What Earth is this if any

[STI]

Can someone tell me what type of earth is this if any!

The supply comes in from overhead poles. Into the left side of the main fuse

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• STI
• 23 Jun 2011
• 1

Next to the meter is the first fuse box and a couple of earth cables go into the junction box at the top

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• STI
• 23 Jun 2011
• 1

As far as i can tell one comes out the fuse box to the henly the other comes out the henly to the other fuse box

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• STI
• 23 Jun 2011
• 1

For the life of me i cant see where the earth comes in from the outside world. Ive looked outside i cant see any rods or even a hint of a earth cable.

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• STI
• 23 Jun 2011
• 1

 

[EFLImpudence]

Are both of those g/ys coming from the henly to the left connected inside the fuse box?

Does one go somewhere else?

 

[ricicle]

A Ze test needs to be carried out (with the supply isolated, bonding disconnected) to establish earthing (if any)
Can you not see a rod anywhere ? If TT (rod) the there will hopefully be an RCD somewhere covering the whole installation.

This needs investigating asap as an un-earthed installation is dangerous.

 

[STI]

Are both of those g/ys coming from the henly to the left connected inside the fuse box?

Does one go somewhere else?

Yes both are inside the fuse box

 

[STI]

A Ze test needs to be carried out (with the supply isolated, bonding disconnected) to establish earthing (if any)
Can you not see a rod anywhere ? If TT (rod) the there will hopefully be an RCD somewhere covering the whole installation.

This needs investigating asap as an un-earthed installation is dangerous.

Agreed on the Ze, did a Zs as i had a few mins. No RCD anywhere as confirmed by the Zs set on high and no trip occurred anywhere, unless the RCD is shot too.

No Rod. Ive got pictures both front and back of building nothing to be seen

I wanted to check what others thought as i lossed a bit of confidence with some other posts where what i thought was a TNCS was in fact a TNS so i thought this may be some form of earthing i hadnt spotted before

 

[riveralt]

I would suspect the earthing conductor runs from/to the water pipe. Some water pipes give good Ze readings so whatever your result I suggest you start digging - if the house has a celler area or void beheath the floor boards you may find an earth spike there.

Don't forget you can always ask the DNO to give you the relevant information.

 

[STI]

I would suspect the earthing conductor runs from/to the water pipe. Some water pipes give good Ze readings so whatever your result I suggest you start digging - if the house has a celler area or void beheath the floor boards you may find an earth spike there.

Don't forget you can always ask the DNO to give you the relevant information.

I didnt think using the utilities pipes for earth was acceptable ?

There is one piece of the ground floor that i noticed was suspended floor boards, the rest appears to be solid.

Thanks for the help

 

[riveralt]

I didnt think using the utilities pipes for earth was acceptable ?

It isn't any more, except for private water systems, and hasn't been for a number of years.
But that hasn't stopped some people using the main protective bonding to the copper water pipe, and sometimes the gas pipe, as the earthing conductor.

 

[ericmark]

What is the difference between an extraneous-conductive-part and an earth electrode? Often just the name. With a TN system if you connect up an earth rod it is not an earth electrode but it is called an extraneous-conductive-part.

I have seen re-wires where due to paved area outside and the floor board being up the earth rod was sunk in the ground under the floor boards. technically wrong because of access rules but did the job and was safe. I was expected the supply would be converted to TN shortly so only temporary as earth electrode it should become just a conductive-part.

But the testing of a TT system seems to cause problems. Again and again I would see installation reports with earthing system marked as TT and the resistance shown at 1 ohm or 2 ohms. I know that the water pipes or gas pipes must have been still connected when tested and the figure is not referring to the earth electrode alone.

So is that really a problem? Likely no, as there is no question at time of testing a good earth. But gas boards and water boards are still converting to plastic so in 5 years time maybe there will be a problem. To me the problem is the low reading, as just as I look at it and think he has tested whole house not just earth electrode, so will anyone else. So guy is called into office and he returns with more reasonable readings. As to if he went to house and re-measured, or just guessed a reading I don't know. But it's his name not mine on the form.

With a TN supply I will admit I have failed to disconnect earth cables to test supply earth. One sees 0.35 or lower says to ones self that's OK and never bother to check the earth is in fact really due to boards connection.

I have seen a whole house with only earth the very small uninsulated cable going to an old post office telephones earth spike originally used for telephone party line. Guy had told me it was TT he had found earth rod. Nearly missed that one. Had the earth cable not been bare copper I may not have looked further.

Now been caught out too many times. If it's TT I want to see earth rod.

 

[Buzx1313]

take off the cutout cover where the nutral is and bang the earth in there and make IT PME..

sorted..

 

[RF Lighting]

Don't be an idiot.

First of all, opening cutouts is illegal. It's also very dangerous.

Second, you can't go around just slapping earth wires into neutral blocks.

How do you propose to ensure the neutral is properly bonded to earth and is suitable for use as a CNE conductor? Do you not have any idea how dangerous it would be to slap an earth wire in there if it isn't?

Just because you've put an earth wire into a neutral bloack, it doesn't make it a PME supply.

 

[JohnW2]

Don't be an idiot....

I think you may just have missed the relationship between the poster's tongue and cheek!

If I'm wrong, then I totally agree with you!

Kind Regards, John.

 

[RF Lighting]

Having read some of his replies in the marquee thread, I don't think that is tongue in cheek.

He seems to have no real grasp of what a PME supply is and the dangers associated with it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm not sure what he has a grasp of, TBH...

 

[JohnW2]

Having read some of his replies in the marquee thread, I don't think that is tongue in cheek. He seems to have no real grasp of what a PME supply is and the dangers associated with it.

Ahhh - Sorry - I hadn't made the connection between the threads. You may thereforew well be right, hence I wrong - and I've already indicated how I feel if I'm wrong!

Kind Regards, John.