DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi,
I wonder if someone can give me some advice about replacing old plastic light pendants & switchs for chrome one's, there are no earth wire's behind lights or switchs, my house was built in 60's and the lighting circuit is run in metal conduit.I replaced plastic sockets to chrome and there was a fly earth at the back of them from there metal back box.
Could i connect fly earths to light fittings & switchs from there metal back boxes in the same way as sockets are done.
Or will i have to call out electrician
Thanks in advance for any advice given.

There is only one way to find out if things are earthed and that's to test for it. No amount of debate will give an answer. There are different levels of testing. A plug in mantindale tester will show you have something but really only any good at showing the wires are right way around. An earth loop impedance tester will give a very reliable result. The problem with all old houses is what has been added or removed throughout the years. And when I first started as an electrician we had very few test instruments we thought we were bee's knees if we had a "Mega" (Installation Tester) so even where alterations were done by electricians there are no guarantees. Around the 1990's when the IEE regulations became a British Standard was when we started to see more inspection and testing and even today you will meet the old electrician who thinks inspection and testing is only for houses where there may be some DIY work and he is an industrial electrician and doesn't need it. So only answer it to test it. And unless you have some formal training that means calling an electrician. Ones trained to inspect and test will normally hold an City & Guilds 2391.