New Earth Request

[mylittlehouse]

Hello All
I am in the process of completing on my house purchase.
The house does not have an earth supply that i can see and no electric meter.

My elecriacian said i could request a combined earth and N connection from the electricity company.
Is this something they will do for free as the supply does not have a safe earth??

How do i go about getting this fixed, current supplier is EON i believe

 

[Wontdothatagain]

The house does not have an earth supply that i can see and no electric meter

How are you being billed from Eon. On your electric bill is there a meter serial number. If you have a live supply there must be a meter onsite somewhere.

It sounds like you have a TT Earthing system. This is where the DNO have just supplied a Line & Neutral to the property. It is your responsibility to provide an Earth rod and earth your installation. This type of system is commonly found in rural areas from overhead power lines.

Is this something they will do for free

Simple answer is NO

How do i go about getting this fixed, current supplier is EON i believe

http://www.eon-uk.com/distribution/2132.aspx

 

[tonyelectric]

If there is PME available on your grid the DNO will convert TT to TNC-S and this is usually free of charge.

The company you pay for your electricity is not the one to speak to, you need to speak to the DNO (distribution network operator), they will be the successor company to the old electrictiy board, Southern Electric in this area.

However if the board cannot supply an earth you will have to pay to have one fitted, they will be happy to convert if it's possible, but if not they have no responsibilty to provide earthing.

 

[flameport]

The house does not have an earth supply that i can see and no electric meter.

If no meter, this suggests the previous supply was disconnected, probably for non-payment.

There will be a charge for reconnection.

 

[mylittlehouse]

appologies i meant there is no earth and no consumer unit
the flex that runs around the house comes direct from the meter.

i looked on EON and there new connection dept shows £154 to have a PME instaled if it is availible.

So what is my next step contact them and pay for this or call up when i register at living at the house and ask them to do it and see if they will or go ahead with the new connections dept and pay for the connect??

Thanks all

 

[riveralt]

If there is PME available on your grid the DNO will convert TT to TNC-S and this is usually free of charge..

Free???? Where do they do that!

Best price I have any been able to get for a Customer was £149

 

[mylittlehouse]

Hi there
Yes i seem to have found it under there new connections department for £154 to install a PME if the supply supports it.

The house i am very nearly finished buying is not new in fact its 100+ years old and the incoming supply goes to the meter as normal then the meter stright onto a single ring that is for everything.

i looked into moving the meter into the hallway but according to there site they want to charge maybe £500 for that privilage.

How long did it take when you order your customers PME to be installed, if i pay by card as i cannot move in until the downstairs electrics are sorted at least.

Also anyone know any good electricians that can do a rewire that will not cost the earth on a 3 bed victorian terrice??

 

[riveralt]

Hi there
Yes i seem to have found it under there new connections department for £154 to install a PME if the supply supports it.

How long did it take when you order your customers PME to be installed, if i pay by card as i cannot move in until the downstairs electrics are sorted at least.

It depends how busy they are - two to three weeks up in the North.

Also anyone know any good electricians that can do a rewire that will not cost the earth on a 3 bed victorian terrice??

Bit too far to travel.... Range of £2 to £3k - depending on how many sockets etc you need.

I take it you took this amount off the price of the house when you bought it?

Also when they do fit the TN-C-S ask them to fit an isolator between the meter and the Consumer Unit - will save time later when you get an electrician in and you might get it for free...

 

[ericmark]

The type of earthing is decided on by the DNO not you. They are obliged to supply all adjacent properties with the same type of supply. Basic point is if one could touch a metal drain pipe on two adjacent properties at the same time and there was two different earthing systems then one could get a shock.

To find out what earth system you have you need to phone the DNO and they have to tell you. Although one can tell by inspection between some types you can't do that for all types. What looks like TN-S could be TN-C-S just that you can't see the point where the combined supply separates.

The DNO often have to come to your property to find out what the earthing system is. I have found if you tell them next door is TN-C-S then often they will connect your property up as a TN-C-S also free of charge without checking next door.

However if they have records showing you are on a TT supply then if their earth is good enough they could start changing the whole group of houses on that transformer over to TN-C-S. In practice this means they will change your house and ear mark rest to be done but really do nothing to continue with the work in hand. But since you have asked for the earth and started the ball rolling they will charge.

But there is no reason today for wanting to be connected to a TN-C-S supply. Today near all items are connected through a RCD so there is no issue with supplying the earth with an earth rod. With consideration that boats, caravans and petrol stations are not allowed to be supplied with a TN-C-S supply one must question why if it is so good?

T = Terrestrial
N = Neutral
C = Combined
S = Seperated
I = Isolated

So a TT supply connects the earth wire at transformer first T and to ground at house second T.

With TN the ground is connected to neutral and connected back all the way to the transformer.

With S the earth and Neutral are separated and with C they are combined with C-S it is combined for part of the way and then separated latter.

The DNO are not permitted to supply you with TN-C or IT (Isolated from ground) supply. So it is TT or TN-S or TN-C-S the latter also know as PME the ME = Multiple earthing and means the DNO have to put in loads of earth rods so if the neutral were ever to be severed the earth would remain. In theory anyway!

In general knocking in an earth rod is cheaper than getting DNO to supply one where it is not already provided. But you are buying a house so there will be a change of occupant so an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) which is a new name to replace The Periodic Inspection Report (PIR) will need carrying out and that will tell you if there is an earth or not and what type.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

appologies i meant there is no earth and no consumer unit
the flex that runs around the house comes direct from the meter.

 

[tonyelectric]

If there is PME available on your grid the DNO will convert TT to TNC-S and this is usually free of charge..

Free???? Where do they do that!

Best price I have any been able to get for a Customer was £149

Yep its totally free here in the SEC area, never had to pay a bean (nor have my customers), they are a good, helpful DNO, they let us pull the cut outs and supply sealing kits and will ofetn authorize a PME in writing which the contractor can then do the work to fit.

Didn't realise anyone would charge for it, tight so and sos!!!

 

[mylittlehouse]

But since you have asked for the earth and started the ball rolling they will charge.


In general knocking in an earth rod is cheaper than getting DNO to supply one where it is not already provided.


I have not started the ball rolling yet I have not called the supplier or anything, so on that what is the vest plan call them to give them my opening meter reading and............

Is the earth rod cheaper ......

 

[riveralt]

Given that your current system is without any tails and is wired directly into the meter (one hopes the consumer side), for your own safety I would at least get them out to check that the meter etc are okay.

You do not have to pay anything for them to come out and check their part of the installation - they will give you a price on earthing - and then you can take it or leave it.

The materials for a single rod TT system provided your ground meets the conditions is around £40 - multiple rods cost about £3 each and the extra connectors and cables. With labour maybe £100 in total.

 

[tonyelectric]

By the time you've payed an electrician to knock in an earth rod you might as well have PME if its available. They will first let you know if its available and I wouldn't have thought they would charge you to tell you that, but personally i'd rather have PME than TT anyday.

If your supply is overhead walk the line and see if any of the poles have an earth wire (green) running down and or a plate nailed up high with the letters PME that will give you a pretty good idea - or ask your neighbors what they have.

 

[mylittlehouse]

Wow this site is great replies are so quick

There are no overhead cables all under ground the meter for some weird reason is in the bay window and the cable in comes up from under the house

So do i call up new connections or will the normal customer service team be able to tell me what system is available

The electrician i am thinking about using said that they wool most likely be able to install a pme and that he prefers this also.

Also i did get money off for bad/no electrics and for needing a new boiler and rads.