots of room inside so's we don't skin out knuckles.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So that's VERY inspectable isn't it!!!!!!

And nicely embedded in ground which is kept damp by the application of rain....