Garage earth

[Last plumber]

Good afternoon, I'm new here, as some know, I'm from the other side, ( plumbers forum ).
I've had a couple of different opinions on this from three very experienced electrical engineers.
I've read regs but curious on whether you agree and what you think is safest way of doing this or how you would do it if it were your own property.

Supply to garage runs from RCBO in house consumer unit through the house in twin and earth.
Supply is PME.
It changes to SWA before exiting the house and runs 20 meters up the garden to the garage.
The garage has a steel door.
The question is, is it safer to use the earthing from the SWA ( house earth) or is it safer to use an earth rod and separate earthing system.

 

[Pete999]

Does your garage have any other services, gas, water etc? if so you need to consider a bonding conductor as well

 

[Bobster]

Any extraneous metal in the garage?

Perfectly fine using the armor as the earth if not.

Earth rod will not do any harm, but getting a resistance low enough (Ra) to be useful isn't particularly easy.

 

[Barry White]

It is safer to use the PME earth. The problem is if there are extraneous conductive parts in the garage (water or gas services usually) they require bonding back to the met with a 10mm csa or equivalent armourings may comply depending on cable size .
The steel door is not usually extraneous.

 

[Last plumber]

I did wonder about the door, if it's not classed as extraneous that's fine. Thank you.

There are no other extraneous parts at the moment.
I think in future ( and this is part of the five year plan as my mrs calls it, sarcastically), there may be a storage tank ( rainwater) with a pump housed inside the garage and an outside tap.

To be honest I was going to use the earth supplied from house. In my mind it was the safest way. It is supplied from an RCBO too so I didn't contemplate another way until a commercial spark said it was a no no !

 

[Last plumber]

If the pump and tap would create a head ache in future, it can be struck off the five year plan

 

[Barry White]

If the pump and tap would create a head ache in future, it can be struck off the five year plan

Dont you now use plastic? ??? plastic guttering plastic tank plastic pipes dont see how they could ever be a problem unless they LEAK

 

[telectrix]

Dont you now use plastic? ??? plastic guttering plastic tank plastic pipes dont see how they could ever be a problem unless they LEAK

he's a plumber. they're bound to leak.

 

[Barry White]

The word Plumber comes from the Latin PLUMBUM why it changed to Plumber i dont know as the original was more realistic !
Wont be long before they are known as plastic surgeons

 

[Spoon]

If you want to future proof your garage you could always add the following along with the power cable.

Ethernet cable.
Alarm cable.
Phone cable.
TV signal cable.

 

[ruston]

In your situation I too would go with the PME earthing . If you have to add a tank etc , do as Mykey says and use plastic. A nice sturdy narrow oil tank would suffice for that. The rest of non conductive plumbing stuff you will be well aware of.
As a matter of interest what were you recommended to do . Keep it clean

 

[Last plumber]

FYI , all of you !
I don't use plastic unless it's absolutely necessar. That's because it's crud !

You've all been very helpful, thank you. I knew however, that it would turn to this, pathetic immature behaviour !

There's enough on the other side. I thought over here I'd find intellectual conversation, alas ''twas not to be

 

[ruston]

Lol , I know what you mean about plastic, but you could relent on this occasion.
are you not going to tell us what you were advised regarding earthing?

 

[Last plumber]

In your situation I too would go with the PME earthing . If you have to add a tank etc , do as Mykey says and use plastic. A nice sturdy narrow oil tank would suffice for that. The rest of non conductive plumbing stuff you will be well aware of.
As a matter of interest what were you recommended to do . Keep it clean

I was recommended to:-
Terminate the SWA in a box ( plastic)
Continue through into another box with just L + N
Install an earth rod
Connect all earths in garage to that rod
Test the earth resistance through the ground.

I see the aim but I didn't think it was as safe as how I was going to do it

I know if you lost your incoming neutral you in effect have lost earth too in theory but how likely is that ?
Is it not more likely that your earth rod will be a poorer earth during the devastatingly long hot summers of Lancashire ?

 

[ruston]

Yes unlikely but possible.
If it did happen you could hope that what was left of the pme neutral bond to earth is still better that your rod.

I know that went haywire , but I could not get rid of them.

 

[Pat H]

I'd run the SWA as 3 core with it's own earth core as well as the SWA steel earthed. I can't see a local earth rod would be a problem and adds an extra bit of protection but the chance of a lose of your earth is very slim.

 

[Pat H]

What CSA is the SWA you've run? Just curious what volt drop you may get.

 

[Barry White]

FYI , all of you !
I don't use plastic unless it's absolutely necessar. That's because it's crud !

You've all been very helpful, thank you. I knew however, that it would turn to this, pathetic immature behaviour !

There's enough on the other side. I thought over here I'd find intellectual conversation, alas ''twas not to be

 

[Last plumber]

What CSA is the SWA you've run? Just curious what volt drop you may get.

I'll look this weekend and let you know, it was four years ago I ran it. Just left garage end in a submarine.

 

[Bobster]

I was recommended to:-
Terminate the SWA in a box ( plastic)
Continue through into another box with just L + N
Install an earth rod
Connect all earths in garage to that rod
Test the earth resistance through the ground.

I see the aim but I didn't think it was as safe as how I was going to do it

I know if you lost your incoming neutral you in effect have lost earth too in theory but how likely is that ?
Is it not more likely that your earth rod will be a poorer earth during the devastatingly long hot summers of Lancashire ?

What part of Lancashire are you talking about, all it does where I live is bloody rain!