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Old (1930's) Metal back box with no earth replacing plastic with brass switch plate
Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.26 PM
On metal back box there is no evidence of earth and no earth wire with live & neutral sheathed feed. I want to replace plastic plate with brass which has an earth connection. Can I connect earth wire to back box to make it safe? Some forums seem to indicate that the metal back box acts as the earth (?) Or do I need rewiring to earth back box or cable back to fuse box? Thanks!
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4 Answers
DEACON ELECTRICAL SERVICES
Rating: 5 out of 5
Don’t put it on at all. No earth wire no metal switch.
Answered1 September 2019
2
Electrical Safety Services
Rating: 5 out of 5
The cables are pre 1967 and are life expired. For your own safety do nor fit a brass switch. Either leave the switch as a plastic one or get the lighting circuit rewired.
Answered1 September 2019
0
RMD Electrical & Renewables
Rating: 5 out of 5
if you have no cpc within the wiring it could of been provided by metal conduit depending on age of system, a metal back box alone is not an earth and the only way to establish whether there is is to have it tested, if there is no earth then you cannot have metal light switches and you will likely find the same for the light fittings which also shouldn’t be metal class 1
Answered2 September 2019
0
Anonymous user
If there is no earth wire in your lighting circuit the cables will be quite old and there won’t be RCD protection either. My suggestion would be to spend your money having some live saving upgrades to your electrics rather than spending it on cosmetics which would actually make it more dangerous.
Answered3 September 2019
0