Earthing Set-up

[LLGS]

Can anyone tell from the photo what kind of earthing set-up we have?

The earth cable that goes off to the right attaches to our gas pipe, the one that goes off to the left and up into the wall goes out to the street (this is basement level) so I'm not sure what happens to that one. I thought there was meant to be one attached to the water pipe...is that it? And shouldn't we have another earth cable??

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• LLGS
• 17 Oct 2012
• 1

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• LLGS
• 17 Oct 2012
• 1

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• LLGS
• 24 Oct 2012
• 1

 

[MeterMonkey]

No you cant identify what type of earthing it is.

The black cable, where does that go?

is the cutout below the meter?

 

[LLGS]

I've uploaded another pic...hope that makes it clearer?

 

[MeterMonkey]

still quite difficult to tell, can you post a picture of where the earth cable ends?

 

[LLGS]

The earth cable that goes to the right attaches to the gas pipe. The one on the left goes into the wall and out to the street...but not sure what happens after it goes out through that big pipe.

Someone told me that the main incoming supply isn't earthed... :/

 

[MeterMonkey]

The supply doesnt look like its directly earthed.

It could well be connected to the outter sheathing in the street which would be TNS (terre(earth) Neutral Seperate)..

If you cant find where it terminates, Contact your supplier and request your MPAN number, Then contact your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) and ask if they can confirm it for you.

The supply looks as 'new' as the earthing cable from the pipe, perhaps it was installed at the same time, 3 phase isn't something im qualified on. Maybe 3 phase supply has to come with an earth. Give it a few hours for the more experienced guys to finish the daily grind and hopefully can give you some more advice.

 

[Spark123]

Can you post a pic of the 3 phase cutout (below the meter)?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It could well be connected to the outter sheathing in the street which would be TNS (terre(earth) Neutral Seperate).

Or an earth rod, TT...

I would have thought it more likely with a TN-S supply to have had the earth sweated onto the cable at the cutout.

 

[securespark]

Wot 123 said...!

Need a piccy of the cutout.

Also, the earth might go out through the wall, but can you see anything on the outside at all - if it is TT, then it may go to an earth rod buried in the ground.

 

[Lectrician]

A picture of the service head (fuses below the trunking) would help.

But it does look like there is no earthing at all.

 

[MeterMonkey]

It could well be connected to the outter sheathing in the street which would be TNS (terre(earth) Neutral Seperate).

Or an earth rod, TT...

I would have thought it more likely with a TN-S supply to have had the earth sweated onto the cable at the cutout.

I thought more likely to be TN-S somewhere else because its 3 phase.

the main cable comes out of the side of the cutout, and it doesnt look like there is a clamp on it, theres no earth cables going into the neutral side of the cutout, so it cant be TNCS.

3 phase supply in the cellar of a house in London, I guess the whole street has them, maybe there is a common earth somewhere else.

 

[mfarrow]

I thought more likely to be TN-S somewhere else because its 3 phase.

Could be either, there's plenty of 3-phase TT supplies out there.

 

[Spark123]

Have worked on some TNS systems which are directly fed from substations before, it is a possibility but without seeing it is nigh on impossible to say what it is.

 

[JohnW2]

Have worked on some TNS systems which are directly fed from substations before, it is a possibility ...

.... but would they use ordinary unsheathed G/Y 6491X for that? - it seems unlikley.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Spark123]

Just trying to think of a reason for havning it like that in the pic whilst we wait for a reply from the OP, from what I remember the earth cables in the sub were a lot bigger than those in the pic. Could quite easily have been copper tape.

Could be a looped supply in the pic I suppose.

The only suitable advice for the OP at this stage is to get a qualified spark in to check it out.