Query

[jarvis2]

View media item 37631
Was helping a friend out with some decorating today and while outside having a smoke I noticed this. The arrow points to an thin rod driven into the ground. Am I right in thinking that the earth wire should be connected to the rod? This was outside next door neighbours house.

There are no other houses on the Road with this setup.

Should I tell the neighbour what I found?

 

[JohnW2]

[Was helping a friend out with some decorating today and while outside having a smoke I noticed this. The arrow points to an thin rod driven into the ground. Am I right in thinking that the earth wire should be connected to the rod? This was outside next door neighbours house.
There are no other houses on the Road with this setup.
Should I tell the neighbour what I found?

Particularly as you say none of the other nearby houses are similar, it's very possible that this is a redundant leftover of an old era when and earth rod (with the earth wire connected!) was required, but that the houses now get their earth connection provided by the electricity company. You probably should tell you're neigbour that you've found it, and that it would be as well to make sure it's OK. If you could then post a photo of the wiring in teh vicinity of where the electricity supply enters the house (or external meter box), where the 'company fuse is, and near to the meter, one of us here can probably tell you whether it seems OK or not.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[westie101]

I don't think that is an earth rod, I think it is the incoming gas pipe! Beneath all that will be a plastic pipe

 

[JohnW2]

I don't think that is an earth rod, I think it is the incoming gas pipe! Beneath all that will be a plastic pipe

Ah - you could well be right - that'll teach me to believe an OP when he talks about a rod, without looking too carefully myself!!

If that's the case, then maybe just the earth wire (presumably bonding of a previous metal pipe, I guess - but shouldn't really be outside the property!) is redundant!

jarvis2 - could you have a closer look at that 'thing' and see if you can ascertain exactly what it is?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ericmark]

My dad's house (1952) has an earth rod with cable coming into the house. However on investigation it turned out to be from the days of party line telephone connections and nothing at all to do with the mains electric supply.

My house also has an earth rod. This was to reduce EMC when transmitting and again nothing at all to do with the mains electric supply.

One would hope that any earth rod used with a TT system would not have exposed area and would be in a pit so with a fault the gradient would not cause a problem. So likely this is not the main house earth. With metal pipe so close maybe a sacrificial anode!

To ask neighbour out of interest is OK but be careful not to worry him as likely it has nothing to do with main electric supply.

 

[JohnW2]

One would hope that any earth rod used with a TT system would not have exposed area and would be in a pit so with a fault the gradient would not cause a problem.

I keep reading about these TT earth electrodes 'in pits' but I have to say that virtaully all of the ones I've seen in residential properties have been proudly sticking out of the ground/soil (mine certainly is like that, albeit now {but not originally} with a plastic 'enclosure' over the protruding bit) - is my experience atypical?

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I don't think that is an earth rod, I think it is the incoming gas pipe! Beneath all that will be a plastic pipe

I can see the gas pipe.

What's the thing the arrow is pointing at?

 

[westie101]

What's the thing the arrow is pointing at?

Ah, well spotted that man! That could be the top of an earth rod

 

[JohnW2]

I can see the gas pipe. What's the thing the arrow is pointing at?

Ah - another good point. I had assumed that it was pointing at (but stopping well short of) the pipe - but, on closer inspection ....!!

...which perhaps takes me back to my original request for a photo of the cutout!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What's the thing the arrow is pointing at?

Ah, well spotted that man! That could be the top of an earth rod

Plus I can't think what else that bit of G/Y flapping around was for...

 

[JohnW2]

Ah, well spotted that man! That could be the top of an earth rod

Plus I can't think what else that bit of G/Y flapping around was for...

Indeed - hence avoiding my somewhat far-fetched suggestion of 'external' bonding to a previous metal gas pipe!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Paul_C]

I keep reading about these TT earth electrodes 'in pits' but I have to say that virtaully all of the ones I've seen in residential properties have been proudly sticking out of the ground/soil (mine certainly is like that, albeit now {but not originally} with a plastic 'enclosure' over the protruding bit) - is my experience atypical?

No, that's pretty much the norm around this rural area. Except that most of them don't even have a plastic enclosure on the top.

 

[JohnW2]

No, that's pretty much the norm around this rural area. Except that most of them don't even have a plastic enclosure on the top.

As I said, nor did mine until I installed it - and that was mainly to keep gnawing animals at bay!

Kind Regards,John.

 

[jarvis2]

View media item 37659
The house in question is the neighbour of my mates and they are away at the moment. The earth wire in question looks to be quite new. Hope you can see the earth rod better in this picture.

I will be back at my mates next week and if his neighbour is back I will suggest they have a spark take a look at the setup.

Thanks to those who replied.

 

[mattylad]

Is it actually earth rod or threaded bar?

I am sure I can see threads on it.