Picture of the "Mid-Week"

[Lectrician]

Found this yesterday during a PIR to the communal areas of a block of appartments - First thing I did was remove the CU Lid......

Apart from the mess - Can you spot the main problem!?! Fairly obvious why it was done...

 

[plugwash]

the image is failing to load for me can you reupload it somewhere else?

 

[rjb]

Was somebody testing the circuit sometime before and left the link between Live and earth in the CU when doing continuity maybe?

 

[mdbalson]

the main earth to the board has been disconnected , probally as the RCD was triping because of a fault, & they could not be asked to find out what the fault is

 

[kevnurse]

The incoming CPC is disconnected, so there is no protection for any of the circuits. It appears that the CPC is too big to go into a single terminal hole. I would split the strands and connect them into 2 adjacent terminal holes.

 

[rlc]

My guess was that someone measured external impedance (Ze) and forgot to reconnect the earthing conductor to the earth terminal after the test?

 

[davelx]

And what is the cable CSA of that radial with the 32A MCB?

 

[Spark123]

Re-badged GE?
Only things which are really striking are the missing main CPC and the cable into the 32A breaker doesn't look big enough, tho saying that the 32A also looks older than the rest? Is it running someones flat .
If you were in a bad mood you could say the incoming tails are stripped back too far and shouldn't be using tape as a marker.

 

[mikej2005]

the image is failing to load for me can you reupload it somewhere else?

No image here either !

 

[equitum]

Re-badged GE?
Only things which are really striking are the missing main CPC and the cable into the 32A breaker doesn't look big enough, tho saying that the 32A also looks older than the rest? Is it running someones flat .
If you were in a bad mood you could say the incoming tails are stripped back too far and shouldn't be using tape as a marker.

The incoming CPC is disconnected, so there is no protection for any of the circuits. It appears that the CPC is too big to go into a single terminal hole. I would split the strands and connect them into 2 adjacent terminal holes.

Since when has the Earthing Conductor been an "incoming CPC" or a "main CPC" ?

Does look like a Sector board, Spark123, (Rexel Senate rebadged), thats why the MCBs are on the p*ss - I installed a similar board the other day and the DIN rail only holds on to the top hook of the mcb, the bottom of the mcbs are held together by the bus bar, so the incoming tails tend to pull on the main switch if not carefull with maniplating the tails, incidentally it looks as though two reds have been used and a bit of black tape to denote N.

 

[Lectrician]

Connecting the main earth back into its terminal (which is big enough) causes the RCD to operate - There is a very poor insulation resistance on one final cct - outside lights.

Apparently its been like this for at least 3 years - Thats when they called someone out as all the lecky had tripped - No lights, intercom or TV. He sorted it pretty quickly apparently

Shocker is that they had a TV aerial guy in recently who complained of recieving shocks from the aerial system in various places - and no one believed him apparently!

The B32 is feeding a 2.5mm radial, but with only a single socket on the end.......that old argument! I have still noted that on the PIR.

30mA RCD feeding the communal lighting in and out is also a very poor design anyway.

 

[dingbat]

Been PIR'ing a lot lately and I'm quickly developing the dialogue to deal with the almost standard "Well it was all rewired five years ago and nobody's ever had a problem with it..." responses.

They always think you're inventing problems to make more work but little do they realise how much I do not want the remedials!

 

[Spark123]

Since when has the Earthing Conductor been an "incoming CPC" or a "main CPC" ?

Since the fuse board earth rail does not appear to be used as the MET then it is a CPC. Call it what you like but as it does not connect the MET to the means of earthing I would not call it the Earthing Conductor.

 

[equitum]

Since when has the Earthing Conductor been an "incoming CPC" or a "main CPC" ?

Since the fuse board earth rail does not appear to be used as the MET then it is a CPC. Call it what you like but as it does not connect the MET to the means of earthing I would not call it the Earthing Conductor.

Hmm, interesting, why would you say it doesnt look like a MET, looks exactly like the MET to me ? And if it is the MET, I bet it does connect the MET to the means of earthing. (or would do if it was still connected !) and is therefore the Earthing Conductor.

BS7671 definitions:

Main Earthing Terminal: The terminal or bar provided for the connection of protective conductors, including equipotential bonding conductors, and conductors for functional earthing, if any, to the means of earthing

Earthing Conductor: A protective conductor connecting the main earthing terminal of an installation to an earth electrode or to other means of earthing.

Circuit Protective Conductor (cpc): A protective conductor connecting exposed-conductive-parts of equipment to the main earthing terminal

 

[Spark123]

Theres no Main Equipotential Bonding conductors connected into it. Only CPCs.