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Thread: earthing

  1. #1
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    earthing

    HI GUYS THANKS FOR THE HELP THUS FAR
    COULD I PLEASE GET YOUR INPUT CONCERNING THE EARTHING OF THESE OLD HOUSES WITH THE STEEL PIPES
    SAW A POST A FEW DAYS AGO ABOUT RUSTED PIPING ETC AND I WONDERED THAT SHOULD I GET READINGS OF 0.2 OHMS WOULD I STILL NEED TO PULL IN A SEPARATE EARTH (RESISTANCE TO EARTH L-N AND L-E GREATER THAN 1 MEG AS WELL AS L-N)
    BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW THOSE OLD WIRES WHEN PULLED JUST CRACK UP SO THIS WILL MEAN REWIRE.
    COUPLE YEARS AGO SAW AN ARMOURED CABLE 2 CORE USED ARMOURING AS EARTH? EVEN SEEN PLUGS EARTHED WITH STEEL CO
    NDUIT FEEDING IT
    PULLING IN A SEPARATE EARTH LAYING UNDISTURBED LOOSE ON CEILING AN OPTION ?SEEN THIS TOO.(LOOKS LIKE PREVIOUS GUYS OPEN WIRING)
    MONEY AS WE ALL KNOW IS AN ISSUE AND THE OWNERS WANT TO CUT COSTS
    THANKS

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    Full Member markthespark's Avatar
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    Hi Bevin I'm sitting with the exact same problem at the moment. From what I can understand in the regs 6.12.1.3 clearly indicates " A wireway shall not be used as an earth continuity conductor". But of course if the installation has not been altered at all then I guess you can pass it provided your IR testing is good. My problem is the flat I inspected has had its old fuse type DB replaced, the socket outlets have all been replaced, the geyser has been relocated and although I am getting good IR readings, I feel that the flat needs to be brought up to standard. There is not even an earth bar in the new board and all the socket outlets have a piece of earth conductor wound around the screw lugs of the flush box!! I might lose the agent as a client but i'm insisting on a rewire, I know they will find another sparkie that will sign it off.
    " I'd always rather be on the golf course!! "

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    It is very common to see old houses using the steel piping as an ECC...it is not illegal ...however you would need to get the correct earth continuity readings if carrying out and inspection report.

    What i do if the budget is tight...run a 2.5 mm earth wire flat on the ceiling or follow pipes and cable tie the wire to the pipe...wherever there is a drop i fit a bonding strap and lug on the earth wire...like we do the bonding on the geyser.

    if the pipes are badly rusted...advise the customer to do a total rewire...cut all the pipes off in the roof...run twin+e in the roof space and drop the twin down the existing pipes...

    back in the day when i was young and fit ... i would do this for pocket money...start friday afternoon after work...rewire the entire house with twin+e and sunday night finish off and switch on...and i even clipped the wires to the rafters.

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