DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi,
My father-in-law is fitting some new lights in his kitchen (metal) and tells me there is no earth supplied for one of them, he wants to carry on and fit it without using an earth !, please can you supply reasons why this is BAD! as he will not take my word for it, aside from me saying this may be fatal ! I dont know what elae to say? Maybe if he see's some responses from some qualfied sparks he will think again. Ive told him that the earth maybe cut back to the rose and maybe just a case of going back to find it but he just wants to fit the light.

Thanks.

Hi,
don't know how much this will help as some people never listen until it's too late!
Wiring regs BS7671 state all metal fittings MUST be earthed unless they are 'double insulated [[]]' Anyone carrying out an inspection for future sale or rental purposes would have to fail it. If an accident occurred his household insurance would be invalid.
Main point being if a live wire were to melt against hot lampholder, or chafe against side of fitting it would become alive and the first anyone would know about it is when they tried to change a lamp (bulb), how good is he at artificial resuscitation?
The regs now require us if we find such a circuit or part of one, to fit a label at consumer unit stating only all insulated or double insulated fittings to be used, non metal!

good luck,SPARX

[quote="cwvxr"]Hi,
My father-in-law is fitting some new lights in his kitchen (metal) and tells me there is no earth supplied for one of them, he wants to carry on and fit it without using an earth !, please can you supply reasons why this is BAD! as he will not take my word for it, aside from me saying this may be fatal ! I dont know what elae to say? Maybe if he see's some responses from some qualfied sparks he will think again. Ive told him that the earth maybe cut back to the rose and maybe just a case of going back to find it but he just wants to fit the light.

Thanks.[/quote]

CWVXR
Just to back up sparx with his expert advice.
Being self employed as an electrical contracter too , quite recently
one of my customers connected a metal fitting with no earth wire
present ( old wiring ) and accidently trapped a live conductor against the frame of the metal fitting.
on restoring the power he recieved a very nasty electric shock
while puting in the lamp.
The paramedics said he was very lucky , as he was also concussed from the fall off the metal steps.
The customer is fortunately ok now , and i have done remeadial
work to upgrade wiring , but it could have been a different
out come. please follow sparx s advice.
i wish u safe working.

BLAKEY1963

Thanks for the replies guys.
Im not going to let him do this. I couldnt live with myself if anything happened. I will make sure we pull the earth down from the rose/loop in or failing that get my mrs to buy him a class 2 fitting for fathers day :wink: