Is this possibly caused by poor earthing?

shadowpartner · Sep 22, 2024

Okay so I have basically zero knowledge of eletrical engineering so bear with me and also a possibly weird question here but here goes anyway.

For the past year or so I keep getting this feeling as if I'm getting a static shocks while I'm using my computer - mainly on my hands when using my keyboard / sometimes on my face (also constantly have headphones on connected to the PC)

Now I suspected that there were electrical issues in the house I'm in for other reasons (mainly PC not functioning correctly but won't get into that) so I got an electrician to come in and do a safety inspection about 6 months ago. The electrician told me that there was severe earth leakage in the electrical system apparently way worse when the oven is on? That the wiring is over 50 years old and there's no RCD switches on the fuse board etc. Also the house is essentially not grounded/earthed at all from what I understood.

I have a few questions about the whole thing anyway;

- Is it possible I'm actually experiencing static shocks when using my computer due to the electrical issues?
- Is it a stupid idea to run my computer through a UPS given the circumstances?
- Is there any actual danger of using a computer hooked up to this system?

Any input would be greatly appreciated

, I've attached the EICR to this thread if it's helpful at all to take a look at it - any personal info has been removed.

Fleeting · Sep 22, 2024

There isn't a great deal in the report even though the schedule of inspections has multiple Code 2s with no explanation as to what they mean and the schedules of circuits seems to have gone pear shaped. They have not denoted an earthing system yet tick earthing arrangements as correct.

mainline · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
Okay so I have basically zero knowledge of eletrical engineering so bear with me and also a possibly weird question here but here goes anyway.

For the past year or so I keep getting this feeling as if I'm getting a static shocks while I'm using my computer - mainly on my hands when using my keyboard / sometimes on my face (also constantly have headphones on connected to the PC)

Now I suspected that there were electrical issues in the house I'm in for other reasons (mainly PC not functioning correctly but won't get into that) so I got an electrician to come in and do a safety inspection about 6 months ago. The electrician told me that there was severe earth leakage in the electrical system apparently way worse when the oven is on? That the wiring is over 50 years old and there's no RCD switches on the fuse board etc. Also the house is essentially not grounded/earthed at all from what I understood.

I have a few questions about the whole thing anyway;

- Is it possible I'm actually experiencing static shocks when using my computer due to the electrical issues?
- Is it a stupid idea to run my computer through a UPS given the circumstances?
- Is there any actual danger of using a computer hooked up to this system?

Any input would be greatly appreciated , I've attached the EICR to this thread if it's helpful at all to take a look at it - any personal info has been removed.

Get yourself a non-contact volt stick and see if any part of the computer lights it up, not a definitive test but better than nothing.

I'm assuming your keyboard is plastic with no metal exposed parts.

shadowpartner · Sep 22, 2024

mainline said:
Get yourself a non-contact volt stick and see if any part of the computer lights it up, not a definitive test but better than nothing.

I'm assuming your keyboard is plastic with no metal exposed parts.

The keyboard is plastic yeah, no exposed metal parts.

I'll try using a volt stick - what will this help determine exactly?

mainline · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
The keyboard is plastic yeah, no exposed metal parts.

I'll try using a volt stick - what will this help determine exactly?

It may determine if anything is actually Live.
The real way is obviously to call a decent electrician in.

binky · Sep 22, 2024

According to that report you have a 10mm main earth - out of date size wise, but still a main earth. Unfortunately the information for the earthing and supply arrangements has not been completed, a major piece of information missing.

Murdoch · Sep 22, 2024

That’s a poor report with no use of C3’s

Lots of those C2’s are C3’s

The the incoming arrangement isn’t confirmed with no Ze ….

kerching · Sep 22, 2024

I thought it odd that R1+R2 for the sockets could be measured OR calculated when it wasn’t possible to measure/record r2, maybe it’s me?

shadowpartner · Sep 22, 2024

I guess the general consensus here is that I should get another electrician to take a look at everything again

Murdoch · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
I guess the general consensus here is that I should get another electrician to take a look at everything again

Dare i ask you how much you paid for the EICR ? and how long was the spark in the house ?

shadowpartner · Sep 22, 2024

Murdoch said:
Dare i ask you how much you paid for the EICR ? and how long was the spark in the house ?

Was 150 quid I think, they were here for maybe 30-40mins? Also had an apprentice with him.

Is there any point in me requesting another EICR specifically?

Murdoch · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
Was 150 quid I think, they were here for maybe 30-40mins? Also had an apprentice with him.

Is there any point in me requesting another EICR specifically?

30 - 40 minutes to do an EICR - probably isn't worth the paper its written on

I would ask for a refund

and find a spark to do it properly as this cow boy clearly doesn't know what he's doing

Why did you have the EICR done?

mainline · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
I guess the general consensus here is that I should get another electrician to take a look at everything again

IF (big if) he's registered, I would complain.
Get a competent electrician in.

shadowpartner · Sep 22, 2024

Murdoch said:
30 - 40 minutes to do an EICR - probably isn't worth the paper its written on

I would ask for a refund

and find a spark to do it properly as this cow boy clearly doesn't know what he's doing

Why did you have the EICR done?

Reason I had it done in the first place was because of having issues with my PC which still persisted after replacing it entirely (among trying many other things to fix it). After doing some reading about the issues I was having there were a few people who mentioned it potentially being related to a grounding problem, pretty much why I called an electrician out to begin with.

I didn't specifically need/want an EICR, but that seemed to be the bottom line for what you can call someone out for as far as I could tell.

SPECIAL LOCATION · Sep 22, 2024

shadowpartner said:
Was 150 quid I think, they were here for maybe 30-40mins? Also had an apprentice with him.

Is there any point in me requesting another EICR specifically?

I would suggest that 30-40 minutes is insufficient time to do an accurate EICR...

Also having an apprentice would be more likely to increase the time taken as you would be teaching them about the inspection & testing you are doing, and what the acceptable readings actually are.

If I get an enquiry asking how much I would charge to do an EICR at a domestic dwelling for a property I have never previously seen.. I would generally suggest to allow 30mins per circuit, plus one hour for investigations around the CU & Earthing & Bonding, plus a bit more admin time for documenting the results onto the EICR. (as a rule of thumb half a day is the starting point).

There is a dedicated City & Guilds course plus a 190+ page guidance note book relating to inspection & testing...
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BKGN318slash2.html?
So I just cannot see how it could be done in less than an hour!

binky · Sep 23, 2024

You could buy one of these to test your sockets. They are not infallible, but should give you some indication of earthing presence. https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-16a-...OzyTV9ZPiaXCaJjX_LXUK_sF2C1KbANHye0Epes6GbHVY

UNG · Sep 23, 2024

That EICR is at best very poor with a lot of information missing and / or lost in the incredibly poor formatting within the NAPIT FastTest software used to create it and in many ways does not address the OP's original problem let alone give a clear overview of the state of the installation
The 30 - 40 minutes would not be sufficient to investigate the I assume verbally reported earth leakage let alone do an accurate inspection and test and looking at the report there was not much care and attention to detail put into it and seems representative of the slapdash effort they appear to have put into the job as a whole.

ipf · Sep 23, 2024

That's pathetic, all round. That much missing and was he even looking when filling in results. But even that would take more than the time taken.
An 8 way 2 phase board, even!
I fear for the trade, but then again, I have for the last 20 years.

shadowpartner · Sep 23, 2024

What's the best way for me to go about finding a solid electrician in my area? Because I contacted these guys through checkatrade and they were one of the top rated companies on there

Murdoch · Sep 23, 2024

shadowpartner said:
What's the best way for me to go about finding a solid electrician in my area? Because I contacted these guys through checkatrade and they were one of the top rated companies on there

Check a trade ratings are NOT to trusted

Is this possibly caused by poor earthing?

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