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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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Chrome Electric Bits
SWMBO wants me to change all the light switch plates and sockets in the
kitchen from White plastic to Chrome. I do not have a problem in doing this but would like some opinions on the following. The earth cables in the wall boxes are all attached to the earth lug in the corner of the boxes. The Chrome plates all have an earth lug on them (lights only). The earth wires are not really long enough to remove from their existing lugs and attach to the plate lugs. With me so far?? My question is, seeing as the wall boxes are all galvanised steel, the plates are Chrome and the 3.5mm screws are metal, can I leave the earth wires alone or do they *have* to be connected to the plates? My feeling is they can be left as incase of a fault developing there will be earth continuity through all the metal bits touching each other. If not I will have to 'choccy block' some more earth wire to the earths in the boxes first. Any opinions or advice greatly received. TIA John |
#2
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Chrome Electric Bits
John presented the following explanation :
My question is, seeing as the wall boxes are all galvanised steel, the plates are Chrome and the 3.5mm screws are metal, can I leave the earth wires alone or do they have to be connected to the plates? My feeling is they can be left as incase of a fault developing there will be earth continuity through all the metal bits touching each other. If not I will have to 'choccy block' some more earth wire to the earths in the boxes first. Any opinions or advice greatly received. You must add an earth wire to the face plate, the screws alone are not considered to be adequate and the plate would not be earthed if it is removed from the wall with the power still on. -- -- Regards, Harry (M1BYT) (L) http://www.ukradioamateur.org |
#3
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Chrome Electric Bits
"John" wrote in message ... SWMBO wants me to change all the light switch plates and sockets in the kitchen from White plastic to Chrome. I do not have a problem in doing this but would like some opinions on the following. The earth cables in the wall boxes are all attached to the earth lug in the corner of the boxes. The Chrome plates all have an earth lug on them (lights only). The earth wires are not really long enough to remove from their existing lugs and attach to the plate lugs. With me so far?? My question is, seeing as the wall boxes are all galvanised steel, the plates are Chrome and the 3.5mm screws are metal, can I leave the earth wires alone or do they *have* to be connected to the plates? My feeling is they can be left as incase of a fault developing there will be earth continuity through all the metal bits touching each other. If not I will have to 'choccy block' some more earth wire to the earths in the boxes first. Any opinions or advice greatly received. Been tackled on a number of occasions in this ng. Bottom line IIRC is that you can rely on the screw if and only if one of the lugs in the back box is NOT adjustable. In any other case (and I would do this even if the above is true) then you have to connect a conductor to the backbox and the earth terminal on the face plate. Just snip off sufficient length from some normal 2.5mm t&e, and strip it of insulation. Use that to make the connection, and the regs also require that this is sheathed with green and yellow insulation sheathing (you can buy this in rolls and it's cheap enough). You also have to sheath the exposed earth conductors from the cables. It's all best practise anyway and even though the regs are not technically a legal requirement there is absolutely no reason not to follow them. -- Richard Sampson email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk |
#4
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Chrome Electric Bits
In article ,
"John" writes: SWMBO wants me to change all the light switch plates and sockets in the kitchen from White plastic to Chrome. I do not have a problem in doing this but would like some opinions on the following. Big warning... someone will have to be employed full time polishing them, or they look awful every time someone touches them and leaves a very visible fingerprint. Ask if SWMBO is up to that task. The brushed finish ones are much better in this respect. The earth cables in the wall boxes are all attached to the earth lug in the corner of the boxes. The Chrome plates all have an earth lug on them (lights only). The earth wires are not really long enough to remove from their existing lugs and attach to the plate lugs. With me so far?? My question is, seeing as the wall boxes are all galvanised steel, the plates are Chrome and the 3.5mm screws are metal, can I leave the earth wires alone or do they *have* to be connected to the plates? My feeling is they can be left as incase of a fault developing there will be earth continuity through all the metal bits touching each other. If not I will have to 'choccy block' some more earth wire to the earths in the boxes first. Any opinions or advice greatly received. Just run another earth from the lug in the back box to the face plate. -- Andrew Gabriel |
#5
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Chrome Electric Bits
"RichardS" noaccess@invalid wrote in message . .. "John" wrote in message ... SWMBO wants me to change all the light switch plates and sockets in the kitchen from White plastic to Chrome. I do not have a problem in doing this but would like some opinions on the following. The earth cables in the wall boxes are all attached to the earth lug in the corner of the boxes. The Chrome plates all have an earth lug on them (lights only). The earth wires are not really long enough to remove from their existing lugs and attach to the plate lugs. With me so far?? My question is, seeing as the wall boxes are all galvanised steel, the plates are Chrome and the 3.5mm screws are metal, can I leave the earth wires alone or do they *have* to be connected to the plates? My feeling is they can be left as incase of a fault developing there will be earth continuity through all the metal bits touching each other. If not I will have to 'choccy block' some more earth wire to the earths in the boxes first. Any opinions or advice greatly received. Been tackled on a number of occasions in this ng. Bottom line IIRC is that you can rely on the screw if and only if one of the lugs in the back box is NOT adjustable. In any other case (and I would do this even if the above is true) then you have to connect a conductor to the backbox and the earth terminal on the face plate. Just snip off sufficient length from some normal 2.5mm t&e, and strip it of insulation. Use that to make the connection, and the regs also require that this is sheathed with green and yellow insulation sheathing (you can buy this in rolls and it's cheap enough). You also have to sheath the exposed earth conductors from the cables. It's all best practise anyway and even though the regs are not technically a legal requirement there is absolutely no reason not to follow them. You only need to use the earth cable (CPC) (sheathed in green/yellow as Richard said) from an appropriate cable. The 1mm earth from either 1mm or 1.5mm ^2 T&E cables will be fine to link the light switches to the earth terminal on the back boxes. On the sockets you need only use the earth core from 2.5mm^2 (ie1.5mm^2) to earth the chrome socket to the back box. If you need to buy some cable to do this, buy a metre of 1.5mm^2 and use the earth cable from this on the lights and strip the insulation off the red or back before earth sleeving and using that for the sockets. -- Adam |
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