This is why EICRs are about more than just whether the electrics work…
This is something I occasionally come across when carrying out EICRs in Banbury, particularly in older blocks of flats around areas such as Alma Road.
The supply to the consumer unit is run in armoured cable (SWA), with one of the cores being used as the main earth.
The problem? 👀
The earth conductor was too large to fit properly into the terminal, so instead of using a suitable termination method, some of the copper strands had simply been cut away to make it fit.
The installation may appear to work perfectly normally — but the earth is there for when something goes wrong.
Reducing the size of the earthing conductor can:
⚠️ Increase the resistance of the fault path
⚠️ Reduce the amount of fault current that can flow
⚠️ Potentially affect how quickly protective devices disconnect
⚠️ Cause additional heating at the termination in the event of a fault
⚠️ Reduce the effectiveness of the protective earthing arrangement
It’s exactly the sort of issue a homeowner or landlord would probably never know was there until the installation was properly inspected.
At L J Mullan Electrical, we carry out Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) throughout Banbury and the surrounding villages, checking the condition and safety of the electrical installation — not simply whether everything switches on.
📍 Local Banbury electrician
🔎 EICRs & electrical fault finding
🏠 Domestic electrical work
To enquire about an EICR in Banbury, get in touch today!
