- Reaction score
- 2,115
I know DNOs are not obliged to provide an earth, but the actions of WPD today really surprised me.
Was asked to swap a socket-outlet, did the usual basic checks, no earth to the property. Suburban, underground supply, possibly former TN-S (vague suggestion of the stub of a clamp round the sheath, but had been painted over decades ago), more likely earth had previously been supplied by water pipe as no seperate earthing conductor evident. Ze (yes, I know it's not a proper Ze as it's through the bonding) 1.48Ω.
BS 3036 fuses, no RCD.
Called WPD, put it through as an urgent call as single fault = somebody possibly dies. Connected an earthing conductor to MET, left it dangling with enough slack for them to connect it to the Henley Series 5 neutral block.
Engineer attended (I wasn't there), would not connect earth ("upgrade" to PME) unless they paid £148. Happy to leave the installation in the state it was while they mulled it over. Their logic was, "it's been like that more than 30 years..." I have strongly advised the customer to get the work done, but they're 87 and it's a lot of money for them so they're going to think about it...
Was asked to swap a socket-outlet, did the usual basic checks, no earth to the property. Suburban, underground supply, possibly former TN-S (vague suggestion of the stub of a clamp round the sheath, but had been painted over decades ago), more likely earth had previously been supplied by water pipe as no seperate earthing conductor evident. Ze (yes, I know it's not a proper Ze as it's through the bonding) 1.48Ω.
BS 3036 fuses, no RCD.
Called WPD, put it through as an urgent call as single fault = somebody possibly dies. Connected an earthing conductor to MET, left it dangling with enough slack for them to connect it to the Henley Series 5 neutral block.
Engineer attended (I wasn't there), would not connect earth ("upgrade" to PME) unless they paid £148. Happy to leave the installation in the state it was while they mulled it over. Their logic was, "it's been like that more than 30 years..." I have strongly advised the customer to get the work done, but they're 87 and it's a lot of money for them so they're going to think about it...