No earth on installation, WHO is responsible???

[charlalberts]

Hi,

Quick question,

I am busy doing a rewire on a property, really old electrics, old rewireable fuses, NO earth. Main earth cable was enclosed around a screw on the cut out fuse.

Who is responsible to sort it out?

I have contacted UK power network, they always say they are going to send someone out to assess the problem, and see if there is PME available in the street?
If there is no PME available, they say i have to install an earth electrode. Surely they can peel the sheath back the distributors cable and attach an earth clamp?

They say the electrician is responsible to provide an earth path, but surely it the distributor who is providing power.

Could anyone please give me some more insight, as its not the first time

Thanks in advance

 

[sedgy34]

DNO can only maintain an exhisting earth if its reported to them as a danger! if theres no chance of of a pme, you have to put a rod in the ground

 

[Moses]

DNO can only maintain an exhisting earth if its reported to them as a danger! if theres no chance of of a pme, you have to put a rod in the ground

hear hear.

 

[snowhead]

So they leave a property with no earth facility dosnt sound safe to me wouldn't live there with my family

Older installations were safe.
You had to provide a good earth by whichever method you found suitable, which the DNO tested before they made the final connection.

The earth was quite often thro' the lead water pipe and was a good earth.

Water boards used to allow the supply of water thro lead pipes, they wouldn't nowadays as things have moved on.
Same with electrical earthing.
Lead cables buried in a wall were never a hazard.
Since the use of plastics for outer insulation and for gas and water supplies, earthing has become far more important.

 

[Engineer54]

I am busy doing a rewire on a property, really old electrics, old rewireable fuses, NO earth. Main earth cable was enclosed around a screw on the cut out fuse.

If there is an earth connection there, provided by the DNO, then you have an earth connection, ...it just hasn't been distributed. Where is this earth cable coming from and have you tested this earth connection (Ze) ?? Only after testing, can you determine whether you have a functional earth connection....

I don't know why everyone here is saying, that you ''HAVE'' to pay for PME earth connection. I know that some unscrupulous DNO's have made PME connections chargeable, but most to my knowledge don't charge where a PME connection is already available!!!

 

[Farmelectrics]

ok so if you were to provide your own earth ie rods how many rods would you use or do you keep driving them in until you have a lower enough reading what reading would be acceptable

 

[Engineer54]

ok so if you were to provide your own earth ie rods how many rods would you use or do you keep driving them in until you have a lower enough reading what reading would be acceptable

Minimum of 2 X 5/8'' rods coupled together would always be the minimum number of rods to gain depth and stability. You only need to attain a max of 200 ohms, according to BS7671, but only fools would be happy with such a numbty value!!

Depends what value you obtain with those 2 coupled rods, whether you think it's worth adding another coupled rod or not. Finish off by adding an up front 100mA S type RCD as additional protection to the 30mA RCD/RCBO's....

 

[Inteificio]

Any chance of a photo?