shocking earth

[sinbad1000]

HI all
i'm doing a little re wiring to a workshop and after running a new earth cable to earthing rod i was getting a tingle, I have a circuit tester that just has some led lights 400v, 240v, 110v ohms etc,

The situation inside is a split with the downstairs being a workshop and the upstairs being a self contained flat,
there is a professional installed consumer unit upstairs, which all looks neat,


I've disconnected the workshop and just connected the flat to the double pole rcd (really old), run the upstairs earth to the new consumer unit in the workshop

Touching the end of the earth cable and the rod the 240v led glows.

bridging the meter between the earth and neutral gives a 240 reading as well,


erm.... help

 

[ricicle]

Do you have the necessary skills to be carrying out this work ?

 

[sinbad1000]

i'm just running some sockets and i am getting an electrician to make meter connection and sign off work

 

[AndyPRK]

More explanation required I think.

Why were u running the earth cable?

 

[Taylortwocities]

You were holding on to the earth conductor with the supply still switch on?
Good grief

 

[sinbad1000]

old earth was a bit of old flex, supplier (seaboard) want to put new meter in but wouldn't touch it with earthing in currant state, so took out all old individual old fuse (wire fuse) type isolators,
put in new consumer unit, connected earth from upstairs flat and connected new ground earth cable run that out through wall and was going to connect to earth rod when got tingle

 

[sinbad1000]

You were holding on to the earth conductor with the supply still switch on?
Good grief

so it's quite normal ? to get a charge down earth?

 

[ricicle]

Please get the electrician in NOW for everyone's sake and do not attempt anymore of this work.

 

[sinbad1000]

so there is something shorting somewhere then?

 

[phatboy]

so there is something shorting somewhere then?

No.

There is likely earth leakage

 

[sinbad1000]

well that defo a pro needed then, ta

 

[sinbad1000]

just to be clear "earth leakage" is ?

 

[phatboy]

just to be clear "earth leakage" is ?

Its the point were if you don't know what it is already you definitely need an electrician.
It is where a small current leaks to the earth from an appliance which is acceptable, within reason.

 

[bernardgreen]

I've disconnected the workshop and just connected the flat to the double pole rcd (really old), run the upstairs earth to the new consumer unit in the workshop

It sounds like you are re-routing the earth from the upstairs flat to an earth in a CU that you have disconnected.

An earth rod may not be adequate to provide a safe effective earth.

If there are people in that flat your actions may have put them at risk of serious, possibly fatal, electric shocks.

GET AN ELECTRICIAN IN NOW

 

[sinbad1000]

I've disconnected the workshop and just connected the flat to the double pole rcd (really old), run the upstairs earth to the new consumer unit in the workshop

It sounds like you are re-routing the earth from the upstairs flat to an earth in a CU that you have disconnected.

An earth rod may not be adequate to provide a safe effective earth.

If there are people in that flat your actions may have put them at risk of serious, possibly fatal, electric shocks.

GET AN ELECTRICIAN IN NOW

the earth from upstairs goes to the new CU, and the new CU in workshop is grounded