Supply earth.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Is your electricity supplier required to provide an earth too? I know at one time they would charge for this but wondered if it still was the case?

[John Rumm]

Not required no - hence TT installs.

They may charge if say upgrading an existing install to PME...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It's an elderly neighbour who is going to have to have a re-wire. Having seen the ancient installation there is no compliant earth. Just wondering what the cheapest options are?

[John Rumm]

What kind of supply is it?

What does the head end cutout look like?

can you match it to any of the pictures here:

[DraytonF]

I think it's your responsibility to provide the earth, so I guess if you want them to do it, they will charge you.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Mine is TN-S - an earth clamp round the sheath of the incoming cable. Nothing like that there - the only earth I can see goes to the water pipe, which is lead. The majority of the wiring is pre WW2 - with only a ring main having been added sometime in the 50s/'60s (rubber cable now perished). With only one socket per room. ;-) It is basically a death trap.

[John Rumm]

There is a reasonable chance you both have a similar incoming cable, and so theirs may support TN-S as well - even if it lacks the clamp etc.

Any VO ELCB?

I wonder how far that lead pipe goes before it ceases to be connected to metal?

[Andy Wade]

It is required for new and renewed service connections though. Chapter & verse is regulation 24 of the ESQC regulations 2002:

(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 [PME, aka TN-C-S] or, if appropriate, the protective conductor of his network [TN-S] for connection to the protective conductor of the consumer?s installation. [my notes]

(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."

/s/may/will these days...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Don't be silly. ;-)

Probably out to the street main. Which hasn't been replaced in the 30 odd years I've been here so probably still metal.

[John Rumm]

Indeed, I did read that to make sure before answering Dave's question - but since it seemed fairly unlikely in this circumstance that the supply would be replaced when the house is rewired, the neighbour may be stuck with what is there... (although I suspect that what is there may already support TN-S)

;-)