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Earthing Systems in Málaga

Earthing is the most important safety feature of your electrical installation. We install, test and repair earthing systems for homes and businesses.

What is Earthing?

If you have moved to Spain from the UK or elsewhere, you may have heard the term earthing (or grounding) but not fully understood what it means. Simply put, earthing provides a safe path for electricity to flow into the ground if something goes wrong — such as a fault in an appliance or a damaged cable.

Without proper earthing, you become the path for that electricity. This is how electric shocks occur. Earthing works together with the RCD (diferencial) in your consumer unit: the RCD detects the leakage current flowing to earth and cuts the power in milliseconds.

A good earthing system is not optional — it is the foundation of electrical safety in your home. Without it, even an RCD cannot protect you reliably.

Signs of Poor Earthing

Many older buildings in Málaga — particularly those built in the 1960s-80s — have inadequate or deteriorated earthing systems. Here are the warning signs:

Tingling from Appliances

If you feel a slight tingle or shock when touching a washing machine, dishwasher, oven or other metal-cased appliance, it is likely a sign that the appliance has a fault and the earthing is not dissipating the leakage current properly.

RCD Keeps Tripping

While an RCD tripping can have many causes, persistent nuisance tripping is often linked to poor earthing. The leakage current has nowhere to go safely, causing the RCD to detect imbalances and cut the power.

Tingling from Taps or Pipes

If you feel a tingle when touching metal taps or exposed pipes, it could mean that the equipotential bonding is missing or that the earthing system is not functioning correctly. This needs urgent attention.

High Earth Resistance Readings

During an electrical inspection, the earth resistance is measured. If the reading is too high, the earthing system cannot safely dissipate fault currents. This is common in older installations and dry or rocky ground conditions.

Our Services

Earthing Services We Provide

  • Earth resistance testing and measurement
  • Earth rod installation
  • Equipotential bonding
  • Earthing system upgrades
  • REBT compliance assessment
  • Official certification

Why It Matters in Málaga

Many older apartment buildings in Málaga were built during the construction boom of the 1960s-80s with minimal or no earthing. Over the decades, connections corrode — especially in coastal areas where salt air accelerates deterioration.

With the increasing adoption of solar panels and EV chargers, having a solid earthing system is more important than ever. These systems generate DC currents and require reliable earthing to operate safely.

If your RCD keeps tripping, it could be related to earthing issues. Read our blog post: RCD keeps tripping in Spain — what to do

Frequently Asked Questions

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