Highlight Any Lack of Earthing or Bonding with Electrical Installation Condition

Posted by Trade Facilities Services on February 26th, 2018

When it comes to the electrical wiring of your house, your rental apartment or your business establishment, you should never compromise. It’s prudent to have your structures regularly checked and to secure an Electrical Installation Condition Report or EICR. This report can determine whether the electrical installation of a particular building needs any improvement, repairs, or replacement. It can also reveal any lack of earthing or bonding, which is a reasonably common problem encountered by accredited electricians who conduct EICR.

It’s essential to ensure that your electricals have proper earthing or bonding to prevent electrical shocks and other related issues. In any household, the usual plug consists of a hot, cold, and ground prong. Behind the hot socket is a wire that connects to the circuit panel board.  From the circuit panel, bigger diameter wires connect to the transformer outside the house. The neutral line relates to the breaker panel but not to any circuit breaker. Instead, it is tapped to a metal bar and lined to the same transformer. The transformer, in turn, is connected to the main electricity distribution line. The ground line goes to the panel and connects to another metal bar. This metal bar is attached to the panel case, and the fact is connected to the neutral bar. The same wire also has a line that is connected to the ground, also known as the earthing or ground line.

Any electric device that undergoes a fault in the electrical wiring will transfer the electricity from the metal case to the ground line. Since this path has a low resistance, the high current will trip, and the supply of electricity will be cut off. It will make the electric device safe to touch again. This system is also a form of protection against lightning. When rain and lightning strikes, appliance cases may become charged. If you have adequate ground wiring and bonding, the charge bleeds to the earth and keeps your electric device safe to use.

An EICR is recommended at 10-year intervals for domestic, five years for commercial, residential accommodation and office installations, and three years for industries. Be sure to get your EICR from reputable providers with expert electricians to ensure the safety and protection of your people and equipment.

About the Author

I am James Livingstone the owner of Trade Facilities Services, we provide electrical certificates and electrical testing in London, Essex and Kent at reasonable and fair prices. The company is fully insured, and all electricians are qualified and are members of either NAPIT or the NICEIC. We believe in publishing the correct information for our consumers to ensure they get value for money.