DNOs attitude towards earthing!

[Rightpukkaspar]

I find this statement from the UK power networks official website so amusing I couldn't resist sharing it. For a domestic electrician, the connection to earth is thought of as one of the most critical electrical safety features. This is what they tell their customers:

"It's worth noting that safety standards have changed over the years and the connection to the external earth was not always required. In older properties it's quite common to find no external earth installed. This does not necessarily make them unsafe, many properties have had no earth for over 50 years and never had an issue."

I'm sure they didn't mean it like that, but it certainly made me laugh in contrast with what we're taught these days. It doesn't really matter though. After all, they've "never had an issue! "

 

[marconi]

I wonder if they mean by 'external earth' a local earth electrode? It is certainly unclear and conveys a dangerous wrong message. I nice letter to the DNO from you .....

 

[R-fur]

sounds like a cop out for when they are asked to maintain an earth connection.

 

[Marvo]

They're talking about a connection to the 'external earth' not being required so I'm guessing they saying TT installations which would be connected to a local earth are also fine.

 

[Simon47]

Yes, I'd read that as meaning "DNO supplied" earth - still rather poorly worded though.
Mind you, how many houses were done with a token earth rod that wasn't really much better than that required to trip a VOELCB - that could almost be described as "no external earth".

 

[driverman]

They could mean a bit of wire wrapped round an old lead water pipe!
Very poorly worded indeed, left them selves wide open I would of thought