No Earth Apparantly

[securespark]

If you lift the boards, you may be able to see where these earth conductors go...

GB - do you work for BG?

 

[JohnD]

"PES" means "Public Electricity Supplier" - the company who sends your electricity bill - they are the people to contact if you want an upgraded earth. There are various other companies involved - and Scotland is not the same as England - it may be a different company that looks after your meter, or the wires in the street ("DNO"=Distribution Network Operator) but you aren't required to know who they are and contact them yourself, your PES is responsible for dealing with you and passing on requests to the other contractors.

"TNC" is a kind of earthing arangement, and that little terminal you show does look to me like it is the supplier's earth, so I think you should join all your earth wires onto that, via a Block like I illustrated. The terminal you have is smaller than I am used to on modern installations in this area, and it looks as if someone has unsuccessfully attempted to put three wires into it. One 16mm wire, fully inserted, gripped by both screws, and going to a block where all the others can be fitted, is the better way to do it.

If you get a local electrician in, he willl be familiar with the arrangements in your area and can do it for you, or advise if an upgrade is required.

 

[david_galashiels]

I will see about getting a new terminal block this weekend like the one you posted and connect them altogether that way. It looks to me (and I'm not even a qualified person) that the electrics haven't been done well at all.

 

[baldelectrician]

Have some news to cheer you up

Scottish Power is your local network operator (you may buy your leccy from Scottish Gas or whoever, but SP will do your network stuff)

I have noticed 2 things
1. There is a Scottish Power label on your cable head- so it's them
2. There is an earth coming from the cable head going into an earth terminal (so SP are providing an Earth- this is good news for you)

Here is what to do,

Call scottish power emergency number 0845 2727999 stating you have no earth present on the incoming supply- word this carefully as they will tell you it is your problem, it is actually their responsability as they have provided you with an earth - the green cable from the cable head to the metal connector block

Tell them they have provided an earth and you have been informed it is not satisfactory- it is their responsability.

I had them digging up a ladys garden last week and repairing a faulty incoming earth. (the lady was happy as she didn't have to pay a penny)

The SP guy will test at the cable head and pass it on to other people (cable jointers) if required.

Hope this helps.

Stewart

 

[david_galashiels]

Thanks, will give them a call and see what they say.

 

[kai]

The picture of the Service Fuse Holder Block or "Cable Head etc" appears to be a PME earth facility, as the earth terminal positioned like that, at the right hand side of the Service Fuse Holder Block normally means a PME supply.

My own incoming supply has the same arrangement, except that it's on one phase only.

 

[JohnD]

There is only ever one Neutral, whether single or three-phase.

Yes, it does look like a TNC-S but in that case there ought to be a PME label.

 

[plugwash]

i'm convinced our service head (former off peak setup) has two lives and two neutrals. I don't know if both lives are on the same phase or not (only one is connected now)

 

[dal5band]

Looks to me like someone has added the white, single fuse unit on the left at a later date - to supply a garage or something. They appear to have connected a new earth wire to the old earth terminal. At the same time they appear to have left out an earthe wire - the one going to the main fuse box. Also, the earth wire to the main fuse is not thick enough but better than nothing.