Riser

[ARW]

I was wondering if they would supply an earth. I would have expected one on that cable.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's a unit with both L&N fuses, so they're going to arrange for it to be changed.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Just how such things are done is above my pay grade. I did ask, and he muttered about having to replace the complete cable at a cost (to me) of several thousand pounds. He did measure the existing earth and said it was OK - 1.1 ohms. But I didn't see any of this done.

Must admit to having read the supplier is obliged to provide an earth connection - other than on a TT supply. But perhaps not retrospectively?

[ARW]

There is no obligation to supply an earth that I know of.

[Tim Lamb]

In message , ARW writes

I had a new supply 3 phase run to a farm yard around 1983. They wanted to install as PME but supplied a separate earth when I asked.

Much more recently... a neighbour had a near hit by lightning which took out the meter, the cut out and gave the consumer unit a severe fright. As they are an elderly *at risk* couple the cut out and the meter were replaced that evening. Sparkie wanted an isolator fitted which the meter man initially refused to do. After a call from his boss, it got done!

[spuorgelgoog]

AIUI no obligation to supply an earth on a new connection. However once they have supplied an earth in the past they must maintain it i.e. they cannot insist a consumer convert from TN-S or TN-C-S to TT.

Owain

[spuorgelgoog]

I assume you'll be asking to keep the old one?

Owain

[Andy Wade]

once they have supplied an earth in the past they must maintain it i.e. they cannot insist a consumer convert from TN-S or TN-C-S to TT.

There's been a statutory obligation since 2002 [1]:

"(4) Unless he can reasonably conclude that it is inappropriate for reasons of safety, a distributor shall, when providing a new connection at low voltage, make available his supply neutral conductor or, if appropriate, the protective conductor of his network for connection to the protective conductor of the consumer?s installation.

(5) In this regulation the expression ?new connection? means the first electric line, or the replacement of an existing electric line, to one or more consumer?s installations.

[1] ESQC regulations 2002 (regulation 24)

[ARW]

That's a bit sexist isn't it?

You can have a female prime minister but you can only have a male electrical distributor.

It's a good job that the feminists are too busy badly parking their cars or having to wait in for handymen to turn up to change a light bulb or fit a wireless doorbell for them or they might have spotted that - and then they would no doubt get offended.

[spuorgelgoog]

A bit dangerous too, the electricity supply connection should always be female and the consumer male.

The real reason is the Interpretation Act 1978 which provides a rebuttable presumption that terms in the masculine gender also include the feminine, and that the singular includes plural.

Owain

[tony sayer]

Wot about Three phase?...

[spuorgelgoog]

one phase usually satisfies normal demands.

Owain