Upgrading supply/dno earthing

[Michaelsf90]

Our house was built in the 1930s. The supply cable coming in has the earth bolted on. It's just strands of metal coming off a bolt. I was planning on bolting a 16mm earth onto this and running it onto a new 8 way earth bar. The cable going to the cutout is cloth which looks like it has very slight insulation damage. Am I better off taping the cloth up and adding the 16mm earth or leaving it. I will add pictures when I get home. The few strands of metal as an earth scares me at times. Or would you leave it alone and report a corroded looking earth cable to the dno?

 

[Michaelsf90]

Heres some pics

 

[flameport]

That mess requires urgent attention and replacement. Call 105 to arrange. Do not do anything to it yourself.

 

[Michaelsf90]

Will the dno actually take me seriously tho? Shall I say my earthing has corrosion to it?

 

[Robin0577]

The call handler will likely take you seriously and at least send someone to look at it. what happens then depends on the engineer you get.

I called my DNO a couple of years back to report a similarly poor earth and a damaged porcelain insulator on the top of my original 1930s cast iron rewirable fused cutout. I was expecting/hoping for a new cutout. I got a new earth braid and clip, and he flipped the damaged insulator 180 so the damage faced inside the cutout. I asked him what I was supposed to put on my EIC for supply fuse type and rating, he said "other - 45A"

 

[RF Lighting]

What was the outcome of your phone call @Michaelsf90?

 

[Michaelsf90]

I havent rung yet. I have changed the consumer unit but I'm currently waiting on one of those large stuffing glands for the tales. Once this is done I will ring them. It will probably be Wednesday. Il let you know how I get on

 

[Taylortwocities]

I see you changed the consumer unit. I’m curious: how did you isolate the supply?

 

[bernardgreen]

I’m curious: how did you isolate the supply

He could have pulled the DNO fuse, the top seal is missing. Also something that looks suspiciously like a fingerprint in the dust on the side of the DNO fuse

 

[sparkwright]

Apart from there being some random circuit breaker on the floor, how did you know he had changed his consumer unit?

Hopefully they will upgrade some of that DNO equipment, cloth covered tails look a bit ancient - though no doubt someone will say they are better than the new ones.

 

[bernardgreen]

how did you know he had changed his consumer unit

I have changed the consumer unit

He admitted to having changed it.

 

[chivers67]

He said he had in a post above

 

[Taylortwocities]

random circuit breaker on the floor, how did you know he had changed his consumer unit?

Post #7 !

I havent rung yet. I have changed the consumer unit

He’s lucky to have survived, if he pulled the service fuse on that death trap.

 

[Michaelsf90]

I did pull the service fuse. It isnt a breaker on the floor either it's a proper blank that goes in place of a breaker. I'm making the phone call in the morning so wish me luck. See what they come up with? Would whatever they do affect any other houses on the street?

 

[RF Lighting]

Good grief I dispare. You’re concerned enough about your supply to post on here, but not enough to actually do anything about it? What was the Ze reading of the supply?