earthing metal backboxes

[Lucas]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

 

[Guest123]

***Poll Added***

I've kept this one anonymous so please be truthful.

 

[somersetsparks]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

If any cable snaps at a termination, you will have open circuit? therefore we take precautions not to snap the cables and to test on completion to see if they're snappped.

 

[oldtimer]

The reason they did it was most circuits were run in conduit pipe and no earth was run because the conduit was the earth but when you pulled the socket off the box then there was no earth hence the flying lead

 

[Geordie Spark]

Always earth the box, was always taught to. Don't like seeing on leg of the earth bent over into the terminal and then onto the frontplate, if it snaps you have the potential of an open circuit

Why didn't you tell me this 30 years ago ??? :blush2: :wink5:

 

[JCE]

basically the metal back box requires earthing , it relates back to regulation 8 of the electricity at work regulations 1989
which states precautions shall be taken ,either by earthing or by other suitable means as to prevent danger ,
i.e a danger could be present if a line conductor comes a drift we need to make sure the fuse or breaker disconnects ,
again 99 times out of a hundred i will have say 3 earth cables in a ring main socket earth terminal the reason for this years ago i looked at the risk of people getting say an electric shock and decided that the larger risk came from the accessory metal plate or plug or after the plug so common sense dictated the lowest path of resistance would be connecting all three earths together ,plus over time doesnt the damp and plaster turn the metal back box terminal green increasing the resistance of that connnection

please also note i still consider myself the apprentice at 49 years old , cheers

 

[Robotstar5]

I've always linked to the box, another way of looking at it is why do they fit an earth terminal if it's not going to be used? manufacturers would save money by deleting it.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

basically the metal back box requires earthing , it relates back to regulation 8 of the electricity at work regulations 1989
which states precautions shall be taken ,either by earthing or by other suitable means as to prevent danger ,
i.e a danger could be present if a line conductor comes a drift we need to make sure the fuse or breaker disconnects ,
again 99 times out of a hundred i will have say 3 earth cables in a ring main socket earth terminal the reason for this years ago i looked at the risk of people getting say an electric shock and decided that the larger risk came from the accessory metal plate or plug or after the plug so common sense dictated the lowest path of resistance would be connecting all three earths together ,plus over time doesnt the damp and plaster turn the metal back box terminal green increasing the resistance of that connnection

please also note i still consider myself the apprentice at 49 years old , cheers

No it doesn't.
The EAWR only applies when an installation is being constructed (but not if it's the householder doing the construction), or if the installation is or will become a work place.

 

[oldtimer]

Urban Myths come to mind

 

[BillyH]

i'll be the first person to say i don't put a fly lead on. No need to and those that say it only takes 10 seconds longer are dreaming. You must have good prices in. Switch of supply before removing cover applies to sockets aswell

 

[trev]

I was taught to do it as a boy apprentice, when I queried it because of the metal bolts/fixed lugs I was told that it wasn't strictly necessary but that it was good practice. Nigh on 30 years on I'm still doing it for that reason and until someone convinces me otherwise I'll continue to do so, old habits die hard and for the time and materials it uses why the hell are we discussing it? Just Do It

 

[alarm man]

ive seen it done 2 ways,1. flylead to back box and 2.one earth from ring to back box the other to socket and link in between,but always taught to earth back box no matter what

 

[ruston]

i'll be the first person to say i don't put a fly lead on. No need to and those that say it only takes 10 seconds longer are dreaming. You must have good prices in. Switch of supply before removing cover applies to sockets aswell

I put them in the box before I fit them, does'nt take long.

 

[Guitarist]

i'll be the first person to say i don't put a fly lead on. No need to and those that say it only takes 10 seconds longer are dreaming. You must have good prices in. Switch of supply before removing cover applies to sockets aswell

I agree Billy, it adds about 1 minute to each box, not 10 seconds....
No need to "technically" do a great many things in life, but they are good practice, and in many cases make life easier down the line for someone.

 

[trev]

Billyhas, there's no need to look both ways when at a zebra crossing because the drivers are legally required to stop for you but we all do don't we

 

[somersetsparks]

i'll be the first person to say i don't put a fly lead on. No need to and those that say it only takes 10 seconds longer are dreaming. You must have good prices in. Switch of supply before removing cover applies to sockets aswell

I use the one leg of the ring with 2 bits of sleeving, just doubling it over into the back box lug and then into the socket when doing twin and earth, literally takes a few seconds longer.
When doing singles I use a seperate lead and put all 3 into the socket terminal.

 

[thekingiam]

actualy i always have and always will the reason being if customer replaces plastic to metal and does a poor job of connecting cpc to faceplate my backbox connection hopefully touching faceplate either by screw conductivity or physical contact may insure a good earth path in case of a fault.
however maybe someone needs to do some resistance checks because the metal switches are laquered and that may have an effect.
i usually conect first to back box then to socket or switch,but as mentioned on here i have seen old wirring where cable has deteriorated in box via grening of cables or even rusr

 

[BillyH]

Billyhas, there's no need to look both ways when at a zebra crossing because the drivers are legally required to stop for you but we all do don't we

Strange anology. Do you really think there is no need to look both ways at a zebra crossing?

 

[ruston]

Strange anology. Do you really think there is no need to look both ways at a zebra crossing?

After two barrels he cannit

 

[trev]

Strange anology. Do you really think there is no need to look both ways at a zebra crossing?

Ok granted a little bit of a strange analogy but the point I was aiming for is do you think that belt and braces is a good idea? I do.

 

[thekingiam]

sorry on tablet and starting to hate it.
what i was thinking is why can't you connect to switch or socket first then fly to back box,therefore if cable deteriorates in back box no problem...on a ring main as you have two earths use one on fly lead to faceplate and other to faceplate

 

[highspark]

So no earth on the metal box, someone unscrews the socket whilst the circuit is still live, the installer had nicked the live when they stripped it or no grommet and the stripped live touches the box.
Or the live pulls out the socket when it lifted off and touches the box.

I've always earthed boxes, including metal adaptable boxes even if they didn't have an earth lug.

There are plenty of Good Practices that aren't in the Regs, yet.

The back box is earthed by the screws when the faceplate is screwed back. The argument of what if someone unscrews the faceplate and touches a live box, to me, is invalid. As its exactly the same as saying what if somebody unscrews a consumer unit and inadvertantly touches the buzz bar.

End of the day unless competent they should be opening anything electrical especially live.

I agree as an extra precaution it's great a d good practise. But not bad practise if you dont

 

[alarm man]

The back box is earthed by the screws when the faceplate is screwed back. The argument of what if someone unscrews the faceplate and touches a live box, to me, is invalid. As its exactly the same as saying what if somebody unscrews a consumer unit and inadvertantly touches the buzz bar.

End of the day unless competent they should be opening anything electrical especially live.

I agree as an extra precaution it's great a d good practise. But not bad practise if you dont

but what if as in a prev thread the earth cables come out as your fitting the socket,with one leg of the earth to the back box you will have an earth via the screws via the back box,that was always my reasoning behind it.

 

[thekingiam]

highspark i think you are high tonight ,if your reasoning that if a homeowner won't try to change a faulty faceplate by themselves without realising the dimp:angers,

 

[highspark]

It doesn't matter if they will or not end of the day they have every chance of being stung by a loose wire once that faceplate is off.

Alarm man - that's like saying what if the flying lead pops out when screwing back.

End of the day it's not bad practise if you don't do it