Supply type identification and opinion on earth loop reading

[Muzza80]

But then 3.4 & 3.5 are ticked. Disgraceful

The ONLY thing I can think is that there's an area directly below the wooden board the CU, Meter and so on is mounted has very clearly been plastered over, I can only assume during these works.
Could it be that there is in fact an earth bond to the supply cable outer sheath and it's been buried in behind the plaster after the install was completed? So at the point of inspection, it was visible but since been plastered over?

The DNO guys said it was likely there never has been an earth, not that there 100% never was one.

That's the only thing I can think of and somehow the 16mm2 earth cable that was attached to it and runs to the CU has been come off since?

 

[John D v2.0]

The original earth was probably the water pipe. That was allowed in those days. But as soon as the cu was changed it was required to be brought up to standard. No earth is more like c1 than c3! Very dangerous.
I'm surprised the dno are getting difficult, I thought the idea was always to connect every house directly to the supply cable, where are they planning to connect you? They can't connect you across anyone else's land. Consider a cu move or at least a cutout move to the front of the house.

 

[Muzza80]

The original earth was probably the water pipe. That was allowed in those days. But as soon as the cu was changed it was required to be brought up to standard. No earth is more like c1 than c3! Very dangerous.
I'm surprised the dno are getting difficult, I thought the idea was always to connect every house directly to the supply cable, where are they planning to connect you? They can't connect you across anyone else's land. Consider a cu move or at least a cutout move to the front of the house.

Meter/CU cupboard is at the front of the house already, the wall immediately to the right (2 foot away) of the meter, on the other side of that is the closest corner of the house to the road.

All they'd have to do is lift a section of monoblock (however wide they need for a trench) maybe 10m up the drive and that's then the street right there, new cable comes through the wall and everything is right there?

But instead they're suggesting continuing on with this upgrading the same "looped" supply setup, running cables through lofts and down through halls and whatnot....

:/

 

[John D v2.0]

Just tell them you'd like to escalate it as you're not happy with their proposal. Make it clear you're happy to be reasonable regarding solutions, but you don't want cables coming down from above through other people's property. You just need them to back down before you do

 

[Muzza80]

Just tell them you'd like to escalate it as you're not happy with their proposal. Make it clear you're happy to be reasonable regarding solutions, but you don't want cables coming down from above through other people's property. You just need them to back down before you do

I will do thanks. We are looking at the possibility of converting our large loft at some point in the not too distant into a large bedroom so I guess that's good ammo to reject their through the loft with the cable idea too.

 

[JohnW2]

I will do thanks. We are looking at the possibility of converting our large loft at some point in the not too distant into a large bedroom so I guess that's good ammo to reject their through the loft with the cable idea too.

It's certainly worth a try.

However, as has already been said, so long as they are offering to do something free of charge (so that they can say that they have maintained your supply), I fear that they are likely to do whatever is simplest/quickest/cheapest for them, regardless of aesthetics etc. Then, if/when you ask them to move their supply because you are going to undertake a loft conversion, they will happily make the changes, but will charge you a very large sum for their trouble!

I hope I'm wrong, and wish you luck!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Muzza80]

So an update on this, finally!

I'm getting a new supply from the road at no cost. They're coming in through the garden, they've started work today with the excavation team.

The whole street needs to be closed off as the main supply is on the other side of the road!

Anyway, should all be sorted by Thursday!

 

[Muzza80]

So that's the new supply been installed.

It's 100a and they kindly fitted the isolator I requested and also drilled an extra hole for me while they were there for the SWA for the outbuildings.

Looks like a nice tidy job...?

 

[John D v2.0]

Not sure about tidy, interesting combination of meter boards, and i wouldn't have left those tails on the outside swinging so far from the wall. Could have dressed them in tight to reduce the chance of them getting snagged

 

[JohnW2]

Looks like a nice tidy job...?

Indeed - but, unless I'm missing something, the DNO's earth does not appear to be connected to anything. How is your installation earthed?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Muzza80]

Indeed - but, unless I'm missing something, the DNO's earth does not appear to be connected to anything. How is your installation earthed?

Kind Regards, John

Correct, they've advised that it's my responsibility to arrange an electrician to run the earth from the cutout to the consumer unit.

In reality I'll run 16mm2 to an additional earth block and take off from that to the consumer unit and also the armour of the SWA that's going to be running to the first outbuilding.

 

[JohnW2]

Correct, they've advised that it's my responsibility to arrange an electrician to run the earth from the cutout to the consumer unit. In reality I'll run 16mm2 to an additional earth block and take off from that to the consumer unit and also the armour of the SWA that's going to be running to the first outbuilding.

Fair enough, but you really should not be using the installation until that earth connection is installed - we earth installations for a (safety) reason!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Muzza80]

Fair enough, but you really should not be using the installation until that earth connection is installed - we earth installations for a (safety) reason!

Kind Regards, John

I totally agree but it's taken them 5 months to do this work with constant pushing from me, we had no choice to use it in that time, it's just been installed this afternoon.

I'll connect up the earth myself tomorrow, I have the 16mm2 cable and the block already and can of course now safely isolate the supply.

 

[John D v2.0]

You don't need an earth block, they have supplied one already. (Not to mention most cus have a set of earth terminals to use)
Better to avoid extra joints.

 

[securespark]

The MWC mentions works to sockets and lights but the results and cable size is only for the sockets.

Are the tails going through the same hole in the CU?