Should my lights be earthed?

[ban-all-sheds]

I can touch the metal body without being fried or tripping the RCD.

You were probably lucky that the problem turned out to be a misused cable core, rather than a Class I light with a fault which was tripping the RCD for a good reason.

Touching the metal body of an unearthed light which trips the RCD when it is earthed was the mother of all Bad Ideas!

 

[amfisted]

They taught us in the fire service to walk into fire damaged buildings with one hand in front of our heads, palm facing backwards, so if you encountered a live cable with damaged insulation your hand wouldn't contract automatically and grab the wire.

I tend to employ similar theory when checking for live conductors in a domestic situation. Touch with the knuckles, palm towards my face, and if it's live it throws off the hand. I suppose I really should buy a neon screwdriver.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Be safer using back of hand than neon screwdriver!
Get a proper approved two probe voltage tester!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Not trying to be awkward, but how do you know the other lights on the circuit are earthed?

By what I have read, the OP does not know that. All the OP knows is that a circuit protective conductor exists at the some of the fittings.
Whether they are actual continuous to earth is being assumed!
As there has so far been no evidence of the correct testing procedures to prove this!

 

[amfisted]

Being a bit of a mingebag, I'll probably stick with the hand, but thanks for the advice.

 

[amfisted]

Not trying to be awkward, but how do you know the other lights on the circuit are earthed?

By what I have read, the OP does not know that. All the OP knows is that a circuit protective conductor exists at the some of the fittings.
Whether they are actual continuous to earth is being assumed!
As there has so far been no evidence of the correct testing procedures to prove this!

Fair comment. I've seen the earth wire but I haven't tested it for continuity. The "correct testing procedures" will be carried out by a spark next week. I phoned him yesterday, and he's coming on Tuesday.

 

[amfisted]

Update, purely because it might be of some use to someone else who visits this site.

Spark called today, checked everything and earth continuity is fine. The reason why I couldn't connect an earth to my lights was because someone had crammed so many cables into a small ceiling rose that the earth cable was touching something it shouldn't be touching; he didn't specify what it was. He took out the cables from the ceiling rose and reconnected them and then connected the earth to the lights, all sorted. Legal and safe.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread, its been illuminating.