After living without accident in my house for 26 years, I am now becoming slightly worried because it appears that none of the electrics are earthed.
It is an isolated house supplied by overhead cables from a transformer in an adjoining field. The transformer is on a pole carrying cross-country power lines, which I believe are 500 volts. Higher than 230 anyway.
Two cables cross from the transformer to the house, attached at big insulators on a bracket on the corner of the house. At this point the non-live cable divides into two, one entering the house to become the neutral supply, the other supplies the common earth connection.
There are no other earth points in the house. There is no gas, no steel water pipes (private supply) and no earthing spike. The consumer unit is a traditional one with plug-in holders using fuse wire.
So it appears to me that "earth" as understood at a typical wall socket is just the same as neutral - both are connected by say 30 feet of cable to the same junction point outside the house.
Is this acceptable?
It is an isolated house supplied by overhead cables from a transformer in an adjoining field. The transformer is on a pole carrying cross-country power lines, which I believe are 500 volts. Higher than 230 anyway.
Two cables cross from the transformer to the house, attached at big insulators on a bracket on the corner of the house. At this point the non-live cable divides into two, one entering the house to become the neutral supply, the other supplies the common earth connection.
There are no other earth points in the house. There is no gas, no steel water pipes (private supply) and no earthing spike. The consumer unit is a traditional one with plug-in holders using fuse wire.
So it appears to me that "earth" as understood at a typical wall socket is just the same as neutral - both are connected by say 30 feet of cable to the same junction point outside the house.
Is this acceptable?