Earths (with picture)

[Multiplex]

The shaver socket was just removed from our bathroom, and an earth cable from the floor below was found coming up into the shaver unit. On inspection there were six earth wires within the sleeving.

Couple of questions...At the moment as a temporary measure a junction box has been put in. What's the best permanent solution for this? It's going to be covered by a very large mirror so is basically accessible.

The other question is why are all the earth wires going UP in the house?? This is a townhouse and it seems strange that all the earth wires are sent up to the top floor bathroom where it joins the earth circuit for the top floor lights via the shaver socket.

Here's a picture:

Thanks,

Simon.

 

[HDRW]

The shaver socket was just removed from our bathroom, and an earth cable from the floor below was found coming up into the shaver unit. On inspection there were six earth wires within the sleeving.

Couple of questions...At the moment as a temporary measure a junction box has been put in. What's the best permanent solution for this? It's going to be covered by a very large mirror so is basically accessible.

The other question is why are all the earth wires going UP in the house?? This is a townhouse and it seems strange that all the earth wires are sent up to the top floor bathroom where it joins the earth circuit for the top floor lights via the shaver socket.

Simon,
The photo doesn't seem to tie up with your description - what I see is two twin&earth cables (looks like 2.5mm, but it's not easy to tell from a photo) which were connected together. Accordingly, there are two earth conductors, which are connected in the JB. Where are the other four you mention?
It looks to me like this is part of a ring (for the upstairs sockets, perhaps?) and the shaver socket was part of that ring. That means that you must re-connect all three pairs of conductors (red to red, black to black, earth to earth, ashes to... no, scrap that one Have you considered fitting a backbox with a blanking plate, and connecting the cables inside that? That would tidy up the hole, provide "access", and be safe. To make the actual connections you could crimp them, or use 30A choc-block, and perhaps put that inside a choc-box, although on this last one you may get opinions ranging from "essential" through "no point" to "illegal"!

Cheers,

Howard

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The shaver socket was just removed from our bathroom, and an earth cable from the floor below was found coming up into the shaver unit. On inspection there were six earth wires within the sleeving.

Were they 6 individual wires, or was it a piece of stranded cable?

Could it perhaps be a 4mm² bonding cable heading off under the floor to the nearest water/CH pipe?

 

[mingmong]

Yes, I would guess that two bare earths from the 2.5mm twin cables are both in the g/y sleeving, and that the second eatrh cable is supplementry bonding.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If the socket was on a ring (and it looks like 2.5mm² to me as well), what's not working while that circuit is off?

 

[Multiplex]

Sorry didn't explain it very well.

From above it's 1.5mm cable off the lighting circuit. There are two cables because it went back up into the loft and the second cable fed the extractor fan by the window.

In the earth that comes from below (appears from the right side in photo) there are six wires wrapped in sleeving.

I was able to trace these earths from the shaver socket to the basin, where it was in a long coil and then disappeared to the floor below.

The basin was not connected to the earth (by the way this is a newly built house).

So is it strange at all to have six earth wires coming up from the floor below and terminated in a shaver socket on a lighting circuit at the top of the house?

Thanks,

Simon.

 

[securespark]

Aren't there 7 strands in a multistrand core?

 

[Agile]

I still dont know where these six earth wires are when only two seem visible in the photo.

Surely this verbal description is exactly what is required under the latest regulations where the bathroom light switch is the termination point for all earth bonding wires from pipes, rads and baths etc.???

Tony Glazier

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I read what you're saying, multiplex, but I, and I imagine everybody else here, find it unbelievable that someone would take the trouble (let alone be able) to thread tens of metres of 6 individual earthing conductors into a single length of green/yellow sleeving.

It just beggars belief.

Can you post a close-up photo of these wires?

 

[mapj1]

It looks more like this point was used as the start of the supplementary bonding. Of you have or can borrow a meter with an 'ohms range'
step by step

0 set it to ohms, and touch the probes together - confirm this is a 'low reading' separate the probes, confirm this is a high reading. Good, now go to step one.

(Its amazing how many people miss off step 0, and make weird readings with a flat battery or blown meter fuse or similar..)

1 with electricity off, disconnect the earth from above from the earth that goes below.

2 look for low readings between the free end and either radiator, basin pipes or bath taps. If you get a low reading of some or all of the above - it is indeed your supplementary bonding, end of mystery.

( Unless it is inside mechanical protection, it will be a multi-strand wire, for this purpose so this is quite normal.

3) The joint box is also OK, but put L-L and N-N inside it too, unless those wires are coming out. Then make some sort of access cover, and put the mirror over it.

4) sight deeply, restore power and have a drink.

5) leave a note and the picture in an envelope by the consumer unit, ideally with the 'photo. Future electrician will love you for saving them some time

 

[sparkydude]

Sorry didn't explain it very well.

From above it's 1.5mm cable off the lighting circuit. There are two cables because it went back up into the loft and the second cable fed the extractor fan by the window.

In the earth that comes from below (appears from the right side in photo) there are six wires wrapped in sleeving.

I was able to trace these earths from the shaver socket to the basin, where it was in a long coil and then disappeared to the floor below.

The basin was not connected to the earth (by the way this is a newly built house).

So is it strange at all to have six earth wires coming up from the floor below and terminated in a shaver socket on a lighting circuit at the top of the house?

Thanks,

Simon.

don't know why this simple problem is confusing so many people. The cable you have coming from below is a bonding conductor, as by the regulations, any metal light shaver point shaver light etc must be connected to the equipotential bonding of the bathroom. It is not six earth wires, but ONE PVC sheathed single cable. it would be a lot better to pull the cables out into the loft and JB there, also extend the earth wire into this too.

Hope this helps

Nick

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The cable you have coming from below is a bonding conductor, as by the regulations, any metal light shaver point shaver light etc must be connected to the equipotential bonding of the bathroom. It is not six earth wires, but ONE PVC sheathed single cable.

Well you think that, I think that, mingmong thinks that, agile thinks that, mapj1 thinks that.

The only person who doesn't think that is Multiplex, who, despite being asked, still claims he has 6 individual earth wires.

What can you do?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I note that we are still waiting for the photo showing that they were 6 individual cpcs in one piece of sleeving....