Is the earth clamp clamped to the grey sheathing of a cable or to lead piping enclosing a cable??

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Measure twice cut once!

There is only about 3 inches of that cable (under the fuse box) and I've had a little poke at it but I can't tell if it's lead or plastic casing. Is there a way to tell them apart?

Scratch it with a knife, if it's lead it will be bright like a coin.

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I've taken another pic... this time I moved the metal tag out of the way so you can see that it is directly situated on the grey cable. I tried scratching with my nail and although the sheath feels quite soft, there are some silver scratch marks on the sheath immediately above that metal earth tag.

And can I just say a massive thanks to both of you for taking the time to answer my absurdly non-technical, unintelligible gibberish this late on a Saturday night? You are true gents!

Scratch it below the tag with a knife

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Lol, doh! Well it's blooming obvious now you've said it Scruff! That smiley holding the sign that says 'I'm with stupid'... you can hold that when you stand next to me!

I did the scratch test and it is shiny. Now I've investigated the wires a little further - that earth cable is, I think, what the meter man did a couple of years ago. It appears to be the earth for/to the two white plastic boxes (in the pic in this post) and the wires run from those boxes to the electricity meter and the fuse box. I can't get enough light to photograph where the wires lead to/from.

But this still leaves me none the wiser as to why there is a randomly severed, apparently live, cable that is being earthed to my living room wall. Confusion reigns!

So it is lead, any idea where the bottom of it goes.

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I didn't realise until looking closely at those pictures that the old lead cabling actually leads up and under the baseboard to which the fuse box is attached. I'm guessing that whoever did the fuse box and new wiring didn't rip out the old one but maybe just cut it back and left it for dead?

The bottom of the cable is about 3 inches long and the lead sheath has been cut back leaving the red and black wires hanging out the bottom. One goes to one white plastic box, the other goes to the other plastic box. Both these boxes are wired to the electricity meter - these are the 'new' things that the meter man fitted a few years ago.

This may be an extremely stupid question but is it possible that the meter man has in some way managed to make an old bit of cabling live again by using it as part of the earth circuit from the meter box to the fuse box?

Am i right in saying we have now identified both ends of this cable... & the cable... or should i say the lead piping... is not anything to do with the piping running down your lounge wall?

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Measure twice cut once!

I will be interested to hear what Rich-Ando makes of this!

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Measure twice cut once!

I have no clue, Bright_spark! It would appear that the lead cable under the fuse box runs behind the board that the fuse box is mounted on - it could be part of the old cabling but I just don't know. The cabling coming out of the fuse box that runs up the wall is newer stuff in a plastic sheath.

I'm attaching more pictures so that you can see where it all goes below the fuse box.

We have identified one end of the lead piping - in the meter cupboard under the stairs. Who knows if the other end is that running down the living room wall? The only way I could check is to take up some floorboards upstairs to see if it is running up the wall, behind the plaster, from the meter cupboard to the upstairs landing. If it does then my guess is that it will run along the floor joists upstairs, through a bedroom, down into the living room. That's another job for tomorrow then...

Thanks for all your input and help guys.

No problem! Check back here tomorrow to see what the other guys have to say but to me it is very suspect & requires attention!!

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Measure twice cut once!

Morning,

Right looking at your pictures now in the light of day it is clear to me that your incoming main supply is in Lead covered cables as they go into the supply side of the suppliers 'head' this cable is their property and they should be summonsed to replace this outdated cable as soon as possible. If it goes as it looks the red from the old lead cable goes in one side of the taller grey box (mains fuse) and the other black core goes into the smaller grey square box (neutral link ) from each of the grey boxes a grey round cable goes to the meter and from there again two grey round cables go to the fusebox. Does your electricity supply come from overhead lines as that may explain why it comes from above the fuse box, or does your fusebox back onto a neighbours by any chance?

In order for us to advise you further on your next step and exactly what state your house wiring is in we need a picture of the inside of the fusebox. If and only if you feel safe to do this then please follow the below instructions.

1. Turn off the main switch on the left of your fuse box

2. unscrew the two screws on the front cover and lift off.

3.take pretty pictures and replace cover as step 2

4. turn power back on again .




Hope this helps

Nick

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If it isnt broke dont bloody touch it until it bloody well is and if it is broke then make drawing of the connections before you remove the broken one and replace with a new one LoL

Morning Nick, thanks for your reply - it all makes perfect sense and is absolutely correct re: where all the wires go. We are a semi, so that the meter cupboard wall is the dividing wall between us and our neighbour. We are on a slight hill so their house is slightly higher than us, approx 18" or so.

I am off to take more pretty pictures now, following your instructions very carefully!