Thoughts on distribution board upgrade

[Gazthesparky]

Got called out to a hairdressers yesterday after they were receiving shocks from a hair straiteners

Got there to find a single phase consumer unit no RCDs in site and no main earth or bonding at all

So remedy that by putting a temp earth rod in and bonding to water and gas

I have said that it requires a distribution board upgrade and RCDs installed on the shower and socket circuits. As the exsisting consumer unit is a mess

There is a 3phase supply and a 3 phase meter so the customer is being charged for the supply.

They have just lifted the brown phase out of the 3phase isolator and fitted a single phase consumer unit.

Should I keep the supply and quote to install a 3phase distribution board and split the circuits over the 3 phases

Or seeing as the customer isn't using the supply tell them and go down the root of getting the meter changed and upgrading the single phase consumer unit

What would you do ??

 

[Gazthesparky]

I can assure you there was no main earth cable or bonding cables in the consumer unit. There was non around the meter position too I could t for the life of me see any at all so the building I can assure you wasn't earthed.

Ok I know you could test the ze to see if an earth was available but I would have had to break the seal on the cut out to put the earth in so I would have to speak to the DNO to arrange this.

 

[ash_s3]

Do you honestly think that until now the building hasn't got an earth??

Its not exactly unheard of to find an installation with no means of earthing. Seen it before and will no doubt see it again

 

[mechelec]

Good to see you tried to remedy the situation by installing an earth rod. What RCD did you fit with it ? What Ra did you get when you tested the rod ? Unless you got it down to less than .20 ohm you wasted your time if you didn't fit an RCD. You left the installation still with no satisfactory earth and a customer who now thinks the installation is safe ( temporarily)
Rather than fit a rod it would have been better to utilise the DNO earth, sealed cutout or not.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Good to see you tried to remedy the situation by installing an earth rod. What RCD did you fit with it ? What Ra did you get when you tested the rod ? Unless you got it down to less than .20 ohm you wasted your time if you didn't fit an RCD. You left the installation still with no satisfactory earth and a customer who now thinks the installation is safe ( temporarily)
Rather than fit a rod it would have been better to utilise the DNO earth, sealed cutout or not.

Pretty much what I said in post #10 a week ago.

 

[mechelec]

Pretty much what I said in post #10 a week ago.

So you did. Missed it sorry.

 

[shanky887614]

Do you honestly think that until now the building hasn't got an earth??

I mean, you are right never to assume but if you have any doubts then surely you would carry out further investigation before leaving site, to clarify. A simple Ze test would confirm if there is an earth available.

me stepdads mothers house didnt have an earth for 30 years till they have some work done and it had an earth rod installed.

 

[Octopus]

me stepdads mothers house didnt have an earth for 30 years till they have some work done and it had an earth rod installed.

Seen lots of houses "relying" on a link from the socket circuit to the water main!

 

[davesparks]

Seen lots of houses "relying" on a link from the socket circuit to the water main!

That was the required method of earthing small installations in years gone by. I believe it was a bare 7/029" copper conductor to be connected to the towns metallic water main.
There's an extract of the regulations in Stubbs, I'll post a pic if I remember later