Home Earthing Issue ?

Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Posts
11,868
Likes collected
19,767
Location
Manchester UK + Javea/Xabia Spain + Abu Dhabi
Funster No
7,543
MH
HYMER B644
Exp
2004
With the motorhome plugged in, lying on the ground winding legs down, I'm getting tiny shocks through fingers/arms.

When my Apple Laptop (aluminium case) is plugged in, if my bare feet touch floor, I get tingles

The same switching cooker hood on, if leaning on stainless steel hob.

Any opinions or suggestions please ?
 
I suspect you need a qualified electrician. I am assuming this is in Spain where the regulations and supply are quite different to the UK. Surprised by the laptop though as they are not normally earthed. It could be static of course, but I would definitely get it professionally checked out.
 
Do you have a spike rod in vicinity where your supply comes in? It should have a clamp and 10mm2 of green yellow that goes to the earth bar in the consumer unit.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Or sometimes a galvanised band like 5x40-50mm.
 
WhatsApp Image 2024-09-30 at 10.51.59 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2024-09-30 at 10.51.59.jpeg
I can see any.
 
Is your home on PME as in earth supplied by grid

Do you have a spike rod in vicinity where your supply comes in? It should have a clamp and 10mm2 of green yellow that goes to the earth bar in the consumer unit.

I put this one in when I automated the gate

WhatsApp Image 2024-09-30 at 10.59.01.jpeg
 
Can you confirm that, the two green coming out of the meter goes to your indoor consumer unit?
 
Just for those reading, thinking I should not be messing around with electrics.

I Am multi skilled.

I bought my first house when I was 19 and re-wired it completely and was passed 16th Edition, back in the day.

I have spotted many a mistake in Modern installations passed by Inspectors. Simple things like a 6amp circuit breaker on a 30amp Cooker installation, brand new build.

I have had the house checked whilst I was away as a guest staying complained. The electrician said everything was okay. I am loathed to get Iberdrola out until I have investigated.
 
From the first picture, you have a 3 phase TNC utility supply, bottom cupboard bit, where the one phase carries on to meter, and the PEN separation into neutral to meter and a earth derived from PEN separation.
Bottom very left you have the two black bolted to the same bar. The one with tape is PEN protective earth neutral combined, utility supplied; then the one next to it its your earth. You could check from that bar to inside green yellow for continuity.

The two green leaving the meter is your phase and neutral supply, one on the right has blue tape marked as neutral. In somewhere these are converted to the colours you have inside, along the route must be another box.
So your system is TN-C-S and somewhere you lost continuity of earth wire, or high resistance.
 
And if you have a TN-C-S the rod you used should be separate earth from your PME earth. You do not bond PME with a TT rod earth, they work separately.
 
You either have a poor earth or more likely a poor neutral, but without a decent meter you won't find it.
You could try tightening every neutral and earth cable to see if you have a poor connection to one.
You need a low ohm reading meter and a length of cable attached at one end to the first neutral or earth and then try a reading of every neutral or eartth connection on the installation where you are getting the problem. You need to test the length of cable you are using and then subtract this reading from all the rest of your readings.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
From the first picture, you have a 3 phase TNC utility supply, bottom cupboard bit, where the one phase carries on to meter, and the PEN separation into neutral to meter and a earth derived from PEN separation.
Bottom very left you have the two black bolted to the same bar. The one with tape is PEN protective earth neutral combined, utility supplied; then the one next to it its your earth. You could check from that bar to inside green yellow for continuity.

The two green leaving the meter is your phase and neutral supply, one on the right has blue tape marked as neutral. In somewhere these are converted to the colours you have inside, along the route must be another box.
So your system is TN-C-S and somewhere you lost continuity of earth wire, or high resistance.

And if you have a TN-C-S the rod you used should be separate earth from your PME earth. You do not bond PME with a TT rod earth, they work separately.
I Will check through this
 
So you found them, very possible to have a doggy connection there, and as Brianmor mentioned a poor neutral.
I would still check both, those connections are very doggy and you found the earth PME black wire marked with yellow green tape.

There is so much confusion with those colours, very easy to reverse the PME for neutral, your electrics needs proper markings and proper testing.
 
With the motorhome plugged in, lying on the ground winding legs down, I'm getting tiny shocks through fingers/arms.

When my Apple Laptop (aluminium case) is plugged in, if my bare feet touch floor, I get tingles

The same switching cooker hood on, if leaning on stainless steel hob.

Any opinions or suggestions please ?
the earth has gone, if you had one.
I am loathed to get Iberdrola out until I have investigated.
Look at your house insurance as they usualy have a "multi service" attachment to them free of charge for electrician,plumber , etc. They come foc & will assess the problem .you only pay for repairs.
Also you might have a similar thing as iberdrola do it as an add on.
There is so much confusion with those colours, very easy to reverse the PME for neutral, your electrics needs proper markings and proper testing.
spanish wiring is a nightmare .all look like that.You rarely find a decent laid out & marked system.
 
the earth has gone, if you had one.

Look at your house insurance as they usualy have a "multi service" attachment to them free of charge for electrician,plumber , etc. They come foc & will assess the problem .you only pay for repairs.
Also you might have a similar thing as iberdrola do it as an add on.

spanish wiring is a nightmare .all look like that.You rarely find a decent laid out & marked system.
Thanks Richard,

I will ask at the brokers or see if we can look at terms on insurance

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top