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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> What was under the ivy!! https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1241451288 Message started by eden on May 4^th, 2009, 4:34pm

Title: What was under the ivy!!
Post by eden on May 4^th, 2009, 4:34pm

I live in a small 1870s Victorian mid terrace cottage and the cupboard with the mains electric/gas etc is just inside front wall. I removed all the old ivy from the front of the house as I want it re-painted inc lots of roots and trunks.

1. Under the ivy is 2 thick electric cables in brown although painted over going from my meter inside up to the eaves somewhere. The cable clips have mostly deteriorated. Are these OK just to be left and painted over again?

2. Also there is a newish lookig green cable about 5mm thick which appears to go from a socket on the inside (sited about 300mm above floor level) through the wall and down into the earth below? Is this an earth wire? and if so is it ok now exposed like this? When I bought th ehouse 12 years ago it wasnt earthed and I remember having to have an electrician to do some work.

Also found some exposed gas pipes from fire to gas meter box outside - anyone know if these are ok?

Title: Re: What was under the ivy!!
Post by Zambezi on May 4^th, 2009, 10:26pm

Can you post a picture of the cables going up your wall (to help identify them)? You don't mention how "thick" the cables are? It sounds like you have an overhead TT supply (bit strange for a mid-terraced place?) but the pictures will confirm this. It would also explain why you had no earth when you moved in. It is never ideal for cables to be unsupported if they are running up a wall (or anything else for that matter), so I would recommend getting them clipped or cleated.

The yellow and green cable you mentioned sounds like an earth cable and should be properly connected to an earth rod (large copper spike/rod) that should be banged into the ground.

The gas pipe is not my area but you do see them in some strange places!