the incredible live wires!

[loublou]

I have to say it is all starting to make sense to me now.

All these years I've wondered what red light districts were for and now I know! Thing is I already have two rubber suits, do I need another? Wellies? Nay prob, I'm a gardener!

Right, well the real (original) problem was the live earth. This I found was never connected to earth. This is what people pay good money to (only a few) bad electricians for. All this talk of transferance to open wires means that as it was never connected it was picking up current just like my my test of the rewire. I ran the cable through and was getting the same result as the original

I'm really pleased to have found an explanation for what appeared a very odd thing. I'm still amazed that this can happen, never heard of it before.

I doubt there was anything wrong with the original socket or wiring other than the fundimental lack of an earth connection. Just like the electrician methinks!

All is now fitted, tested, works fine. Water feature no longer gives me the thrills I once had and the metal case of the halogen lamp plugged in there isn't live anymore! All this in a ten year old house!

 

[Paul_C]

There you go: You've repaired a faulty earth and learned about capacitive effects along the way.

Glad you got it sorted.

 

[jenki]

(similar capacitive effects occur with static electricity, rubbing balloons on dry cats and sticking them to the ceiling etc.

I'm no cat lover - but sticking them on the ceiling is down right cruel

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'd still like to know what sort of cable has 3 solid cores, all insulated.

 

[chipollini]

I know this is an old post, but similar to the one I posted last night entitled "Earthing - Voltage Reading".

I know I'm picking up a small voltage when measuring the potential between neural and earth (approx 4 volts), but this is enough to light the neon on my testing screwdriver.

In the above thread, was the voltage on the earth ever measured? is it likely the cause of the 4v PD between earth and neutral in my example be as a result of poor earthing and if so, do you have any ideas how I could track this fault down on the lighting circuit?

 

[jimbox]

these things make diagnosing the problem child's play:
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Test_Meters_Index/Ring_Main_Tester/index.html

you might have to temporarily wire a socket in place of the light fitting to use it

 

[jimbox]

much cheaper one here:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=9800&TabID=1&C=SEO&U=SEOsearchPages&doy=search

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And much better ones here: http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/products/socket.php