Upgrade earthing on supply/dno cable

[michaelsf90]

In my own house the supply cable is paper lead. VIR cloth to the cutout. The earthing is a clamp round the lead sheath with bare metal strands from the clamp to a small earth bar. I have a 5mm bolt and some washers and I was considering adding a 16mm earth from the bolt on the clamp to a new 8 way earth connection block. Would anyone consider doing this or should I get on to the dno about potential corrosion on the unprotected earth

 

[UNG]

Thank you UNG. Once I've sorted the stuffing gland for the tails I will get onto them. Dont want them questioning anything on the consumer unit

They are not that interested in the condition of your installation unless it is blatantly unsafe, the job I mentioned in a previous post I rang ENWL up to see if I could arrange for them to attend site about 10 days later when I would be on site doing other work (replacing some CU's and some tidying up of the electrics) the answer was no because I had mentioned earthing issues and a double pole fused service head they would attend ASAP. I went up to site when the first DNO guy landed as the building caretaker was concerned he didn't do "electrician" speak the guy took one look at the service head and called in a jointing team to replace the service head and fix the earthing. The jointing team were a good couple lads, had a good chat and a bit of banter with them as they were working and mentioned I was sorting all the electrics out the week after and they said they would leave the seals off and leave me some seals to seal it after I had finished the work, happy days

I generally get on well with the local DNO's and have pulled them in when I suspect there may be issues with floating neutrals or network earthing issues, once found an earth fault (TNS) that the DNO subsequently found affected half the street. There is no need to fear the DNO and I don't understand why quite a lot sparks have a morbid fear of them and will not call them if they suspect there is a problem, one of the common ones I have been finding over the last 18 months is DNO earthing issues and the sparks answer is knock a rod in rather than call the DNO, I call the DNO and they have come out and repaired the earth so why did someone spend time, effort and materials when a phone call would have sorted the problem

 

[michaelsf90]

I'd much rather make a phone call than install an earth rod. Hardly the easiest or best of tasks. Plus the testing as well. I've only done it once. Thank you for the advice. I will get onto them and hopefully they will tidy it all up

 

[UNG]

I'd much rather make a phone call than install an earth rod. Hardly the easiest or best of tasks. Plus the testing as well. I've only done it once. Thank you for the advice. I will get onto them and hopefully they will tidy it all up

With the state of that supply I wouldn't be waiting to put a gland in. I would be on the phone ASAP to get it sorted

 

[michaelsf90]

Today or tomorrow morning? The general enquiries is shut on a weekend. Only number I can ring is the 150 emergency

 

[michaelsf90]

One question @UNG. How am I going to fit the stuffing gland without pulling the main fuse if the dno replaces it. They're minimum going to add a seal which i will need to cut. Or should I tell them how do I go about it? The seal hasnt been on since we moved in. So it was never a problem. That's why I'm saying about doing the stuffing gland but then I could have issues with the main fuse with the age of it pulling it myself! Feel like I cant win

 

[UNG]

Looking at the service head and incoming cable I would think that you will end up with a new service head, a lot of the time the guys on the ground are ok, if you talk to them they will quite often leave the seal off and leave some seals for you to seal it when you have finished your work
If your in the ENWL area whereabout are you if your close to me I could pass you some of the seals I was given if they don't play ball

 

[michaelsf90]

Thank you very much @UNG. I'm in Bolton. Fingers crossed theyll leave the seal off no problem. Il get onto them first thing. Il let you know how I get on

 

[UKMeterman]

One question @UNG. How am I going to fit the stuffing gland without pulling the main fuse if the dno replaces it. They're minimum going to add a seal which i will need to cut. Or should I tell them how do I go about it? The seal hasnt been on since we moved in. So it was never a problem. That's why I'm saying about doing the stuffing gland but then I could have issues with the main fuse with the age of it pulling it myself! Feel like I cant win

Get them to terminate the new tails into one of these Wylex 100A DP Supply Isolator - https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/WYREC2S.html

 

[UNG]

Thank you very much @UNG. I'm in Bolton. Fingers crossed theyll leave the seal off no problem. Il get onto them first thing. Il let you know how I get on

Not to far from me I'm on the outskirts of Ashton in Makerfield

 

[michaelsf90]

An update. ENW have just been. I dont know what happened yesterday but no one turned up. Someone will be replacing the cable and everything except the meter. I need to wait on a phone call which could take up to two weeks, to organise everything

 

[pc1966]

Good to hear it is being sorted out!

Do you know if the time-switch is still in use?

Is it worth looking to get the meter replaced as well, and if so an isolator put in after it for any future work (assuming there is enough space - it looks pretty cramped there)?

 

[michaelsf90]

The meter has a day and night rate. We are on a fixed rate for the whole time. So day and night is the same rate. I'm going to ring the supplier tomorrow and see what they say but if the economy 7 goes it would free up a lot of room. It is incredibly cramped

 

[UNG]

An update. ENW have just been. I dont know what happened yesterday but no one turned up. Someone will be replacing the cable and everything except the meter. I need to wait on a phone call which could take up to two weeks, to organise everything

Sounds like you have got a good outcome, only had it once before when they didn't turn up on the day but they did have a major outage so they had diverted a lot of staff to that

So you have a bit of time to sort the stuffing gland now

 

[michaelsf90]

The guy told me to wait until they come and do what theyvr gotta do. He said do it at same time as when the power is off. Best for not touching it. If it's two weeks off il end up doing it before then. Wont be able to wait. Need get onto supplier about ditching the economy 7 time clock or meter altogether. Thanks for all the help and advice from you all