Live ground wire throughout the house

[alanonline]

I have a live ground throughout the house. Is this dangerous and what are the possible causes? Thank you for your time.

 

[Rockingit]

I have a live ground throughout the house. Is this dangerous and what are the possible causes? Thank you for your time.

You're going to have to define 'live' and ground for us to advise. Are you saying that you are getting shocks from things like taps and sinks? Or do you mean that there is a Green and Yellow cable running around?

 

[alanonline]

Electric screwdriver lights up when inserted into ground (green and yellow) terminal on all of my sockets. Hope that is clearer and thanks again for your time.

 

[westward10]

A neon screwdriver is a wholly unreliable means of indication

 

[Rockingit]

Firstly, please stop using a Neon screwdriver tester! They are NOT safe and don't comply with the regulations for electrical testers (GS38). The reason for this is simply that they rely on YOUR OWN BODY to complete a circuit - if they fail, they can't be relied on to 'fail safe' in which case it would be electrically no different to you poking any old bit of conductive metal into a socket (or a knife in the toaster... etc).

Secondly, without going into too much detail about how they work, it's very easy to make a Neon glow with very little voltage and current so it's not an accurate test and proper testing gear may get an entirely different reading.

However.... you will need to get an Electrician in to get this checked and confirmed.

 

[alanonline]

A neon screwdriver is a wholly unreliable means of indication

Surely if it lights up it must mean that a current is passing through it?

 

[alanonline]

Firstly, please stop using a Neon screwdriver tester! They are NOT safe and don't comply with the regulations for electrical testers (GS38). The reason for this is simply that they rely on YOUR OWN BODY to complete a circuit - if they fail, they can't be relied on to 'fail safe' in which case it would be electrically no different to you poking any old bit of conductive metal into a socket (or a knife in the toaster... etc).

Secondly, without going into too much detail about how they work, it's very easy to make a Neon glow with very little voltage and current so it's not an accurate test and proper testing gear may get an entirely different reading.

However.... you will need to get an Electrician in to get this checked and confirmed.

OK Thank you again for your time.

 

[DPG]

Surely if it lights up it must mean that a current is passing through it?

Technically it means there is a current flowing through the test screwdriver and also through you, albeit a very small one.

What it doesn't tell you is what voltage you have between two points, which is what you need to know.

It is also applies such a high impedance load to the circuit under test that even a low voltage can illuminate it. A 'proper' yesterday used by an electrician will slightly load the circuit so that these 'ghost' voltages can be made irrelevant.

 

[Rockingit]

Surely if it lights up it must mean that a current is passing through it?

It's not a simple subject but the trigger voltage of a neon can be as low as 30v with a current draw of microamps. They can literally react to what we call induced voltages which is where if you have conductors in parallel alongside each other (as in, two standard twin and earth cables laying in the same run) because of the principles of electromagnetism you induce a 'phantom' voltage from one that is energised into one that isn't.

But the whole point is stop poking the damn thing anywhere other than in the bin.

 

[James]

It's not a simple subject but the trigger voltage of a neon can be as low as 30v with a current draw of microamps. They can literally react to what we call induced voltages which is where if you have conductors in parallel alongside each other (as in, two standard twin and earth cables laying in the same run) because of the principles of electromagnetism you induce a 'phantom' voltage from one that is energised into one that isn't.

But the whole point is stop poking the damn thing anywhere other than in the bin.

That being said, a properly connected ground wire should not have enough voltage induced into it to be lighting up anything in most cases.
it is entirely possible that by using an incorrect and potentially unsafe method of testing the original poster may have uncovered a bigger fault in the installation (such as a missing earth to the property.

I would highly recommend that you employ an electrician for a quick safety check of the earthing arrangements.
I would expect an answer within half an hour on site as to the integrity of the earthing system.

 

[Rockingit]

That being said, a properly connected ground wire should not have enough voltage induced into it to be lighting up anything in most cases.
it is entirely possible that by using an incorrect and potentially unsafe method of testing the original poster may have uncovered a bigger fault in the installation (such as a missing earth to the property.

I would highly recommend that you employ an electrician for a quick safety check of the earthing arrangements.
I would expect an answer within half an hour on site as to the integrity of the earthing system.

Absolutely - see my last point on my first post!

 

[James]

only a smarty pants or the class's teachers pet would put there hand up and shout "I SAID IT FIRST"!!!

which one are you??

and if anyone tells me to grow up and act my age,

I tried it once and didn't like it!!

p.s. I am just off to sit in the corner and sulk now.

;-)