UK Old rewireable fuse boards, alterations and additions

[Mike Johnson]

In Rural France I would say that nearly all the installations are TT with an up front S type RCD, the supply is such that if you try to draw more than your allowed A the RCD will trip out, so it gets tested every-time you put on all your white goods at once, seems washing day is always associated with putting on the dishwasher as well.

 

[Dustydazzler]

I still come across old council houses which sole means of earthing is an old water pipe bond or old gas pipe bond.

Oh and I should add all of these old houses are old 3036 re-wirable boards no Rcds what so ever.
The most recent I got around 35-36 ohms on Zdb

 

[ipf]

Oh and I should add all of these old houses are old 3036 re-wirable boards no Rcds what so ever.
The most recent I got around 35-36 ohms on Zdb

Been acting as a rod for years, then?

 

[timhoward]

@timhoward Is the NAPIT advice only due to the fact you may hit service's or is there a more sinister/sound reason?

Hitting services is the main thing spoken about.
I also know it was a controversial addition and some on the committee were opposed to it. I didn't get to hear exactly why.

 

[ipf]

Hitting services is the main thing spoken about.
I also know it was a controversial addition and some on the committee were opposed to it. I didn't get to hear exactly why.

An insurance issue, maybe?

 

[pc1966]

Hitting services is the main thing spoken about.
I also know it was a controversial addition and some on the committee were opposed to it. I didn't get to hear exactly why.

There is always someone opposed to any change, what would be nice (but unlikely to happen) would be the BSI committees providing a written rational for the decisions for or against any given proposal.

I can see a real risk from proposing adding rods to existing properties due to service pipes and cables, etc, but where they really dropped the ball was not mandating a decent earth to be incorporated in any new builds. I think for years the USA has required bonded rebar in concrete foundations and aspects like that would not have been difficult to do at the build stage, could have provided fairly good Ra values, and over time made a big difference to the safety of PME systems.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Been acting as a rod for years, then?

absolutely fine until they change the supply pipes to plastic : )

 

[Mike Johnson]

Long time since I had any dealings with the Institute of Structural Engineers but bonding of reinforcement was being advocated as far back as the 1970's.

 

[ipf]

absolutely fine until they change the supply pipes to plastic : )

Absolutely, yes.
It was just a bit of a joke, looking at your quoted Z values.

edit. Oh, joking too!.....I see your attempted smile didn't work : ).......