Just Moved And Learned What A Tt Earth Is, Some Questions!

[Sidewinder]

Lurch,

Are they 61439, not sure, they may, be, and that is an issue, because they have been excluded from what I gather, but rotaries for example for solar and stuff, are being included.

However, the final list may change, and, it may never even surface!!!

You know what Lurch, one thing I think that we can agree on 1000% is that it's a bloody mess all of it!

Ill thought out, and poorly prepared.

 

[Lurch]

You know what Lurch, one thing I think that we can agree on 1000% is that it's a bloody mess all of it!

Ill thought out, and poorly prepared.

I wouldn't expect anything else!

 

[curious-one]

Lurch,

Are they 61439, not sure, they may, be, and that is an issue, because they have been excluded from what I gather, but rotaries for example for solar and stuff, are being included.

However, the final list may change, and, it may never even surface!!!

You know what Lurch, one thing I think that we can agree on 1000% is that it's a bloody mess all of it!

Ill thought out, and poorly prepared.

How do you think I feel, I'm not even an electrician, just trying to get my ahead around something I've always taken for granted.  Whoever said ignorance was bliss was a genius!

 

[curious-one]

Well another test done, i've gone from no earth at all to just shy of 600ohms  So off to get another rod in the morning to place elsewhere in the garden.  I believe I have to bury the cable connecting the two together, is normal conduit okay or must I buy something highly specialised for the task?  Sadly the electricians I've spoken here are booked up for Christmas, because the earth wire isn't up to spec they can't do the rod and sign off without upgrading the wire, which is two floors of wall chasing and they don't have time, so it's back to me to do the work as one of them has very kindly said I can ring him for another test and he'll do it on his way home!

Thanks

 

[Lurch]

What exactly is 600 ohms?

 

[Blue Duck]

Ra or Ze?

what size is the cable to the rod?

pee on it!

 

[curious-one]

Haha sorry, very long day.  It was the earth loop test from his fluke tester, he did it from a socket rather than the board but it gave a figure of around 590 something, so I need to improve it to bring it under 200 as per the regs for TT.  Please excuse me if I'm mixing terminology left right and centre, but hopefully that explains what I mean.

Ahh I didn't see if it was Ra or Ze, it's TT so I remember a post back in this thread saying Ra was important in this instance and not Ze.  Sadly the current cable is only 6mm, but I'm going to begin running 16mm down to it tomorrow, I'll connect the second rod up first and then I'll start chasing out for it.

Ah I opted not to pee on it lol, but it did rain pretty hard here today.  Trouble is builders dug that bit for drainage, so I suspect that has knackered it's score somewhat, but I'll run the 2nd to where no digging has taken place.

 

[Lurch]

I can see you are not completely inept but you do seem to be going about things rather haphazardly with a sort of "I'm not dead yet so I must be doing it right" attitude.

 

[Sidewinder]

OK, if it was via a socket it was NOT an Ra reading.

Regs for TT do NOT require < 200 Ohms.

This is merely a guide.

How far away are you going to put the other rod?

16mm sq. will help keep Ra & thus any Ze values low, but it has no requirement for current flow.

 

[NozSpark]

IMHO deeper is usually better than more of....

So I would get a 5/8" rod that will allow you to add another via a coupler if I was you

 

[Essex1]

IMHO deeper is usually better than more of....

So I would get a 5/8" rod that will allow you to add another via a coupler if I was you

Can you keep your personal life off this forum please?

 

[curious-one]

Lol Lurch!  My apologies as I'm extremely tired (you'll be pleased to know I have no screwdriver in my hand, I'm resting) and please be assured that I'm incredibly careful.  I've carefully identified each circuit and what is on that circuit, then I've established the order of what's connected, so first to last radial and the ring final orders.  I isolate before I begin, then I gingerly live, dead, live test before I touch the wires and I do this with a DMM between all three wires just in case I stumble upon a shared neutral.  Also any cabling I've done is in safe zones and where I had to use junctions on lighting (very old house so it's been impossible to work around in 3 locations) I've used wago boxes with 222 connectors and strapped them to comply with the maint free element.  I've also tested what I've done for voltage drop and my terminations at each accessory are neat with no trapped insulation or exposed conductor poking from the hole.  Sadly as I'm DIY I don't have the equipment I need for RCD testing and earth testing which is where I called in an electrician, he plugged his fluke into a socket with a standard plug and took a resistance reading, though I couldn't see which settings he selected as the old kitchen is pretty small, after he took that reading he tried an RCD test and it gave an error as it couldn't trip at 50v, it's been tested with the test switch and does operate, it also did operate when a faulty lamp was plugged in so it is operational, but I believe (and may be wrong, so please correct me) that the fluke won't complete the RCD test because the Ra is too high for it to conduct the test safely?  Certainly much of what he says regarding TT systems stacks up with the discussions and pointers here, so he passes my basic ability to query his skill, but from the above post about the test I guess it's possible he's not testing correctly for my system?  Any guidance here would be great as whilst I'm getting things done and making progress, safe and proper testing is still essential and not something I want to skip or have done incorrectly.  Is Ra where I read that an additional two rods must be placed in the ground and readings taken between them?

Also as for the other rod, probably about 10-15m away from the first.

Thanks

 

[Lurch]

Knowing safe isolation does not mean you are now an electrician.

I would attend to the fact you don't really have an earth and your installation is dangerous. You said earlier you had concerns about metal consumer units and residents with heart problems. You don't seem to care though that in its current situation your home is a danger to anyone, no matter how good or bad their heart is.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, think that applies here.
 

 

[curious-one]

I'm not saying for a second it does make me an electrician, I'm rectifying the earthing issue as of the electrician's I have called, one has just enough time to test for me on his way home, I'm simply trying to resolve the issue and not have to wait until January, hence the question about protection for the earth cable between the two rods.  I haven't chosen not to attend to it but am in fact trying to remedy the situation as quickly and safely as I can.

 

[Lurch]

I'm not saying for a second it does make me an electrician, I'm rectifying the earthing issue as of the electrician's I have called, one has just enough time to test for me on his way home, I'm simply trying to resolve the issue and not have to wait until January, hence the question about protection for the earth cable between the two rods.  I haven't chosen not to attend to it but am in fact trying to remedy the situation as quickly and safely as I can.

And hoping nothing happens in the meantime.

 

[curious-one]

I'd been and purchased a new earth rod and installed it, in the dark, whilst it was raining, within 90 minutes of knowing about the earth fault.  The visit today was to see if it was good enough and it isn't, so I'm trying to rectify it instead of waiting until January.  I'm not trying to be a pedant here, but I don't think my approach has been lazy or showing a lack of willingness to get it right and tested right.

 

[Lurch]

I'm not trying to be a pedant here, but I don't think my approach has been lazy or showing a lack of willingness to get it right and tested right.

No, but your lack of knowledge and experience has meant that you still have a dangerous installation.

 

[curious-one]

Okay I see your point, but what do you suggest?

 

[apprentice87]

Hey... Now hang on Lurch.. Curious one has ten times the intelligence of most of the DIYer's on here, and a lot more than some of the "so-called" electricians that pop up too. Ok, so you think that nobody should be allowed to do any DIY electrical work, well, curious one is entitled to do what he likes, as am i, and as is Apache.......

As for a dangerous system, he is improving it, maybe a bit at a time, but it is better now than when he started, so that is something.. He should be praised for his appraoch, not be sniped at..

Full marks curious one i say...

john...

 

[curious-one]

Thanks apprentice.  I'm happy to pay for it to be done, but sadly that's where the issue is with getting it done soon enough.  Because the earth wire needs changing to a thicker core for compliance and the fuse box is upstairs, it's two floors of chasing out and the rod connection, only the guy who lives locally has been willing to turn up.  Sadly living in a rural village in suffolk means there aren't a plethora of people to try who come out this far, last place I lived you could get a plumber or an electrician within the hour, here it's not so fortunate.  My apologies if I've rubbed you the wrong way however lurch, I am as a said extremely tired and as such have probably come across more of a fool than is helpful this evening.