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....

 

[telectrix]

bash the bugger in with a sledgehammer. (the rod, i mean, not the service head)

 

[GLENNSPARK]

bash the bugger in with a sledgehammer. (the rod, i mean, not the service head)

and why not the service head Tel....its a once only chance to see if it really is tncs....or not....

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Not necessarily i have seen this before and found it was TN-S (when the fuse carrier fell out and the cover over the neutral fell off!)

PFC should give the game away though TC

 

[skewiff]

As long as the other flats have a similar setup (with the earth coming out of the service head) and your neighbours have the same then its fine to dig up - its probably from when they built your house or a neighbours house in the first place.

Little hint these are at least 1 meter long usually 2 meters long (if 2 joined togeather.

If you cant pull it out get a digger - tie a rope around it and pull it up - or dig around it and cut the top off with a grinder or hacksaw then berry it again.

great, thanks Nicholas, yeah i've dug down around it about as far as i can, now i know its safe i'll just cut it back with a hacksaw like you say and forget about it

 

[skewiff]

With this system its fine Skewiff - if your flat has not had its electric checked in 5 years then its worth getting it checked anyway

yeah it hasn't been checked in quite a while i think , so i will get the elcetrician in anyway to give it the once over just to be safe.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

well when the electrician comes round...he will be doing a Ze anyway....this will confirm the earthing arrangements you have....and whether its good...or not...

 

[skewiff]

well when the electrician comes round...he will be doing a Ze anyway....this will confirm the earthing arrangements you have....and whether its good...or not...

cool, i'll let the people in the downstairs flat know the situation as well, then they can get theirs system checked if needs be. thanks so much for all the good advice guys, so very much appreciated!

 

[trev]

If you dig it up and give it to your sparky he might be able to find a caring pik.. oops sorry I mean scrap metal dealer to give it a good home

 

[ezzzekiel]

Both properties appear to be pme earthing so your rod was either for a old outbuilding or redundant tt system at your property, either way it can be dug up as its no longer connected anyway

Could be prudent to get a ze test done first just to confirm, wouldnt cost much at all from reputable spark