Would an earth rod be beneficial

[bobbybacklash]

Hi Everyone, I have a steel framed shed and noticed it uses the earth from the house via a 10mm 5 core cable. I cant see anywhere where the shed frame is physically earthed, the earth wire in the five core cable goes to the distribution panel in the shed. Should the earth wire also go to the shed frame or should I have an earth stake fitted.

 

[telectrix]

first we need to know what method of earthing exists in the house. TN=S or TNC=S. also whether or not you have water/gas/oil services in the shed.

 

[westward10]

I assume you are in Australia so have moved to the Australian forum as requirements there may differ to the UK.

 

[ElectroChem]

@telectrix Australia uses a TNCS system we call Multiple Earthed Neutral or MEN.
@bobbybacklash Yes, the conductive frame of a shed should be earthed. The requirement may not have been in place when it was built, but it would be a good idea.
The AS3000 standard says to earth the frame with a conductor the same size as that required for the supply, for a 10mm2 supply cable this would be a 4mm2 earthing conductor. Just jump off a spare spot on the earth bar and bolt/screw/solder the cable to the shed frame.

 

[bobbybacklash]

first we need to know what method of earthing exists in the house. TN=S or TNC=S. also whether or not you have water/gas/oil services in the shed.

My house appears to have 3 phases and neutral with an earth rod below the distribution panel but no earth coming from the road. At the minute there are no oil, gas or water services but may have water in the future. The earth for the shed presently runs from the house.
[automerge]1581984245[/automerge]

I assume you are in Australia so have moved to the Australian forum as requirements there may differ to the UK.

Yes I'm in Australia, there are significant differences in installations here, I don't think they have ring circuits. When I described a ring circuit to a sparky here he looked at me like I had two heads.....lol

 

[Megawatt]

My house appears to have 3 phases and neutral with an earth rod below the distribution panel but no earth coming from the road. At the minute there are no oil, gas or water services but may have water in the future. The earth for the shed presently runs from the house.
[automerge]1581984245[/automerge]

Yes I'm in Australia, there are significant differences in installations here, I don't think they have ring circuits. When I described a ring circuit to a sparky here he looked at me like I had two heads.....lol

When you say you have a ground rod then there is no such thing as an earth coming in with the power. The rod in the ground is your earth

 

[ElectroChem]

When you say you have a ground rod then there is no such thing as an earth coming in with the power. The rod in the ground is your earth

Not quite Megawatt.
In Australian domestic installations the supply from the overhead lines is 1/3 active phases and a combined Protective Earth Neutral (PEN) conductor.
This PEN then becomes the installation's neutral conductor.
A ground rod is driven and an earthing conductor run to the main switchboard, where it is terminated to the earth bar. A MEN link is made between the earth and neutral, keeping the installation neutral at ground potential and contributing to the general earthing grid on the service PEN network.