then lets look at how most installation worked in the past...as mentioned in another thread work...the steel frame of the socket outlet (crabtree and the old lumex plugs are a good examples) were screwed to the 4x4 /4x2 flush box which was passed for many years...i have noticed on some of the new installations the engineer has insisted that a link be put in between the 4x4/4x2 flush metal box and the frame of the socket outlet
most old domestic installations used the conduit and 4x4 or 4x2 steel box as the earth...ie when you removed the plug it was no longer earthed...just one example...in a situation like this i have come across a fair amount of so called elctricians (if they have ntc 3 they regard themselves as electricans...ntc 6 master elctricians) who remove the old metal framed socket and replace it with the new plastic sockets...becuas emost of them only own a couple of screwdrivers and a pair of pliers they cant test the plug to check for earth...the fact that there is no earth wire to connect to the socket just means that it doesnt need one...yeah i know you ar eshaking your head...what is really scary is when you confront the owner of the company who sent out the bright spark to replace the socket...says no problem just pull in an earth wire and send me the bill...i take out my plug tester and find they have replaced 14 socket outlets in the duplex...not one has an earth...i pack up my tools and advise the customer to contact the company who replaced the plugs.
Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.