extec, TBH, you brought it on yourself by saying that a 200ohms Ra was acceptable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
extec, TBH, you brought it on yourself by saying that a 200ohms Ra was acceptable.

In all respect I have never advocated in any of my posts that I believe a 200 ohm Ra is acceptable I always try and get the lowest possible value in the circumstances I am confronted with.

I showed an interest in a post which another member posted about achieving an Ra of less than 1 ohm and was advised by another two members that I shouldn't be installing TT systems. It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum.

To be fair, if someone said a 6mm earthing conductor in a TT install was too small, then went on to ask if a 300mA upfront RCD was required, then, surely they are not competent to do this work.
It is not that they are 'not worthy', but really, why try to make yourself look a fool, when you've got a green book in front of you to answer anything you don't quite know about?
It is in BS7671, and these facts should be pretty much known off by heart for such basic queries. If someone hasnt done a TT before, then maybe they should read up about it, learn a little more, then ask further queries once they have gained this knowledge.

However, such basic questions should be known by anyone calling themselves an electrician.
This shows how low the Industry standards are now, that someone is 'allowed' by their Governing Body to do such work, and the Customer is reassured that the Contractor is assessed, and passed to do such work, is, frankly, laughable, when it is clear they are not competent.
 
To be fair, if someone said a 6mm earthing conductor in a TT install was too small, then went on to ask if a 300mA upfront RCD was required, then, surely they are not competent to do this work.
It is not that they are 'not worthy', but really, why try to make yourself look a fool, when you've got a green book in front of you to answer anything you don't quite know about?
It is in BS7671, and these facts should be pretty much known off by heart for such basic queries. If someone hasnt done a TT before, then maybe they should read up about it, learn a little more, then ask further queries once they have gained this knowledge.

However, such basic questions should be known by anyone calling themselves an electrician.
This shows how low the Industry standards are now, that someone is 'allowed' by their Governing Body to do such work, and the Customer is reassured that the Contractor is assessed, and passed to do such work, is, frankly, laughable, when it is clear they are not competent.

This is not my thread as noted in another post my only question on this thread was how another member achieved less than 1 ohm on a TT install. I would suggest you read all of thread before making your comments or should you also be classified as a BELL END.
 
Other people mentioned the 200 if you reread the posts and one quite clever so why pick on any one also some one has asked a question at the start of the thread who.is an electrician with no experience in this field, what's wrong with that surely better than some diyer with no clue as all
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
The main points are not aimed at you, - you said:
"It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum"

Really, such queries should be told that they are not competent. Would they say to the Customer "Well, I havent done this before, and dont really know much about it, so I'll take a guess, then get the answer on the internet"

If you want to promote a quality trade, which adheres to standards, then surely such people should be told to learn more before they practice their trade on a customer?
 
The main points are not aimed at you, - you said:
"It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum"

Really, such queries should be told that they are not competent. Would they say to the Customer "Well, I havent done this before, and dont really know much about it, so I'll take a guess, then get the answer on the internet"

If you want to promote a quality trade, which adheres to standards, then surely such people should be told to learn more before they practice their trade on a customer?

Because I am the one taking sh*t here your comments did seem to be aimed at me I apologise if I have misread that.

I know my limitations with regards to what I am capable of doing and what I am not I do not need individual idiots trying to tell me that and yes everyone wants an industry where people who are classified as competent are actually competent.
 
This is not my thread as noted in another post my only question on this thread was how another member achieved less than 1 ohm on a TT install. I would suggest you read all of thread before making your comments and I should also be classified as a BELL END.

I've corrected that for you!

No need to throw your teddies out of your pram
 
Extec chill out mate, there is no place for insulting regular members and getting personal.
We are constantly told by Admin to be nice to new members, but that can be extremely hard when you are throwing insults at everyone so enough is enough now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
A lot depends on the type of soil you're going to whack into. You need the biggest, fattest rods (note, not rod) you need to couple them together and drive them deep. If you can't do that you need to look at tapes and plates and multiple rods. It's not hard mate.

Thanks, I have no idea what the ground is like, but there is only one rod or one point should I say, how deep it is I don't know. As for connecting them, would you go from rod to rod then back to a central point, or bring them all back up into a terminal? Obviously to help bring the figure down using bigger cable would be better would it not?

Depends on the soil conditions and available space. I start with 2x 8' rods spaced at least 10' apart as a baseline for a small installation and take it from there.

I can easily get one at the back of the double garage, one at the front and one at the side if needed.

That would depend on the type of ground you are driving them into.

True, but no idea what its like at present.

Difficult to achieve if the installations are on terraced properties without garden space.

Its an end terrace with loads of space around it, so might not have too much of a problem.

One at the front of the house and one at the back. But you don't find many terraced properties without gardens in country areas, they tend to only be in towns. And as we all know TT systems are normally a countryside thing.

All of the TT systems I have found anywhere near a town have had PME available and all you have to do is get some 10mm bonding installed and the DNO will connect PME FOC

Im going to ring WPD on Monday to establish what options are available. I did look at the pole out the front and its just got the cables going up to the top, I then walked down the street quite a way, probably 10 poles and none of them had any form of conductor going from the top to the ground at any point, not sure if this is relevant as I don't know how its done, but it didn't look like it was earthed anywhere nearby.

I did say normally in the countryside, not always. Have you confirmed that PME is not available? I'm not suggesting that you should have it connected though, especially not with an Ra as good as that!

As I said earlier all of the TT installations I have come across around here within a reasonable distance of a town have had PME available. And since the connection by the DNO is free then I generally get it done.

Ill enquire on Monday, it would make my life easier if I didn't have to have a go with the rods. But equally I would very much like to have a crack at it as I have never done anything with a TT system before and it would be good experience.
 
To be fair, if someone said a 6mm earthing conductor in a TT install was too small, then went on to ask if a 300mA upfront RCD was required, then, surely they are not competent to do this work.

That depends on what sort of Ra value they have achieved, it may well be inappropriate with a sub 1 ohm Ra. Like wise with the upfront 300mA or even a 100mA RCD, if this was an S type RCD it would make perfect sense....

Those that are not particularly competent would be those taking guidance from BS7671, like a paint by numbers exercise, because there is very little to no guidance in that publication, and what is there is there is being wrongly interpreted by those that can't think for themselves or outside of the box....
 
In all respect I have never advocated in any of my posts that I believe a 200 ohm Ra is acceptable I always try and get the lowest possible value in the circumstances I am confronted with.

I showed an interest in a post which another member posted about achieving an Ra of less than 1 ohm and was advised by another two members that I shouldn't be installing TT systems. It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum.

I'm many tings matey, but one thing i'm not when it comes to electrical installations ...particually TT systems and that's a ''Bell End''!! I can also assure you, neither is Tony or Davesparks. I can't however say the same thing about the name caller!!

Now go back and read your posts on this thread again and tell us that you didn't mean that numpty 200 ohm Ra that BS 7671 mentions. Again i advise you to go back and read the advise given to UKsparks in this thread you may well learn something about how to properly create/install a TT system including suitable means of protection for TT systems that you can take to your next TT installation....
 
On page 24 of GN8 I see there's a table about the type of soil and resistivity which I will look at, just saying, I don't need a response to this.

Looking on page 28, Table 2.3, it looks at suitable materials for linking the rods together. Does anyone know where I would find the recommended CSA of the cable linking them or would you just use the same as the main conductor going back to the MET?

This thread has shown that some supposedly 'competent' people are just not at all competent to install some very basic equipment in peoples houses (or anywhere else for that matter.) 6mm earth? 300mA RCD? Not quite sure about some things.
How about not sure about a lot of things?

How can anyone quote for such a job when they do not have the relevant knowledge to do it properly?
Of course, all is good, as the customers are protected as the person doing the work has been 'assessed' by their Governing Body. (laughs all the way to the bank!)

Shut up will you.

To be fair, if someone said a 6mm earthing conductor in a TT install was too small, then went on to ask if a 300mA upfront RCD was required, then, surely they are not competent to do this work.
It is not that they are 'not worthy', but really, why try to make yourself look a fool, when you've got a green book in front of you to answer anything you don't quite know about?
It is in BS7671, and these facts should be pretty much known off by heart for such basic queries. If someone hasnt done a TT before, then maybe they should read up about it, learn a little more, then ask further queries once they have gained this knowledge.

However, such basic questions should be known by anyone calling themselves an electrician.
This shows how low the Industry standards are now, that someone is 'allowed' by their Governing Body to do such work, and the Customer is reassured that the Contractor is assessed, and passed to do such work, is, frankly, laughable, when it is clear they are not competent.

The 6mm conductor, I am not saying this has never worked and doesn't provide an adequate connection etc, what I was suggesting is that it is less than the minimum CSA permitted by BS7671, see table 54.7 on page 162 of the BGB. It clearly states that the if the CSA of the line conductor is between 16mm and 35mm the CSA of the earthing conductor needs to be 16mm which is why I said it's too small as the CSA of the line conductor is 25mm ok.

The point of the 300mA RCD upfront, I said I was under the impression it was required, and I made it very clear I had not done a TT instal before and was after some guidance. So get down of your horse and stop being rude.

Also if you install an S-Type RCD you will not be fulfilling any requirements for additional protection. Additional protection is afforded by an RCD with a rated residual current of not more than 30mA and must disconnect within 40mS at 5xRated residual current. An S-Type RCD will not comply, see 531.2.1

On the other hand though, i think you would be a fool not providing an upfront S-type RCD device. it may not comply as additional protection, but will back up a failed downstream 30mA RCD. The reason I said can I put a 300mA there instead, is because neither a 100mA not a 300mA will save your life in terms of a fault and cutting out before you get belted, but both will meet the requirements of 532.1 for protection against the risk of fire.

So we have established that the upfront RCD is to be put there for protection against fire in the event of a fault, I and others have agreed this, so why are you taking the pee out of me for saying 300mA?? At least it wont trip out on a 5x fault on the board. Ok you could go for a S-type, but there's nothing wrong with a 300mA RCD upfront.

The main points are not aimed at you, - you said:
"It happens all to often on this forum when some members post a question that certain members think they have a right to try and belittle and make the posting member feel they are not competent or worthy to be on the forum"

Really, such queries should be told that they are not competent. Would they say to the Customer "Well, I havent done this before, and dont really know much about it, so I'll take a guess, then get the answer on the internet"

If you want to promote a quality trade, which adheres to standards, then surely such people should be told to learn more before they practice their trade on a customer?

I'm not taking a guess at it at all, I am looking into it and reading the relevant books, IE. BS7671 and GN8 etc to see what I need, I will then call someone who has kindly offered their advice and discuss it with them, and when I am happy with what needs to be done I will then go back to the customer and say yes or no.

You are trying to make out that I am a novice and don't know what I'm doing and out my depth.

Extec chill out mate, there is no place for insulting regular members and getting personal.
We are constantly told by Admin to be nice to new members, but that can be extremely hard when you are throwing insults at everyone so enough is enough now.

Well said, some people on here can be quite rude. There's one thing making a cheeky comment, but then there's people who are just rude and out for the kill.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
Another Bell End you know nothing about me or my installations this forum has some well informed people and some which for some reason think they know everything about everything and about everyone. Thank you for your advice but I know what I am doing with a TT install and what is acceptable if you can't add anything constructive shut up.

I think you need to prove yourself first before making a comment like that, and a post count of 18 doesn't exactly qualify.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
just 1 point UK. the s-type RCD fitted to a TT system is not for additional protection. it is to provide ADS when the Ra ( Ze ) is too high.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 person
just 1 point UK. the s-type RCD fitted to a TT system is not for additional protection. it is to provide ADS when the Ra ( Ze ) is too high.

Yes it would have to be less 30mA to be classed as additional protection, i was suggesting for ADS in the event of a fault.
 

Similar threads

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses Heating 2 Go Electrician Workwear Supplier
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

Advert

Daily, weekly or monthly email

Thread Information

Title
TT: A bit of guidance please
Prefix
N/A
Forum
UK Electrical Forum
Start date
Last reply date
Replies
89

Advert

Thread statistics

Created
uksparks,
Last reply from
Engineer54,
Replies
89
Views
7,470

Advert