No earth on ring main.

[Clark3169]

Hi guys I am re-wiring a bathroom. I have done first fix for fan, down-lights and switches on the lighting circuit. I had to pick an earth up from some old conduit and will of course test this for continuity. Now when I have taken a front plate off of a single socket I have found there to be no earth conductors on the ring cables although there is one in a cable which spurs off of it. It's hard to see if the cables are running in conduit or not which may be acting as an earth if it is. Was this common practise years back, to use conduit as the means of earthing? What do I advise the customer? Does the house require a re-wire? I will try and run my spurs from elsewhere though I think. Any advise welcome. Ta.

 

[james_t87]

Nothing wrong with metal conduit as a means of earthing as long as its continuous . Did you test for a earth at the socket?

 

[monkster]

test for zs would have been a good start

 

[KAS1]

Believe it or not years ago they even used trunking and SWA as an earth lol

 

[Clark3169]

No I haven't done any testing as yet as I spent the day sorting the down-lights and running new cables etc... discovered the socket situation at the end of the day. I replaced it with a class 2 socket as it was a metal front plate just to be on the safe side. Will do R1 & R2 test for continuity when I return. If there is no earth though what's the correct advise and action to follow? Thanks for your replies.

 

[KAS1]

What's this class 2 socket just to be on the safe side statement????

 

[Clark3169]

A plastic front plate. One that wont become live if a line conductor pops out as it did before. It's a temp measure until I can test and get it sorted tomorrow.

 

[monkster]

Just cut the green&yellow stuff out never did like the colours lol:32:

 

[Clark3169]

Ha ha yeah two conductors are quicker to install than three. Your right ill do away with them altogether ha ha.

 

[Clark3169]

KAS1 what's the concern you've got me worried now? Am I missing something? (Other than the plot)

 

[KAS1]

An earth by the sounds of it.

KAS1 what's the concern you've got me worried now? Am I missing something? (Other than the plot)

So what happens when someone plugs into your class 2 socket ???

 

[Robert Turnbull]

A zs would have been quicker than Changing the socket

 

[Deleted member 9648]

A plastic front plate. One that wont become live if a line conductor pops out as it did before. It's a temp measure until I can test and get it sorted tomorrow.

Been like it donkeys years and yet needs a 'temporary' for 24 hrs?...BTW there's no such thing as a class2 socket,they all need earthing.

 

[monkster]

class two quality put a sticker on socket with the words ONLY double insulated allowed pmsl

 

[trev]

Hmmm class 2 sockets, I think I can feel a Dragon's Den thing coming on. Reckon I'll get very far guys?
I don't

 

[Rockingit]

What would be a more profitable venture Trev would be some big brother style eye in the sky that throws a custard pie at every silly 'sparky' that thinks they can go diving in first, and test second.

Inspect, test, do, test again. It's not rocket science!

 

[Clark3169]

No it hadn't been ok for donkeys years it socket was badly scorched on the back due to a loose line conductor and when I touched it unplugging the immersion heater before unscrewing it from the wall I got a bolt of it. Lucky no one else did or worse as it could have caused a fire so it defo needed replacing anyway. Couldn't do Zs as didn't have my megga with me came straight from a night shift didn't expect to work today got called in last minute.

 

[KAS1]

So what did you connect into the earth terminal of your new socket that you replaced the old metal with?

 

[bigbaddave]

How from working in a bathroom are you now aware that the ring main has no earth?

 

[KAS1]

Was the bathroom lights wired in conduit?