Earth rod requirement

maynooth_rules

Have ordered solar panels and had them out at the house etc.

Now shortly before the install they have told me I need an earth rod (Don't have one) and that it needs to be installed before they arrive for installation.

I'm annoyed that this wasn't said to me before signing up. What would be the cost of getting one installed? Do any companies include that as part of install?

Thanks

graememk

All installs (houses) are meant to have an [inspectable] earth rod.

You do likely have one but no idea where it is (and unmarked, )

Did the solar company not offer to put one in(at a reasonable cost?)

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058338643/earth-rod-requirement

Agreeing with Graememk, it's supposed to be there in the first place. Not saying that it isn't - but if you can't find it then you can't evaluate it. Annoying I know, but they can't account for every nuance I suppose.

standardg60

How old is the house OP?

Anything built from the seventies should have one, could be buried or obscure somewhere. Have a look near the meter cabinet, be a green box or just a steel bar with earth wire attached.

maynooth_rules

House was built in 2002. Spoke to last owners who built it, and they say it is somewhere under the meter box but a path has been put over it since.

Solar company haven't offered the option of putting it in. I just got told it needs to be there for them

maynooth_rules

Have these two boxes below our meter box, but don't think they are of use for earth rod

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842037#Comment_121842037

That looks like they installed the power cable along soil pipes... odd to say the least! Can you see the green/yellow earth cable from the meter box at all?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842107#Comment_121842107

Could have just used the risers as inspection.

Although that doesn't look like a meter box, more like the telecoms box (seems very low to be a meter box)

Buffman

They're water so no good to you. If it's an estate can you ask any of the neighbors if they know where their ones are?

A 2002 house should have one but if you don't see a little green or grey box like below or a rod sticking up somewhere then it's probably been buried and is inaccessible.

https://www.eurosales.ie/products/ERODBOXL.html

maynooth_rules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842133#Comment_121842133

Sorry meter box is above it. Not in picture

maynooth_rules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842107#Comment_121842107

Nope, unfortunately. All I've been told by my solar company is that it's a simple install. That's all I have to work.

What's the ball park figure for getting one installed?

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842213#Comment_121842213

I'm gonna guess it's there somewhere OP, the box is only 10cm square, so check under that debris on the left and any other.

Edit. Zooming into the inspection chamber on the right that's not an earth rod with Denso tape on top at the bottom by any chance?

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121842213#Comment_121842213

I take it your in Maynooth?

Same problem here last year (Maynooth) I installed my own and it only cost me the cable, earth rod and a big 1.2m drill bit - around €100.00 euros - If you want to diy it I can loan you the big **** off drill bit and show you how I did it!!!!

graememk

You drilled? we just sledged it in! (although it was a galv. Steel rod, not the copper ones you see the ones in the UK putting in.)

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121850260#Comment_121850260

Because of the location of my fuse board (its in the garage which is converted to a sitting room) I had to drill through what I reckon was 1.5 to 2 feet of concrete out side the garage window on the drive way. Bought a 16mm drill bit that was 1.2m long just in case the concrete was thicker and drilled straight through the concrete and into the hard pack and then hammered it in the rest of the way. I did use a longer rod though - 1.8 meters I think to make up for the thickness of he concrete.

Worked out well and only took about 15 minutes.

Ran the earth cable from the spike back to the fuse box in conduit and bonded all the pipes myself running 2 new earth cables back as well. Reci said I saved about 500 euros - the pipe bonding took the longest as I had to bond all the copper pipes and then run everything up into the attic and back down to the fuse board.

captivo

Hi - Sorry to hijack the thread. I have a similar issue as the OP. House built 2020ish. Planning on getting Solar panels and one of the sales guys who called out mentioned about the need for the earth rod. We had a look around couldn't find a green box.

We're trying to track down the electrician who wired the house. Have a lead so hopefully I'll be able to contact him.

Anyway in the meantime, I did a bit of looking around myself. 2 things. There is an earth wire in the meter box (picture attached), but I'm lead to believe that whilst this is an earth, an earth rod is still required.

Second thing - I looked at the fuse box in the utility and saw that there are 4 wires coming out from the bottom. Can't take a pic as I can barely see in. 3 of the (thick black coated) wires are (I believe) going to the garage. One for water pump, one appears spare, (I believe for potential EV charger) and one to small fuse box in garage. The 4th wire is what appears to be an earth wire (green and yellow) and seems to be going under ground. But I've no idea where to. Would I be correct in assuming that this could be leading to an earth rod?

If the earth rod is in place, would it be possible to find it using a metal detector? I'm assuming that the earth rod if it exists is in the general direction of the garage.

AmpMan

You can look at the earth bar in the consumer unit and see how many 10sq cables are heading out.

Count them and rule out the ones you can find (water,gas) and if you have any unaccounted for its probably the rod and you can investigate further.

captivo

Is an earth rod a requirement for certification?

Seventy Plus

Can they tie into the Earth in the ESB supply?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121863068#Comment_121863068

It's not that they have to tie in to the earth rod, they need to verify that it exists and is in good condition.

maynooth_rules

That's my meter box

Thanks for the very kind offer @Hellrazer . Despite the name I'm not in maynooth any more. I'm over an hour away

Seventy Plus

If the Earth Rod reading is High? Does this mean that it is not in good condition?

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121864049#Comment_121864049

Did you establish that your earth rod was in the inspection chamber on the right?

maynooth_rules

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121866770#Comment_121866770

Not there. That's the internet and phone line coming in, and the bit of green that can be seen was a leaf

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121866838#Comment_121866838

Any other inspection chambers possibly near where the consumer unit is (fusebox)

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121866838#Comment_121866838

Ah ok so still no joy then? I've seen them half buried in the concrete and barely visible, any subsequent patios or decking laid? Could be under those too.

Otherwise it's as Hellrazer did above, good job btw!

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121858414#Comment_121858414

Must be visible and available for inspection.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121863068#Comment_121863068

No, not permissible. Earth rod cable must go back to the main earth terminal in the consumer unit.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121865570#Comment_121865570

If the impedance is high it can mean a number of things. Poor termination, poor earth/soil resistivity, damaged cable, cable too small for length of run etc.

allinthehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121857542#Comment_121857542

Earth rod would usually be very close to the main consumer unit. Think, if you were to run a cable, what's the shortest easiest route from the main board.

ColemanY2K

Quick question. The father has covered the earth rod when pouring the concrete for the footpath. I'm not 100% where it is but I do know it's somewhere behind the ASHP. Is this a problem? Will I need a new earth rod?

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974819#Comment_121974819

Only if somebody needs to see and test the earth rod does it become a problem. Is somebody asking?

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974840#Comment_121974840

No nobody is asking but the engineer has yet to sign the house off. The electrician has issued his completion cert though.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974845#Comment_121974845

Open to correction here but electrically signed off is electrically completed. But it should have been left in a green inspection chamber anyway.

ColemanY2K

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121974850#Comment_121974850

That it wasn't I'm sure of or the father wouldn't have concreted it over.