electric shock from new build wall

[Zehroni]

What action has he taken to solve the problem ?

he recommended rewiring the whole house

 

[Zehroni]

Well.
After you get your current problem fixed, you should ensure that RCDs/RCBOs are installed to protect you and your loved ones (as far as is possible) from such untoward events.

(By the way, electricity does not "escape to the Earth".
The current in any circuit returns to its source - conventionally stated, this is via the Neutral, which is "Neutral" because it is connected to the Earth.")

do you mean replacing the normal mbc with RCD/RCBO for every circuits; lights and powered sockets. if so, would not be easier to install one RCD in one of the spare space that acts for the whole consumer unit

 

[John D v2.0]

he recommended rewiring the whole house

That's probably a good idea, having separate bare earth's is not usual, presumably it's been added afterwards for some reason

 

[FrodoOne]

do you mean replacing the normal mbc with RCD/RCBO for every circuits; lights and powered sockets. if so, would not be easier to install one RCD in one of the spare space that acts for the whole consumer unit

While it would be easier (and cheaper), it would have the great disadvantage that, if a fault occurred on one circuit, all circuits would be disconnected and you may not have any idea as to on what circuit the fault existed.
While it is more expensive to install RCBOs on every circuit which requires them, you would know at least the individual circuit on which any fault exists - and you will not be completely without electricity.

While I do not know the regulations which pertain in the UK (and I am sure that someone will advise you of them), here

"In residential installations -
(i) not more than three final subcircuits shall be protected by any one RCD, and
(ii) Where there is more than one final subcircuit, a minimum of two RCDs shall be installed.

These arrangements are intended to minimize the impact of the operation of a single RCD."

 

[ericmark]

As an electrician I hated houses with a dangerous fault which could not be fixed before leaving. The rules are:-
1) If dangerous you must turn off supply.
2) You must not leave a home uninhabitable unless you have found alternative accommodation.
Clearly one has to use some common sense, but should anyone get injured after one leaves then as an electrician one is looking at a court case will risk of a custodial sentence, so the easy fix is a RCD covering all. Not a good idea user wise, but it shows the electrician had taken "reasonable" measures to ensure the safety of others.

As to RCBO use, they have dropped in price, and we now have shorter models which will fit in distribution boards designed for MCB use, but it does depend on the distribution board as to if they can be retro fitted. Some MCB's were not standard DIN rail mounted so with some distribution boards you have no alternative but swap it for a new consumer unit.

Note:- distribution board covers both fuse box and MCB box old and new, a consumer unit is a type tested distribution board which we introduced I think in the 90's for use where an ordinary person is in control. We tend to call all consumer units (CU) even when they are not strictly CU.

As an electrician has visited, he should have left it safe, however I know I was naughty in a way, I would tell the home owner I am not permitted to switch the power back on, but I can't stop you switching it back on, that way I had left home safe even though I knew as soon as door closed the owner would switch it back on.

But with RCD protection the Death of Emma Shaw would not have happened, even a 100 mA RCD would have tripped before she could have touched live parts. In 2006 we did not have RCD's like we do today.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Eric, perhaps you could say who sets such rules? Otherwise it's a bit meaningless.

 

[ericmark]

Eric, perhaps you could say who sets such rules? Otherwise it's a bit meaningless.

I think the not leaving electrical equipment is dangerous condition is HSE, I think the uninhabitable is housing act 1957 although that seems a long time ago so likely updated.

I do see your point, there are a lot of Chinese whispers as what is required, and we know the electrical regulations have dropped requirements like distance of socket from sink and earthing metal window frames, so we are often miss informed as to requirements.

In the main the finding of alternative accommodation is for tenants, but as far as I am aware it does not actually say that, however neither does it say who should pay for the alternative accommodation. So it seems one could say there is room in the Kings Head Hotel it will cost you £100 per night and that's your bit as the electrician leaving the power off covered, so it is a little pointless.

So like Part P with the approved documents we have guidance documents which are not actually the regulations. However lighting, heating, cooking, hot and cold water, and means to remove waste is reasonably basic requirements. So switching off sockets OK, switching off lights not OK, clearly a house with solid fuel fires, and a supply of candles may be considered habitable.

But there has to be some common sense, and if you can't complete some work in a house with vulnerable people in it, then you should be phoning social services and telling them the house is unfit, and in other words passing the buck. If not a home with vulnerable people it is reasonable to expect they can make their own arrangements.

I have personally been stuck until 11 pm trying to restore power when things have gone wrong, fitting new field coils into a generator using a large copper soldering iron heated on a gas stove. As competent people we should be looking after the safety of ourself and others, and leaving a house with no lights is not really safe. I ended up stopping the night as was told travelling over the camp at night was not safe, it was in the Falklands, but that does not really matter, you don't walk away leaving something not safe where ever you live.