HELP!! - earth cable

[SuperKat]

I had an electriction rewire the house just before xmas. I have just discovered the earth wire, that is supposed to be attached to the water mains has not. The cable has just been thrown under the kitchen units.

How dangerous is this and what should I do?

 

[pompeygit]

It could be the situation is ok but further investigation is needed. Main protective bond is a fairly large green yellow cable (10mm2) that is connected to your main earth terminal(inside your cu or a metal block where the earthing conductor is). This MPB should connect from this point to entry point of your water supply(the metal section). If you find this is so all is ok. It could be all you are looking at is sinking bonding, and there are no requirements for this under the current regs in kitchen areas

 

[pompeygit]

correction: sink not sinking

 

[SuperKat]

This is a thick green and yellow wire that goes to cu.

 

[pompeygit]

Have you checked if you have bonding to water and gas in the vicinity of the CU

 

[SuperKat]

Gas is bonded. Water is not as this is the closest point.

 

[pompeygit]

Do you under the cabinet is closest point or near CU?

 

[SuperKat]

1 wire runs from the CU to the gas. From the gas it runs to under the kitchen cabinet and is not or ever has been connected to anything.

 

[pompeygit]

Is the water entry point to the house under the kitchen cabinet?

 

[JohnD]

you can do it yourself and it is a very easy DIY job (though testing is harder). 10mm Main Bonding cable is about half as thick as a pencil, and stranded copper under the Green & yellow. You can buy Earth Bonding Clamps (to go round the metal pipe) at the DIY shed, I would have thought about 50p if you just need one.

Verify that the cable goes back to the Main Earth Terminal which would be in or near the consumer unit. The G&Y should be a continuous length, with no cuts or joints that could come apart.

If the cable you discovered is plain (dark) green, and looks old, it might be old sink bonding which is not now required.

If you are not used to this, post some pics of the G&Y cables near the main fuse and Consumer Unit, and the cable near your water pipe.

It has to be bonded (within 600mm of) where the water main comes into the house, on the house side of the stop-cock.

the electrician ought to have connected and tested this and included it on his certificate, so it is a bit fishy that he did not do it. Have you paid him in full?