Best way to get new PME Earth connection

[Gazthesparky]

On a previous thread I started a while back I needed to install a earth rod as a temp measure and it was pointed out to me that people have phoned the DNO and they came out quick and installed a PME connection so I'm just asking the best route to go to do the same.

The Sanario is I'm heading home for Christmas at the weekend and my grandparents house needs the earthing looking at. Long story short they had British Gas service the boiler and they said there's no earth to the house.

I know there's a rod installed but it's been there for years so how effective it is I don't know but I said I would sort it while I was bk for Christmas.

So basically I want to get a PME supplied ASAP. I'm quite happy to put a rod in if needs be but don't want to waste my time if PME is available

So how do I go about it do I just phone up the Emergancy number an say the house has no earth would they come out that day ?

Previous experiance of phoning up they schedule an appointment a few weeks later and then schedule the work after that. But others have said they had someone out installing PME that day ??

Cheers

 

[driverman]

Doubt they will come out and do a PME terminal straight away. I would see what the Gas Board actually mean by "no earth". No earth to whole building? If TT the Gas guy may not understand that system. I would tend to look and test. If TT it's up to the electrician to provide an earth.

 

[telectrix]

asa above. first check to see what's there. get a Ze if you can, then go buy a decent rod ( 5/8" screwed together, and go deep ) and earth pit.

 

[Gazthesparky]

That's what I'm going to do got my tester and tools with me so going to check out what state the rod is in it was installed years ago and not by me.

I don't trust the gas board as far as I am throw them so in going to check it for myself.

Then if needs be I'll put a rod in

I'm only asking now because on the other thread I made a couple of months ago I got slated for installing a rod as a temporary measure and was told I could get the DNO out to supply a PME connection.

I know it is a TT system but I think the network has been upgraded so I am hoping that PME is available and if I can get a connection it will save me putting a rod in

 

[Engineer54]

Don't take what a BG boiler service operative states as regards earthing (or anything else electrical come to that) all they carry around with them is a socket tester... Best to check the Ze and Zs for yourself, it could well be one of those 200+ ohm thin twig's that's being used as the properties earth. If it is, best get it changed using the material Tel suggested above!!...

 

[driverman]

From what you say, a rod is better than nothing at all. When you know exactly what's there and you then decide you would like PME, simply contact your local DNO. There will be a cost of course.

 

[Engineer54]

From what you say, a rod is better than nothing at all. When you know exactly what's there and you then decide you would like PME, simply contact your local DNO. There will be a cost of course.

There shouldn't be, it was a free service for donkey's years, only after privatisation did these greedy buggers start charging fee's to connect to an existing or converted PME supply. Again what is this quarterly standing charge for, if not to cover such eventualities??

Anyway if the OP contacts the DNO and requests a PME connection (providing PME is available on distribution cable supplying the property) then it doesn't really matter if it takes a week or four, or if you will be expected to pay or not, ...10 minutes after they arrive it'll all be done. Do make sure that main bonding to gas/water are up to scratch though, the old 7/036 bare bonds won't comply with PME requirements....

 

[driverman]

When i worked for the Lecy Boards back in the 80s I know electrical contractors got charged for PME terminals. If as electricians working for Lecky Board and PME was required it got done free

 

[Pete999]

On a previous thread I started a while back I needed to install a earth rod as a temp measure and it was pointed out to me that people have phoned the DNO and they came out quick and installed a PME connection so I'm just asking the best route to go to do the same.

The Sanario is I'm heading home for Christmas at the weekend and my grandparents house needs the earthing looking at. Long story short they had British Gas service the boiler and they said there's no earth to the house.

I know there's a rod installed but it's been there for years so how effective it is I don't know but I said I would sort it while I was bk for Christmas.

So basically I want to get a PME supplied ASAP. I'm quite happy to put a rod in if needs be but don't want to waste my time if PME is available

So how do I go about it do I just phone up the Emergancy number an say the house has no earth would they come out that day ?

Previous experiance of phoning up they schedule an appointment a few weeks later and then schedule the work after that. But others have said they had someone out installing PME that day ??

Cheers

Don't know if I'm right Gaz but is it BG touting for work as by the sounds of it your Grandparents are getting on in years they (GB) could be scaremongering. why would they leave a couple of pensioners with an unsafe installation? if thats what they have done, it's time for some --- kicking down at BG central

 

[Gazthesparky]

Don't know if I'm right Gaz but is it BG touting for work as by the sounds of it your Grandparents are getting on in years they (GB) could be scaremongering. why would they leave a couple of pensioners with an unsafe installation? if thats what they have done, it's time for some --- kicking down at BG central

Believe me I'm going too don't worry they had a boiler service as part of there yearly checkup. They have the breakdown cover which is good for them as I live so far away. Anyhow the guy said the boiler was old and they can't get parts for it anymore so he offered a quote to replace the heating system.

To replace the boiler , hot and cold water tanks he quoted £5500 and he said there's no earth so that had to be done and the fuse box upgraded before the boiler could e changed. The best of it is I changed the hot water cylinder and storage tanks and the electrical side with my mate 5 years ago all we left was the boiler.

I said to my grandparents I'll sort the electrics and I'd get a couple of plumbers to quote to change the boiler.

I will be contacting BG about this scaremongering

 

[PME Sparks]

BG gas engineers do not now what they are doing when it comes down to electrics. They plumb in a new boiler and do a "plug and press" test. If it is over .80 Ohms they spit their dummy out.

I had an argument with one of the BG chaps 4-5 years ago about the same thing. He did a Zs at the socket and came up with 37 Ohms and condemned the house! It is a TT system but he did not understand and issued a danger notice to the customer!!! Idiots.

 

[Pete999]

Believe me I'm going too don't worry they had a boiler service as part of there yearly checkup. They have the breakdown cover which is good for them as I live so far away. Anyhow the guy said the boiler was old and they can't get parts for it anymore so he offered a quote to replace the heating system.

To replace the boiler , hot and cold water tanks he quoted £5500 and he said there's no earth so that had to be done and the fuse box upgraded before the boiler could e changed. The best of it is I changed the hot water cylinder and storage tanks and the electrical side with my mate 5 years ago all we left was the boiler.

I said to my grandparents I'll sort the electrics and I'd get a couple of plumbers to quote to change the boiler.

I will be contacting BG about this scaremongering

Good for you Gaz like to know the outcome, new boiler, new CU and nil earthing sounds very iffy to me, about time someone did something about these scammers, good luck

 

[Pete999]

BG gas engineers do not now what they are doing when it comes down to electrics. They plumb in a new boiler and do a "plug and press" test. If it is over .80 Ohms they spit their dummy out.

I had an argument with one of the BG chaps 4-5 years ago about the same thing. He did a Zs at the socket and came up with 37 Ohms and condemned the house! It is a TT system but he did not understand and issued a danger notice to the customer!!! Idiots.

A mate of mine who is a sparky, was asked by his Father to come around during a visit from BG, as he had been asked if he wanted his electrics covered.
My mate arrives BG engineer is there spieling on about this and that, and proceed to tell my mate, who hasn't told he is a sparks, that this and that didn't comply with the regs, what regs are they then, is it these and pulled out a copy of 7671 BG man packed his tools up and fox trot oscared a bit smartish.

 

[Guest111]

BG are a joke,I was doing an eicr for a friend lat summer,in walks mr bg to do his thing with the gas,now the boiler is fed from an FCU next to a socket,so he plugs his socket tester into the socket and gets 3 green lights."thats the earth good" he says,he couldn't or wouldn't grasp my point when i pointed out that just because the socket was earthed didn't mean the boiler was,lets for arguments sake say the earth in the strap between socket and spur had been left out,then socket would indicate good but there would be no electrical earth to the spur,yes I know I'm being pedantic and boiler would be earthed through pipework anyway(or should be) but this is the same guy who failed the gas fire as it was a type he was unfamiliar with and there was no manual on site,despite having a laptop he refused to look for one and I had to find it on mine,just so she'd get a gas safety cert,what a pita these guys are,there ethos seems to be "if you don't understand it fail it",and they've the cheek to call themselves engineers!

 

[PME Sparks]

From my experience gas engineers should not even look at electrics.