New member seeking advice

[Billybub27]

Hi Everyone,

Just a quick hello as a new member. I'm not an electrician and would like to
ask some questions, if I may, re house wiring/safety, audio hum etc., before calling in the calvary. I'm retired and live in NW London.

Thanks,
Bob

,

 

[Barnaby Stedman]

Please do - were happy to try and help

 

[buzzlightyear]

welcome bob ,glad to have on board .

 

[Billybub27]

Thanks for the welcome. Not sure where to post but the question is re earthing. Our house was rewired in '75 by my then brother in-law and his workmate (electrians for Express Dairies), just before we moved in. About 10 years ago our incoming lead mains water pipe decided to burst so was replaced with poly pipe. (think I accidentally posted at this point, sorry).
I don't think the earth to the lead pipe was transferred to anything else. I would have to get the floor boards up to check.
My daughter's PS4 is picking up a mains hum through the audio which is annoying for her and dad has to do something so with a Fluke socket tester I tried all the sockets in the house and all came back as 'ok'. Any advice re grounding and the hum when socket tester says ok. Thanks.

 

[SparkyAndGeorge]

you need a sparky into to verify the earthing by way of an EICR. the ps4 humming could be totally unrelated - may need to clean out the vents and keep it in a ventilated space, otherwise could be knackered

 

[simpson93]

Earthing to the poly pipe not needed for main earth bonding.

As above the problem is most likely with the appliance rather than the socket.

I would move it to another room/circuit just to verify.

 

[telectrix]

my first job would be to measure the Ze and Zs readings on sockets. it's possible that the lead water pipe was used as main earth before replacement.

 

[Billybub27]

you need a sparky into to verify the earthing by way of an EICR. the ps4 humming could be totally unrelated - may need to clean out the vents and keep it in a ventilated space, otherwise could be knackered

SparkyAndGeorge: Thank you, yes I think I'd better get it tested. I think it's a while since the PS4 has been cleaned. Thanks.

 

[Billybub27]

teletrix; Thanks for your suggestion. I think I'll leave the Ze and Zs stuff to the experts but regarding the water pipe being used as the main earth, originally or rewire, I did manage to get a look under the floor boards and the old lead pipe is still there with the earth wire and is connected to the the incoming mains cable bonding via the usual connecting block. Whether the lead pipe is still far enough in the ground or the connection ok, I can't say. The weather the day the Water Board sent their contractors to do the job was horrendous, absolutely bucketed down and we felt awful that they had to work through that. They used a compressor and 'mole' to drag the new pipe through the clay and into the house. Because it was a tough job we kept out of their way so don't know if they removed any of the old pipe for scrap and I never thought about it at the time. I guess we'll have to get it tested properly.
Thanks.

B