When did earth sleeving become the norm?

[sparkwright]

Inspired by another topic, when exactly did earth wires have to be insulated?

For years it was almost unheard of to sleeve an earth wire.

There would be bare earth wires entering fuse boards, and at sockets the earths were never sleeved.

My guess is that earths were sleeved somewhere between 1966 and 1970. The insulation was of course green.

Can anyone name a more precise date?

 

[it's not that hard]

it was definitely on a monday don't know the exact date though

 

[sparkwright]

I get the feeling you're not going to be with us very long.

 

[securespark]

14th Ed. 1966.

D.28
(iii) Every earth-continuity conductor not contained in a composite cable, flexible cable, or flexible cord, other than copper strip, shall be protected by insulation and identified by the colour green.


After 31st December 1977, solid green as the identification for earth-continuity conductors ceased to be, replaced by green/ yellow.

it's not that hard/ Big Whacker:

Actually it was Saturday 1 October 1966.



***Moderators note - Big Whacker (Midas Man) in no longer a member of DIYnot***

 

[PBC_1966]

Are you quoting that from the original 14th edition, or one incorporating later amendments? The sleeving requirement was definitely there by the 1970 metric revision, but I have a feeling it wasn't in the original 1966 edition.

 

[Iggifer]

***Moderators note - Big Whacker (Midas Man) in no longer a member of DIYnot***

Nawwww shame

 

[securespark]

What's that all about?

Where's BW's post gone?

Are you quoting that from the original 14th edition, or one incorporating later amendments? The sleeving requirement was definitely there by the 1970 metric revision, but I have a feeling it wasn't in the original 1966 edition.

AFAICT, mine is the 14th Ed without amendments.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Its not a requirement in this one!

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 4 Nov 2008
• 4

 

[securespark]

That will have been published under the 11th Ed...

 

[stillp]

I did a whole-house rewire in Wales in the early 70s, taking as guidance a library book, which didn't mention green sleeving. The local board's inspector failed the installation on the lack of green sleeving. He'd passed another house in the street that was wired in something near 0,75mm² singles, with multiple conductors in parallel to achieve the CCC. The shower wiring was interesting...

 

[Jackrae]

When I bought my house (1904 version) in the 80s there was a notice on the distribution board that it had been rewired in 76. Yes DB as the house had been fitted with a 3phase supply to meet the demands of the storage heating fitted. Once I'd ripped out all the storage heaters, I decided I wanted a 30mA RCCD on the 3phase supply and then spent several days sorting out the "electricians" cock-ups as he'd used black sleeving (same colour as the neutral) for the CPC. Needless to say there were numerous instances of CPC and neutral being crossed connected in the wall sockets. At least with the demand of a specific colour for CPC the chances of cross connection are minimised.

 

[PBC_1966]

At least with the demand of a specific colour for CPC the chances of cross connection are minimised.

Leaving it bare is also clear identification in itself, since no other conductor will be bare. Although green is the standard color for ground wires here in the U.S. where color coding is used (flexible cords etc.) it's still the norm to leave the grounds in Romex bare in fixed wiring.

 

[john4703]

Interesting that Wylex RCBOs appear to have a white earth wire, should that be sleeved with green/yellow inside the consumer unit?

 

[stillp]

Interesting that Wylex RCBOs appear to have a white earth wire, should that be sleeved with green/yellow inside the consumer unit?

That's a functional earth, not a protective conductor. If it was, it would have to be able to carry fault current.

 

[PBC_1966]

The relevant British Standard for functional earth is cream rather than white, to be pedantic.