No earth in lights

[rcd]

This might be the thickest question ever but if a lighting circuit in a house has no earth you have to add one in don't you, or is there some way around it now with say class 2 fittings and plastic switches.

 

[Theorysparky]

although you may not be changing a cu Best Practice guide 1 explains all

http://www.esc.org.uk/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/industry/best_practice/BPG1v2_web.pdf

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

This might be the thickest question ever but if a lighting circuit in a house has no earth you have to add one in don't you, or is there some way around it now with say class 2 fittings and plastic switches.

If a house has no earth in the lighting circuit it was probably wired before 1966...

as such the wiring is 2012 - 1966 = 46 years old...

You do NOT have to do anything....

But the first most blatantly obvious question is..

what are the test results for these circuits from the last periodic inspection..

(it should have had at least one during 46 years???? )

e.g. IR test between L-N?

Is the insulation starting to break down?

Personally if i were a betting man I would stick my

 

[ProDave]

what are the test results for these circuits from the last periodic inspection.. (it should have had at least one during 46 years???? )

I'm willing to bet there are plenty of houses of that age that have NEVER had a PIR

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I'm willing to bet there are plenty of houses of that age that have NEVER had a PIR

:Salute

Do you think Admin will tell us off if we start an illicit gambling club?

]

 

[shed69]

I bet he will !!!!! Ooops.... :run here comes the admin clan!!

 

[Robin Spark]

To me there are some common scenarios, unless RCD wants to give more information on the property and if what work is intended to be undertaken.

Scenario

1. If its just an observation that there is no earth, eg you were thinking about changing a light fitting from a pendant to class 1 fitting and you unscrewed the pendant cover to find no earths, then you could just leave as is. You would not be able to fit class 1 fittings, but as a property owner you are not legally required to have a rewire.

2. If consumer unit change then as Theory said follow best practice guide by the Electrical Safety council (follow his link)

3. If you are considering to extend, alter, modify this cct then this is where introducing a cpc will be needed. I dont think you will get away by extending the cct and continuing with the excuse that as the cct was installed without an earth then you can still do that now nearly 50 years later to the original install!

 

[PC Electrics]

If a house has no earth in the lighting circuit it was probably wired before 1966...as such the wiring is 2012 - 1966 = 46 years old...

You do NOT have to do anything....

But the first most blatantly obvious question is..

what are the test results for these circuits from the last periodic inspection..

(it should have had at least one during 46 years???? )

e.g. IR test between L-N?

Is the insulation starting to break down?

Personally if i were a betting man I would stick my

 

[steptoe]

so PC, have you calculated that the earth is large enough to discharge a fault through your new fangled MCBs.?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Not very often one has an opportunity to disagree with the "Special One".

I would hope that everyone always has opportunity to disagree with everyone on the forumbulator...

As you say if just doing a CU change and customer not requested any other alterations circuits often old circuits can be reinstated and still be within regs..

But there can be different considerations if asked to fit some new or additional light fittings to a circuit....

As well as the IR I would also be considering if there is enough cable to work with when terminating the accessories..

often they can be cut very short on old installations from years of trimming back when new switch or lamp fitted...

Or the cables around the lamp fittings can be very brittle from the heat...

again doing an IR at a cu may test all OK..

but when you disturb a ceiling lamp fitting..

you may get some deteriorating or damaged insulation could affect those results...

Also have to consider if there is ONLY one lighting circuit for the whole property,

which often there was on older wiring.

Its a bit like keeping an old car running...

At some point they can just become too uneconomical to keep fixing to keep em roadworthy...

Some old wiring can be like that..

fix and bodge here there and everywhere to keep a circuit running when if it had been replaced 10 years ago it would have been more economical in the long run.

Guinness