Domestic Wiring Problems - Advice Needed Please!

[billyh42]

Hi

First of all I am not an electrician!

When using power tools recently I have been getting shocks from almost everything!

I bought a small 3 pin 240v plug-in tester to attempt to see if this would show that there was no earth!

What this did show was that I have reverse polarity. Further investigation at the consumer unit with a meter confirmed that the supply going into the consumer unit is in fact reversed.

Meter readings are 0v between live and earth, 238v between neutral and earth & 238v between live and neutral.

Speaking to an electrician at work about the shocks (before I knew about the reverse polarity), he said that it wouldn't do any harm to add an earth rod and connect it back to an earth on a socket and see if that made any difference. I have done this and so far I have not had any further shocks. However the earth rod seems to get very hot. Is this normal or an indication of another fault. Could it be that the cable I have connected it to the socket with isn't thick enough and the heat is due to high resistance?

Going back to the reverse polarity, is this a simple matter of having my supplier, Scottish Power, reverse the connections into the consumer unit? Wiring appears to be supply-main fuse-meter-consumer unit. I cannot see any sign of an earth coming in from outside.

Is this dangerous? Does this mean that any fuses will be innefective as they are all connected in the live circuit? Is Scottish Power responsible for correcting this or can any electrician do this?

Finally is there a simple laymans test to check earthing?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[mattmoo1974]

By the sounds you ve got 2 faults there.
1. Reverse polarity at intake point<<<<<<< This is the Dno's Area(This will be free as its there fault)
2. A fault to earth or some kind. Get a sparky in to tell you what the problem is(ie £50 ish call out) At least you ll know the issue, Worse case if you think hes trying to rip you off you,get the circuit isolated. And ring around and get as many quotes as you like til you get the price you want to pay.
At least this way your not going to kill yourself trying to save a few quid.
I cant tell you how dangerous your electrics are at the moment, I live a good 300 miles away and will in know way gain anything from you.
GET A ELECTRICIAN IN BEFORE YOU KILL YOURSELF!!!

 

[telectrix]

alll sound advice above. you say you ask for advice and you've got it. if it were not such a serious situation, no doubt you would have received advice on how to have a go yourself, but as it is, your life, and that of your family is worth far more than what a sparks will charge you to D0 IT RIGHT.

 

[mattmoo1974]

Are the Darwin awards still going?
I think someone could get famous here

 

[telectrix]

are the darwin awards still going?
I think someone could get famous here :d

don't know about darwin, but i've heard the muppets are making a comeback

 

[sparkinlee]

You say you've got L/E 0v and N/E 230v - I posted on here a while ago exactly the same condition on a customer's property and the situation turned out to be a fault on the incomer which linked live to earth, hence shocks off the water and appliances etc. In that case, simply adding an earth rod would just have caused the live to flow constantly to earth - not only making the rod hot, but also making your meter spin quite fast and running up quite a bill!

The problem you have will need sorting either by an electrician or the supply company... and you'll get an electrician to come out quicker, and they'll be able to tell you what the fault is and make it safe even if you then have to get the supply company out.

 

[Amp David]

Hi Murdoch

I'm in Carluke, Lanarkshire.

That will be the plan, but in my experience of dealing with tradesmen it's best to have an idea what the problem is first to avoid being charged for unecessary work!

I have already spoken to various electricians but I get a different answer each time! I was hoping that this forum would reach a few more people and give me more of an idea!

All I need to know at this stage is whether there's any danger from the reverse polarity or from the earth rod heating up.

My advice is do not use the electrician who said your earth rod will heat up!

And reversed polarity is dangerous.

 

[Amp David]

Hi

First of all I am not an electrician!

When using power tools recently I have been getting shocks from almost everything!

I bought a small 3 pin 240v plug-in tester to attempt to see if this would show that there was no earth!

What this did show was that I have reverse polarity. Further investigation at the consumer unit with a meter confirmed that the supply going into the consumer unit is in fact reversed.

Meter readings are 0v between live and earth, 238v between neutral and earth & 238v between live and neutral.

Speaking to an electrician at work about the shocks (before I knew about the reverse polarity), he said that it wouldn't do any harm to add an earth rod and connect it back to an earth on a socket and see if that made any difference. I have done this and so far I have not had any further shocks. However the earth rod seems to get very hot. Is this normal or an indication of another fault. Could it be that the cable I have connected it to the socket with isn't thick enough and the heat is due to high resistance?

Going back to the reverse polarity, is this a simple matter of having my supplier, Scottish Power, reverse the connections into the consumer unit? Wiring appears to be supply-main fuse-meter-consumer unit. I cannot see any sign of an earth coming in from outside.

Is this dangerous? Does this mean that any fuses will be innefective as they are all connected in the live circuit? Is Scottish Power responsible for correcting this or can any electrician do this?

Finally is there a simple laymans test to check earthing?

Any advice appreciated!

Of course, go and shell out 600 quid on a meter and test it!?!?

 

[telectrix]

Of course, go and shell out 600 quid on a meter and test it!?!?

neon drivers out of favour again!!!

 

[Amp David]

neon drivers out of favour again!!!

Damn, forgot about them babies!

 

[Paul.M]

Billy whatever you do DO NOT TOUCH THE ROD to see how hot it is, it may be the last thing you do.

 

[telectrix]

the only thing i can suggest that you do yourself is turn off the main switch and leave it off till the sparks calls.

 

[1shortcircuit]

Speaking to an electrician at work

I have already spoken to various electricians

Other forums suggest

Nothing wrong in asking questions but it seems that in the time it's taken you to post all of these questions and ask umpteen amounts of DIFFERENT people you could have had an Electrician in to diagnose the fault correctly and advise on the best course of action

I do have reverse polarity

Is this dangerous?

All I need to know at this stage is whether there's any danger from the reverse polarity or from the earth rod heating up.

By now I guess that you realise how serious this fault is? Have you called an Electrician in yet? If you haven't by now I suggest by-passing that option and call 999 for an Ambulance and Fire Brigade instead. It's not a matter of IF something will happen it is WHEN!

Sorry but I thought that that was the purpose of an online forum - to get advice. It wouldn't be much use if every answer was get an electrician in would it?

As you have stated and is clearly obvious you are not an Electrician. Most of the members on here could talk you through what to do and get the job done but the fact of the matter is there is nothing to prove that you have the competence to follow their instructions precisely. This is exactly why you are being advised to get an Electrician in.

Please stop asking questions and call an Electrician in now, the longer this fault is left the more likely it is that someone in your home will become injured or your house burns down.

Posting this question all over the internet would prove that you were aware of the potentially lethal fault and did not take the necessary action to rectify it. This alone could land your backside in jail if someone was to lose their life.

 

[Des 56]

It was interesting reading this thread
My conclusion is that we have one good wind up merchant hooking you all, left right and centre, or else he is someone who knows a bit,a little bit at that, and thinks the bit is enough to better understand danger than yourselves

A possible dangerous fault and the advise was get a spark,I dont think theres anything else worthwhile adding, so I am out

 

[1shortcircuit]

A possible dangerous fault and the advise was get a spark,I dont think theres anything else worthwhile adding, so I am out

+1

Best post I have read yet

 

[Paul.M]

"Speaking to an electrician at work about the shocks (before I knew about the reverse polarity), he said that it wouldn't do any harm to add an earth rod and connect it back to an earth on a socket and see if that made any difference. I have done this and so far I have not had any further shocks. However the earth rod seems to get very hot. Is this normal or an indication of another fault. Could it be that the cable I have connected it to the socket with isn't thick enough and the heat is due to high resistance?" What kind of electrician would advise someone to stick in their own earth rod and connect it to the cpc/earth terminal on a socket and say it won't do any harm???