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What is the worst main earthing installation you have come across?

I have pictures and it must be a contender in my opinion but obviously there are many sparks out there that have far, far more experience than I do so I am interested to know of stories or see photographic evidence of what you have come across:thumbsup
 
Start of this year went to a new industrial installation, 5 of the units were "live" with business's operating in them. Did EFLI at DB got 1.8ish ohms. Opened main incoming cupboard, found a bank of 100amp switched fuse's, plastic trunking with stripped back armour tails feeding the switches, SWA leaving the switches to feed each unit. not an earth bar or wire in sight, looked at MET and there was nothing...
 
Ye olde DIY T&E two way switching, or maybe less common when I opened a MET and found myself on the end of 180 volts....
 
Last week for instance, a house with an ancient fuse board, metal enclosure with ceramic fuse blocks, no RCD's anywhere. The cover screws were missing so it was hanging open by the hinge at the bottom, all live internals exposed to touch. No main earth cables visible, tested with meter and no earth. Customer just bought the house and when pointing out the danger said "the last owner was here for 31 years without a problem". Wasn't interested in anything I had to say, thought I was making faults up to earn a wage. They just wanted some extra sockets. Advised them to sort the danger before anything else, tried calling DNO for them to supply PME but the customer wasn't interested once finding out it would cost. I switched off the main switch and advised them not to re-energise until it was made safe. They virtually spat in my face, and I left. You can't help some people.

Sorry just noticed "apart from no earth" - Blonde moment!
 
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Last week for instance, a house with an ancient fuse board, metal enclosure with ceramic fuse blocks, no RCD's anywhere. <snip>

Hmm, I had almost the exact same situation a few weeks ago...~50s MEM metal fuse box* with no bonding or earthing to be seen...rubber, the usual

Didn't give the slightest care about my warnings but it was a council job for a wetroom. So I was able to put my lot on its own CU, bond the water and (luckily) connect into a newish cut out for a PME (could imagine they were upset having what I guess was a old cast iron unit removed). I was also feeling generous so I even connected his metal fuse box to my MET because I'm such a nice bloke......still gave him a danger notice written in blood and covered in skull and cross bones



*speaking of which I couldn't help but notice how much better condition it was in compared to it's wylex competitors of the same era
 
My recent post, where the chap, who they insist is the best spark in the world, decided that, rather than contact DNO to report having no earth to the property, decided to clamp his new 16mm to the lead water main.
 
My recent post, where the chap, who they insist is the best spark in the world, decided that, rather than contact DNO to report having no earth to the property, decided to clamp his new 16mm to the lead water main.
Was that the guy who charged 3k for a rewire and did nowt Amp? If so the awesomeness of his electrical abilities scared me:)

I've had no earth a few times now, it doesn't surprise me anymore. Had 1365 ohms on a TT on a rewire I quoted for a few weeks back.
 
That's the baby.

Hes now booted me out saying that his best electrician ever says that everything is fine and i'm trying it on.

I'm being serious too!
 
That's the baby.

Hes now booted me out saying that his best electrician ever says that everything is fine and i'm trying it on.

I'm being serious too!

These are the sorts of posts I struggle to understand. The guy has already got a 'superspark', so what the hell are you doing there looking at, and pricing, more work? Why isn't their sparky there?
 
obviously, client is happy to have a cheap job, main earth to water main. will work fine till united utilities fit plastic main.
 
Hmm, I had almost the exact same situation a few weeks ago...~50s MEM metal fuse box* with no bonding or earthing to be seen...rubber, the usual

Didn't give the slightest care about my warnings but it was a council job for a wetroom. So I was able to put my lot on its own CU, bond the water and (luckily) connect into a newish cut out for a PME (could imagine they were upset having what I guess was a old cast iron unit removed). I was also feeling generous so I even connected his metal fuse box to my MET because I'm such a nice bloke......still gave him a danger notice written in blood and covered in skull and cross bones



*speaking of which I couldn't help but notice how much better condition it was in compared to it's wylex competitors of the same era

Sorry if I misunderstood the post fin, but did you say you connected into a cut out to make the install a PME?
 
Sorry if I misunderstood the post fin, but did you say you connected into a cut out to make the install a PME?

Damn undone!:leaving:

'Luckily' as in the amount of concrete would of not made good for a earth stake. After verifying it was available and good we connected our MET to the cut out's 'Earth terminal'.
 
These are the sorts of posts I struggle to understand. The guy has already got a 'superspark', so what the hell are you doing there looking at, and pricing, more work? Why isn't their sparky there?

Was there working for the plumbers whos doing the bathroom.
 
Last week for instance, a house with an ancient fuse board, metal enclosure with ceramic fuse blocks, no RCD's anywhere. The cover screws were missing so it was hanging open by the hinge at the bottom, all live internals exposed to touch. No main earth cables visible, tested with meter and no earth. Customer just bought the house and when pointing out the danger said "the last owner was here for 31 years without a problem". Wasn't interested in anything I had to say, thought I was making faults up to earn a wage. They just wanted some extra sockets. Advised them to sort the danger before anything else, tried calling DNO for them to supply PME but the customer wasn't interested once finding out it would cost. I switched off the main switch and advised them not to re-energise until it was made safe. They virtually spat in my face, and I left. You can't help some people.

Sorry just noticed "apart from no earth" - Blonde moment!

The main reason I avoid domestic. The stupidity of some of the customers just baffles me. I think some of them must have a bleeper attached the them to remind them to breath.

Fingers crossed it goes t*ts up in a couple of months for them, and them come crawling to you. Make sure you charge them through the nose too.
 
Right,

hmmmm most scenarios already included...! the latest one i have had.... No Main Earth, No Main Water Bond and No Main Gas Bond...!!

however the gas incomer was OLD copper pipe connected to plastic underground...! Ironically last Sunday they had a gas leak on the joint of the 2 materials... transco (national grid gas) who ever they call them self now, replaced the copper feed pipe with you guessed it! PLASTIC..!! customer is now experiencing "tingles" from the metal work in shower (fed from boiler) kitchen sink, and other water outlets...!!oops..!!!

SOME HOW the property is obtaining some kind of 3rd party earth from supplementary bonding which is probably the only saving grace at this time..!!

just waiting for a date from customer to carry out a FULL PIR and them remedial works...!!

(P.S this same customer who had the burnt out Junction Box.... Amazing what a near miss can do)
 
As I mentioned, I have photos ;)


Awaits a comment about the slug lol
 

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What is the worst main earthing installation you have come across?

I have pictures and it must be a contender in my opinion but obviously there are many sparks out there that have far, far more experience than I do so I am interested to know of stories or see photographic evidence of what you have come across:thumbsup

Apart from NO EATH at all.... Photo 0024 - EletriciansForums.net

There you go the CU was in for about 15 years and because there was no earth connection they left it and I found it but because there was a RCD on it the DNO got to it a month later
 

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