• IMPORTANT: Please note that nobody on this forum should be seeking from or providing advice to those who are not competent and / or trained and qualified in their field (local laws permitting). There is a discussion thread on this global industry-wide matter HERE. This also has more information about the warning with regards to sharing electrical advice in some countries. By using this forum you do so in agreement to this.

Discuss Is earthing required in this context? in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

Welcome to ElectriciansForums.net - The American Electrical Advice Forum
Head straight to the main forums to chat by click here:   American Electrical Advice Forum

Reaction score
44
Hoping someone here can enlighten me - I'm trying to work out if this is at all correct, or just utter tosh. The context here is a model train set (powered by using a "wall wart" style plug to provide 12V to the rails for powering model trains.)

If you can touch any part of the circuit (such as the rails) then HSE & PAT rules say the system must be earthed. Those plugs have plastic earth pins. They are not earthed. It may only be low voltage but 'double-insulated' doesn't count where you can touch metal.

I'm having a hard time believing this is correct as pretty much all such power supplies (designed for powering model train sets, both new and old) seem to be double insulated with no earth pin. But I'm certainly no reg expert.
 
I think you need to ask them to show you the exact part of the 'PAT' regulations that state this. I suspect they have misinterpreted them.
 
Ask them to explain a double insulated (ie. Class I I) drill which has a metal chuck
 
Whoever came up with that nonsense is dangerously misinformed. Double-insulation specifically refers to insulation sufficient to render exposed metal parts safe to touch without earthing, as no single fault can render them live.
 
Where did that information come from out of interest?
 
A Facebook thread on a model train group. (Any kind of electrical discussion on there is always painful, but sometimes I like to check I'm not going completely mad before calling BS.)

In fairness, and to complicate things further, the product that prompted the discussion is somewhat dubious IMHO (12v DC Split Power Supply Kit. (inc PCB and 2x Universal Wall Plugs) - https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/12v-dc-split-power-supply-kit-inc-pcb-and-2x-world-usable-wall-plug-power-supplies/) - but not for the reasons stated.
 

Reply to Is earthing required in this context? in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

Electrical Forum

Welcome to the Electrical Forum at ElectriciansForums.net. The friendliest electrical forum online. General electrical questions and answers can be found in the electrical forum.
This website was designed, optimised and is hosted by Untold Media. Operating under the name Untold Media since 2001.
Back
Top