no earth at sockets

iopener

Doing abit of work for a cousin of mine changing sockets and switches, found out using my socket tester that there's a earth fault I don't think there's a earth in any of the sockets in the whole house. I checked the fuse board its a 40 year old house the earths are in a old style earth block on a all twisted together with a 6 square going back to the neutralising block on the esb meter box. He doesn't have the money to do a rewire so I'm thinking of installing a new breaker board renewing the tails to the esb board to 16s currently 6 square and installing a earth rod can't find one at all, also bonding the copper pipes etc. This should sort out the earths shouldn't it?

2011

iopener wrote: »

Doing abit of work for a cousin of mine changing sockets and switches, found out using my socket tester that there's a earth fault I don't think there's a earth in any of the sockets in the whole house.

Not good

I checked the fuse board its a 40 year old house the earths are in a old style earth block on a all twisted together with a 6 square going back to the neutralising block on the esb meter box.

It was often done this way back in "the good old days". However bcak the electrical loading for the entire installation was generally far less.

He doesn't have the money to do a rewire so I'm thinking of installing a new breaker board renewing the tails to the esb board to 16s currently 6 square

Replacing the tails is a very good idea. The problem is that this will mean that the ESB seals will have to be replaced and this will require an ETCI completion certificate.

I assume that you are aware that only registered electrical contractors are permitted to do this work? I don't want to derail the thread, so all discussion surronding this should happen here:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056989062


I assume that you plan to install rcbo(S) / RCD(s) as well?

Also be aware that you will become criminally liable for the entire installation if you take this on.

and installing a earth rod can't find one at all, also bonding the copper pipes etc. This should sort out the earths shouldn't it?

It would be a step in the right direction. However it would be important to check all earthing & bonding throughout the installation.

Proper testing (earth fault loop impedance, insualtion resistance testing etc.) is also essential.

Also ensure that all cables have proper PVC insulation (older installations often used cables that had natural rubber insulation) and are sized correctly.

Tuco88

If you see that older "rubber insulation" I strongly recommend you take action on that! The stuff becomes brittle and can crack off, especially if your attic was Insulated recently or any work involved in cables being moved.

Recently we have being doing re-wires for C.I.E, My god I have seen a few thing's. I must say with respect some of the work from the "old days" was of good quality, you know time was never an issue. The old CrabTree and MEM boards and Isolators had plenty of room to work in I'll give them that ha.

I take it that the Fuse-Board is next to the E.S.B Meter? Out of interest is it the round fuse or the cartridge holder?
If you are not re-wiring or giving Earths to the Sockets, Maybe it's worth putting in a few of those SRCDs (Sockets with Rcds) Not a very nice looking thing but it does the job in your case. Kinda pointless sticking in RcDs/Rcbo's without cpc's.

iopener

Checked the house today, without doing anything the sockets are earthed, don't know how but I'm going to the work required. It has the old diazed fat fuses, board is about 2 meters from the esb board. The old cables are twin and earth Pvc Pvc not that rubber stuff. I've seen that cable before in very old buildings in work that long since been pulled down.