Help please with Earth

Bill Richardson · Dec 26, 2008

We just had a diagnostic test on our renovation task in France to find there was no Earth or if it existed then it was so poor that it had to be reinstalled.
Got an electrician in and he installed the earth via a think copper cable onto two earth spikes. This didn't work as the ground was gravelly and lying ontop of fragmented granite. Apparently I need to have the cable run to an area of soil. The soil is 40 metres away from the house - thats therefore a 40 metre trench.

A cable does run from the house overhead to the barn where there is soil. Could I run the earth via the cable and put a spike in the soil near the barn.
Again its a 40 metre run.

Sorry its basic stuff to you guys although I would appreciate your advice.

Best wishes Bill

johnnyb · Dec 26, 2008

Bill, seems a hell of a run 40mtrs but what will be be will be i suppose.
You will certainly need to check that the cable size will be good enough to carry the earth fault if and when any were to occur, most important as if the cable is not adequatley sized it might as well not be there.
We did a job on an explosives site quarry yrs ago and obviously the terrain there was bad for earthing, so what the local authorities ie police fire local county council officials made us have a bore hole drilled very deep and poured farmers slurry down and kept moist and then we had to prove the earth at a meeting with all concerned and for them to witness the test first hand and sign off the job.

beaver74 · Dec 26, 2008

johnnyb said:
We did a job on an explosives site quarry yrs ago and obviously the terrain there was bad for earthing, so what the local authorities ie police fire local county council officials made us have a bore hole drilled very deep and poured farmers slurry down .

sounds a crap job tome