radial circuit with no earth

[radialcircuits]

I have an end to a radial circuit in my kitchen that has no earth connection. I this normal?! It is obviously a little old, and the wires come into the box behind the sockets within a metal pipe.

Do I need to install an earth, or is the pipe supposed to act as one?

I want to extend this radial circuit to two more double sockets to run worksurface appliances (the floor area is small and there are not many socket outlets.

Any thoughts?

 

[breezer]

depends how the "pipe" is connected at both ends.

it sounds like the "pipe" is actually conduit, and yes it is used for the earth, providing it is connected to metal at BOTH ends.

can you see a brass "nut"? holding the box to the "pipe"

can you see the consumers unit end?

are the cables you can see covered with anything, (grey insulation) or do they seem "separate"

 

[radialcircuits]

Sorry conduit...

Yes there are brass nuts attaching the conduit to the box. It is connected to earth, but I'm not sure if that's at the consumer unit as it is not possible to see. So I'm also not sure whether the conduit is connected to earth at both ends. Is there an easy way of checking? The cables are just thick (4mm?) separate black and red cables. No earth.

If I want to extend this system can I attach the earth lead of some 3 core cable to the conduit?

 

[breezer]

you need to find out what is at the other end, because that way you will know if it has an earth or not. uoi can open the consumers unit and LOOK dont touch. is the consumers unit metal?