Main Earthing On DB Help

[richo106]

Hi

Was visiting a friends house yesterday who is having some renovation work done and I was just being nosy but came across his DB (that is due to be changed) with what looked like no main earth. There is an earth connected in the DB but it’s just cut off below the main income ( see pic)

What would people do in this case? Do the suppliers have to provide an earth or is it something an electrician would sort?

 

[Baker1988]

Yes very true.

If you turn up to an installation and notice the meter has been bypassed, do we have a duty to report it?

Report it if you want to, they is nothing stating you have legally got to its basically down to your own moral code, i personally would tell my boss that its by passed then its up to him if he wants to report it.

 

[gazdkw82]

Report it if you want to, they is nothing stating you have legally got to its basically down to your own moral code, i personally would tell my boss that its by passed then its up to him if he wants to report it.

Well learn something new everyday

 

[Andy78]

Yes very true.

If you turn up to an installation and notice the meter has been bypassed, do we have a duty to report it?

The last one I saw I contacted the sparky who had worked on it a few months back. Genuine oversight, and he turned up to correct the work. Saved getting an innocent householder and complacent sparky in the mire.

 

[littlespark]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe this property to be empty and under refurbishment. So...
1. There may not be anyone in the house to be bothered if its energised or not.
2. There may not be anyone in the house in any danger if it is left energised.

Personally, I would contact the DNO and put the ball in their court, explain to the customer why it is a danger and advise them to stay out until DNO rectify

Edit:
Tell the customer to contact the DNO. OP wasn't there doing any work.

 

[MDJ]

Ok so what if you don't have a rod to hand and you cant get one till say, Monday?

I wouldn't walk away with it energised like that.

Thats why your a trainee and not a skilled man.

 

[johnduffell]

Why the big argument, at the end of the day it's a judgement call. Who is living there (no one) and what do you have to hand.
If it's an elderly person and it's the middle of winter isolating the supply would basically be murder, if it's a scout hut with kids running around every evening then turn off and leave a note at the door, then it's down to the incoming leader to decide whether to turn on again.

I'm sure people can think of better examples, but although legallythere's no obligation or right to isolate the supply, but the same applies to saving a drowning kid and we would all do that.

 

[gazdkw82]

Thats why your a trainee and not a skilled man.

I am missing something here? Can't really understand how my comment means I'm not a skilled man?

 

[gazdkw82]

Thats why your a trainee and not a skilled man.

I am missing something here? Can't really understand how my comment means I'm not a skilled man?

 

[Midwest]

Don't worry, he's an old sweat and just joshing with you.

 

[Midwest]

Last time I went to someone's property, I had to be invited in and seek their permission to isolate the CU to work on it

You can only advise some one, if they choose to ignore your advice thats down to them. Some people are a bit thick mind.

You guys.

 

[elsparko]

the op says its his friends house where nobody is staying currently, and in this case i would be the electrical police

what if the house burns down and you could have prevented it by simply turning off the power?

ive just replaced a shower cable at my grans, the shower is about 5metres from the fuseboard, plenty of access below the floor, but obviously crawling another few metres to the fuseboard area would have been too much effort for the previous "sparky", so into a junction box it went

the live and earth terminals were basically touching in the junction box after several years of sitting on the ground under the floor

what if this house in the OP has a similiar fault?

but hey if youre happy with a potential fatality then thats on you.

 

[littlespark]

I would presume the OP has done what was suggested over the weekend and advised the homeowner to contact the DNO today.
OP wasn’t working in the property and as such can only give advice to his friend regards safety.

 

[elsparko]

I would presume the OP has done what was suggested over the weekend and advised the homeowner to contact the DNO today.
OP wasn’t working in the property and as such can only give advice to his friend regards safety.

but if the friend in the op is away then id like to know the property is safe after ive left it

 

[Deleted member 9648]

the op says its his friends house where nobody is staying currently, and in this case i would be the electrical police

what if the house burns down and you could have prevented it by simply turning off the power?

ive just replaced a shower cable at my grans, the shower is about 5metres from the fuseboard, plenty of access below the floor, but obviously crawling another few metres to the fuseboard area would have been too much effort for the previous "sparky", so into a junction box it went

the live and earth terminals were basically touching in the junction box after several years of sitting on the ground under the floor

what if this house in the OP has a similiar fault?

but hey if youre happy with a potential fatality then thats on you.

Nobody would be happy with a fatality, but how long has the installation been without a main earth? Years probably....OP didn't mention bodies strewn all over the place. The OP's pic also shows an RCD main switch....no mention of Zs readings but I'll wager it'll be picking up an earth from somewhere and is in fact safe even if non compliant. Nobody is advocating walking away, only that we are not legally obliged to interfere with a private installation, we can lead the horse to water but we cant force it to drink.

 

[Rpa07]

DNO will bat it back to you anyway unless it can be PMEd.
Always carry a rod in the van. Good for TT installs and comes with a bonus of feeling nice and weighty in the hand!

 

[Midwest]

I give up.

 

[johnduffell]

I give up.

Go on, you know you want to jump back in!

 

[stevels4]

I was called out several times by the DNO for situations like this to fit a TT earth.
Depending on the time of day the DNO would either fully isolate the supply and remove the service fuse or if it was dark and an older system they would isolate the socket ring(s) but leave the lighting ring(s) energised (I’m sure you guys can work out the logic there).
Go in, install the TT, ensure the Ze was within spec and then reinstate full supply.

 

[Toneyz]

To me, it looks like the floor has been redone and the earth could have been connected to the cable sheath or earth rod below that but has been cut off.

 

[Pete999]

Is that a new meter? maybe the meter maid cut it off cus he/she didn't know what to do with it, the earth wire that is.