Trying to identify type of power supply

T

timmyquick

I am trying to identify the type of supply into my home.

i have managed to lift a small section of floor board up but am unable to see an earth wire leading into the ground.

The earth wire inside the CU comes in through the plastered wall so i have not been able to tell what system i have got i have posted some pictures here

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/timothy.lhear/

The earth wire which you can see in this picture is from the CU to the gas metre so is not the earth to the CU, what supply am i likely to have? as this will dictate the configuration of the CU. I am hoping it is not a TT supply because it will cost another £60 or so for a 100ma RCD to cover all of CU
 
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I reckon if you look hard enough outside the house near to where the CU is you'll find an earth spike.
 
Is the earth wire coming out the bottom of the consumer unit the same one that appears at the bottom left and then goes into the floor?

Assuming you feel competent to do so, what earth cables do you see inside the CU? It looks as though all the cables go out backwards through the wall or into the plaster. The earth we can see is presumably a newer addition. Maybe the original goes out back, down, and clamps to the supply cable sheath?

I see you have the laminate floor problem.
 
timmyquick said:
I am hoping it is not a TT supply because it will cost another £60 or so for a 100ma RCD to cover all of CU

Considering you appear to have a [relatively] recent 100A cutout and tails in decent condition, the absence of an earth clamp on the supply cable suggests that you do, indeed, have a TT supply. (If it was PME there would be an earth terminal on the right-hand (neutral) side of the cutout body.)

Are you in a remote area? Is there a transformer on a pole nearby? Do you have neighbours who might know? Have you considered calling the regional electricity company and asking them?

(And, oh yeah, laminate floors... rip 'em all out - the next owners will when Justin & Colin Llwellyn-Barker tell 'em to!))
 
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If the supply is new, wouldn't someone have sorted the earth? (yes, I know, people do all sorts of stupid things) Still think you need to trace more cables. Mirror under the floor time?
 
It's not all that new - look at the bit of the CU which is visible. But in the case of TT supply the earth is the responsibility of the property owner... and many owners are not all that responsible. I agree that when the installation was last upgraded the installer should have ensured an adequate means of earthing was supplied but a lot of earth rods get buried in flowerbeds or covered over by new paths, etc... Because, lets' face it, to the average eye it ain't exactly doing much, is it? ;)

BTW Timmyquick - is that main switch not an RCD anyway? (My eyesight's not what it was!)
 
Thanks for all the replys tried to look at forum yesterday but was not working.

Inside the CU there are two big earth wires, the one you see is for the gas metre and the other comes from the wall into the CU.

Yes that big switch on the CU is an RCD but labeled ELCB 80a 30 ma rating.

I am not in a remote area there are no transformer poles nearby but this is a terraced house 100 years old and smallthorne where i live is a village or should i say was, it is very urbanised hundreds & hundreds of homes here don't know why its still classed as a village.

I have tried to look under the little whole in the floor board that i have managed to make and take pictures of the supply feed with a digi cam and tried simply looking just full of rubble the supply seems to be encased in some kind of pottery and cant see much other than that.

There is a little black plastic cap outside but does not say any thing about being earth and pretty 100% certain its for ntl cable as some people seem to have conduit from it to there brown ntl box.

i have no garden to front of house front door leads straight to the pavement.

Cant think of any more information i can put down at the moment to help identify supply.

two main reasons for CU replacement more circuits so need bigger CU plus the cover on the current one has a whole in it plus very big crack on cover
 
The 30mA RCD is fine - as long as it actually works! - I trust you've had no nuisance tripping, as you haven't mentioned it? If you're concerned about the additional cost of a 100mA s-type RCD is that an indication that you're considering changing the CU yourself?

I really wouldn't recommend a DIY-er doing that, especially with a TT supply. How will you test the adequacy of your earthing, for instance? Why not get a local spark to at least advise you and quote for the work.
 
dingbat - yes i would probably not be able to test how good my earth is if i did it my self, but if i did do it myself and the earth is inadequate it would mean that it is inadequate now (not good!).

Its all down to cost i really don't have the money to pay a sparky to test my earth, install a new earth rod if required as well as a new radial circuit, plus a smoke alarm circuit plus a CU replacement that is a lot of money for a low income worker like me.

And stoke-on-trent council are to**ers as in the last five years they have not had 1 new tax year where grants have been available for private home owners (mortgaged) like me yet Newcastle-Under-Lyme just a few miles away have these available every year.

Yet Stoke-On-Trent council have being giving residents of better areas than where i live new roofs for free there's no justice! if i die from dodgy electrics let it be remembered where council prioritys lie.

Sorry for the long moan and i still don't know what supply i have.
 
timmyquick said:
dingbat - yes i would probably not be able to test how good my earth is if i did it my self, but if i did do it myself and the earth is inadequate it would mean that it is inadequate now (not good!).

But you don't know either way, anyway. It's just as well you do have a 30mA RCD for the whole installation.
timmyquick said:
Sorry for the long moan and i still don't know what supply i have.
Then telephone the REC and ask them!
 

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