What do UK Power Networks require for PME?

[Robin]

UK Power Networks say they will fit PME in London, for free, if it's available and if the house "conforms to the 17th Edition regulations". Anyone know please just what they mean by "conforms" in practice? Eg just the meter tails and main bonding? Or the full monty?

Background is that I offered to replace a wall light for a neighbour and found myself having to try to explain why I wasn't very happy with what I saw: no supplier's earth; no earth rod; and old bonding disappearing off to places unknown - very possibly to a bit of the gas pipe which was replaced in the 1980s and the lead water pipe cut off near the stopcock in the 2000s.

[ARW]

I would expect just the meter tails and main bonding.

[Brian Gaff]

I've never quite understood this earthing issue. I just don't see why people cannot just add more earth rods etc, and bond them to the existing earth. It will do no harm and probably be better from the interference point of view. Obviously is there is a significant current deliverable voltage difference between earth, Neutral and the main earth connections, somebody needs to investigate further for faults. Brian

[Brian Reay]

You can add a local earth and bond it to the PME earth, subject these days to part P etc.

I have such an earth, it is one way radio amateurs can protect against a 'neutral break' in the supply.

The bonding needs to be to the required spec, I checked with my supply company (this was pre part P) and the installation has been checked a couple of times since- including recently when our 'main fuse' was upgraded.

[Roger Hayter]

I think they can add earths with no problem. The only caveat is that any outdoor connections should be insulated so they can't be touched, especially with a PME main earth. I think the suggestion you were replying to (which has dropped off since you put it after your sig separator) was that the main bonding would be sufficient to satisfy the supplier, not that additional wiring might be objected to.