earthing metal backboxes

[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

 

[alarm man]

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

if the link comes out you still have one leg in the socket,if it comes out the socket you have it via the screws.thats the way we were taught,then again we were taught to twist cable together before connecting..times change i agree,progress i think its called.

 

[Guitarist]

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

You should connect to the socket first, with both legs, then fly to backbox. As we have already discussed, if you make one leg a few inches longer, you can double it at the socket and take it to the box, so no need for an extra wire. Takes less than a minute.

 

[nickblake]

I always do its easy on a new install or where you have new cables just leave the one leg long strip it back earth sleeve bend it over into the socket sleeve then down to the back box i always feel its a better job and protects any one removing the socket for maintainance or testing , i know you dont have to but how long does it take to put it in seconds and all back boxes have a lug so why not use it

 

[1shortcircuit]

I must be doing it wrong then lol

I leave one leg long sleeve, bend sleeve but go to the lug on the box first and then into socket

This is something that I was doing when I felt like it but I am now using the method I mention above religiously as it takes next to no time at all really.

What reinforced my actions is when I came across an installation that was using metal back boxes with two Nylon? lugs and all the light switches I checked had metal fixtures. Since coming across this I spend the extra amount of time when "I" am installing "My" cables.

:thumbsup

 

[garyjtroy]

ive always earthed the boxes its just a given thing that i was always taught to do

 

[Ryan Cheetham]

I too have always used a fly lead and find it be best practice. Even to the point of using them on metal front TV points due to people using mains powered booster boxes i worry that under fault conditions a charge could transfer down the line to the face plate. I have come across on many occasions an extra long CPC that has been sleeved, folded and tagged to the back box then the bit thats left sleeved and teminated in the earth terminal, a practice i don't like in case the CPC should ever break. Also this is my first post but i have been following the forum for nearly a year now and must say i find it really helpful and entertaining at the same time.


Ryan

 

[johnboy6083]

i use 6491x for earthing the backboxes. Its cable ive always got on the van, and it saves me sleeving. I dont like the practice of doubling it over and shoving it in the backbox terminal, and dont get me started on twisting the CPC's together,or putiing it in one sleeve!!!!

 

[chronyx]

Did it as an apprentice, got told not to as it takes to long, have not started again.

 

[axel132132]

I always earth the back box by taking earth from one twin into box then into socket without cutting it so its one earth still no cuts just in-case some EXTREME Circumstance happens were

someone DIY comes along changes plastic to metal, and "forgets" to put the back of the metal socket at least the back box is still earthed therefore earthing the socket with the screws or if someone comes along puts earth into socket, earth snapps and leaves earth dangling in back of box without touching anything.

Extreme circumstances i know but at least if this DOES ever happen which surely it must happen even if it is rare.. Then everything is still earthed =]

I tend to strip back twin, put some sleeving on earth, bend it over, put in back of box, put more earth sleeve on, put in back of socket..

Mucho easy, takes about 20 seconds makes everything safe =] cost.. About the cost of 5cm of earth sleeving extra lol

 

[Guitarist]

Well, considering that a third of people say that they don't bother, I'd like to hear their reasons why....