Broken earth wire.

[foundry]

My daughters has recently moved into a different house, and had a new consumer unit proffesionally fitted with mcbs and rcd as the old unit was 30 years old. Whilst decorating and changing sockets on the ring main we found a socket that had the earth wire snapped short on one of the cables so it would not fit into the back of the socket.(cable tight with no slack) It had been extended into the socket using a new piece of earth wire and a screwed 15 amp plastic terminal block joining the 2 earth cables , is this safe.? It does not seem to be causing a problem at the moment.

thanks
Foundry

 

[JohnD]

Very likely the back box has an earth terminal. It should be possible toput both the earth wires from the cables into that,and then a 6" piece of green&yellow sheathed earth wire from the terminal in the back box to the terminal on the socket plate.

It is important that you do not have broken or missing earth connections.

We don't like to hear "It does not seem to be causing a problem at the moment." as you will carry on being able to say that up to the day someone is killed by a wiring fault. Then you will stop saying it,and instead say "there was no problem until today"

 

[foundry]

John
Thanks for the reply but unfortunately the earth wire wont reach the terminal on the back box either.

 

[JohnD]

you could reluctantly use a small connector block. A better solution would be a ratchet crimper but this would cost you (for a proper one that doesn't come apart) £15 to £25 for the tool. Or a local electrician ought to be able to do it for you. A soldered connection with heat-shrink sleeving would do but needs skill as solder has little mechanical strength so the joined pieces need to be hooked together.