Milleniumaire formulated on Sunday :
I live in a modern house that was built 7 years ago and we had a loft
extension built a couple of years ago. We are in the process of
re-decorating the loft and decided that chrome plated flat sockets and
light switches would complement the modern look we were trying to
achieve.

Something does not quite ring true with the above.

The provision of earths at both lighting points and switches became a
requirement IMHO back in the late 60's/ early 70's. Green/yellow
sleeving appeared sometime after that. If the place was built just 7
years ago, then certainly there should be earth points at the switches.
If there aren't, then you should be chasing the builder to chase the
original installer.



The fittings were ordered and received but I noticed that the light
switches have earth connectors and a label saying "This metal plate
must be earthed using the terminal marked earth".

They should not be installed until you have the earths sorted out.


On closer examination of my light switches, they don't appear to have
earth cables, just a live and switched live wire! The ceiling roses do
have earth connections but this earth isn't taken to the switches. I
know from experience that this isn't unusual and is the way that the
last three new houses I have lived in were wired.

Then they must have been wired a very long time ago and would be well
over due for rewireing.

Is it necessary for me to run an earth cable from the ceiling rose to
the light switch in order to fit these new metal boxes?

Obsolutely, though you may well find that the earths have been cut off
at the point the cable enters the switch. This was a common practise
when the earth was first introduced and not needed.


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Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk