this is odd!

[esc]

Hi guys, would you like to have a look at this and tell me what you think, i'm a bit confused. Only had time to have a quick look at this as im away for a couple of weeks as of tomorrow, so couldn't delve deeper.

There's a lable stating PME, a 4mm earthing conductor that runs from the CU to the outside where it joins more conductor via a MET hanging from the wall and then dissapears along the row of terraced houses. As you can see there's a CPC with the incoming suppy and a terminal block with the DNO' fuse thats empty. CU's CPC's unsleaved, Terrible it is!
I can get a Zs at a SO near by (0.44 ohms), but when i try take a Ze, instrument throws a big question mark up before i can test and wont allow it. It's giving odd values of PD between L & N and L & E. Thought maybe leads have thrown a wobbly, but they check out at home.
Any ideas appreciated.
Sorry theres not more info at the moment.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

so does that earth running outside go into a scotchcast or something?

 

[esc]

Hi Glennspark. The earth that enters with the incoming supply dissapears into the wall and where it goes (upstrem) ive no idea! It Could be scotchcast on the outside, but hard to see as there's no sign of it on the outside. The main earthing conductor runs out the house along the wall and into the distance.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I wonder if what has been done here is that earth has been taken from a neighbouring cutout and "exported" here?

 

[telectrix]

think the DNO should be called in here.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

think the DNO should be called in here.

looks crap dunnit......

 

[GLENNSPARK]

So i assume you tried to get a Ze from the empty PME block on the cutout?

 

[telectrix]

if anybody's relying on that bit of string for an earth??????? along comes pikey.... no more earth.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

if anybody's relying on that bit of string for an earth??????? along comes pikey.... no more earth.

I`m wondering if its the reminents of a TT tel?....and it just hasn`t been removed....would that not explain the CSA and the "MET" block on the outside wall?...........

 

[telectrix]

possible. TT systems for dummies perhaps.

 

[esc]

Ok, i could buy that glennspark, a little more investigation may confirm that or otherwise . I know theres an earth somewhere as im getting a Zs from a SO. What put the heeby geeby's up me was when trying to measure Ze. (My meter gives a diagram of the PD between L & N, L & E as well as the voltage in L before you push test), and what it was saying was that:
Voltage in L was 168V, PD between L & E was 245V and PD between L & N was 67V ??? This is mental!!

 

[telectrix]

your Zs would be from parallel paths through main bonding

 

[esc]

My first instinct was TT, but as im not too familiar with them, and especially how they were installed on a row of terraced houses in the past i had/have doubts what it is. The earth with the supply just added to the confusion along with the PME lable and no earthing conductor in the terminals by the DNO fuse

 

[esc]

Hi telectrix, i'd agree, and sorry i didn't include it above, but there's no bonding of anything

 

[esc]

Yeah looks real crap!