Help needed, something I've dug up in the garden....

[skewiff]

hello, just needed some advice really, i'm not an electrician but just wanted to find out what this was and whether it is safe to dig it up. the top of thepole was just below the surface of the ground and it seems to be concreted in hard. it's about a foot long i guess, i'd like to dig it up and get rid of it, i'll need to hire a jack-hammer or something to get it out as its stuck fast, but i'm wondering if it's safe to do so, my initial thought is it's some kind of earthing (?) and wouldn't be "live" as such or connected to any wiring under the ground but as i'm no electrical expert i'm probably wrong, anyway here are the pics, thanks in advance....

 

[skewiff]

okay heres a pic of the area and layout, hope this makes sense, id say each garden is roughly 18-20 ft wide so overall distance from the flats to the rod is roughly 35-40 feet.

 

[telectrix]

i'll make a wild guess and say it's a redundant earth rod for a shed/outbuilding that no longer exists. way too far away from the flat. but, as previous posts have said, you need to make sure that the flats are earthed. if rented, the cost will be the responsibility of the landlord.

 

[skewiff]

ACL- the battery on my camera is currently flat but i will get a pic of ther meter area taken and uploaded in the morning once its charged, dont think i'll be able to get access to my neighbours unfortunately i think hes away all week.

 

[Top Cat]

For God's sake your worried about the earthing when there is a hand trying to get out of the ground?!!!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Ive heard you will do owt for an ale.....even are lass...lol

Jay

but does she have a decent earthing arrangement?

 

[Jay Sparks]

really good advice thanks so much everyone, i will get my electrician in to have a look as soon as poss. nothings ever straighforward is it? i'm not sure what the service head is jay sparks, do you mean the meter?

No, your service head is, in most cases a big black box, that will feed your metre. It will normally have 2 grey cables and a green/yellow (like the one on the earth rod) coming out of it, too your metre.

Jay

 

[Jay Sparks]

but does she have a decent earthing arrangement?

Shes deffinately not down to earth....but she does have a big box.....lol

 

[skewiff]

Top Cat-

For God's sake your worried about the earthing when there is a hand trying to get out of the ground?!!!!​

lol! yes i really ought to get my priorities sorted shouldnt i

 

[GLENNSPARK]

hmm....sounds like differing potentials....some bonding?...

 

[skewiff]

No, your service head is, in most cases a big black box, that will feed your metre. It will normally have 2 grey cables and a green/yellow (like the one on the earth rod) coming out of it, too your metre.

Jay

ah okay cool, i'll have a look in the morning and get a picture uploaded

 

[Jay Sparks]

hmm....sounds like differing potentials....some bonding?...

Bonding???? Id rather be an rcd and get it over and done with, within 0.4s.

 

[skewiff]

i'll make a wild guess and say it's a redundant earth rod for a shed/outbuilding that no longer exists. way too far away from the flat. but, as previous posts have said, you need to make sure that the flats are earthed. if rented, the cost will be the responsibility of the landlord.

absolutely telectrix, i'll contact my electrician tomorrow and get him to take a look soon as poss, not sure my landlord will ever cover the cost to be honest but i'll tell him its his responsibility anyway.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Bonding???? Id rather be an rcd and get it over and done with, within 0.4s.

x1 or x 5 Jay...

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its riding the waveform.....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

mind you she might be 100mA...

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time delayed?

 

[Jay Sparks]

mind you she might be 100mA...

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time delayed?

Time delayed.....god no....I dont wonna be waiting for her to go first....takes too long.lol
Im very selfish...