Do I need to earth my shower?

[chunky2006]

Hi,

Could I have some advice please.

I have just replaced my old powershower with the latest Aquastream integral powershower, as the old one was leaking and making a real racket.

I have used the existing hot and cold feeds from my attic. In the attic they are copper with plastic elbows. Plated copper pipes are connected to the elbows and drop through the attic floor into my bathroom, running down the wall to my shower.

However, I had to cut the pipes in my bathroom as I couldn't get them out of the old shower. I then used Speedfit plastic couplings and connected two new lengths of plated copper pipes to the new shower.

My question is, do I need to earth these pipes?

If I do need to earth them what do I need to do? Can I just connect an EC15 clamp to each pipe inside the shower and connect an earth cable from these to the earth cable that supplies the shower? (The mains electric enters the rear of the shower from a transformer in the attic)
Also, as I have now placed a plastic coupling between each run of pipe, do I need to connect the pipe each side with earth cable? Which would be rather unsightly.

Something else I have considered is replacing the plated copper pipes in the shower with plastic ones which connect to the plastic elbows in my attic. Presumably, I wouldn't need to earth them then?

Many thanks

 

[Lectrician]

As you have installed an insulating section of pipe WITHIN the bathroom, you have done yourself a favour, and no supplementary bonding (earthing) is required.

I doubt the rest of your bathroom is bonding to the latest requirements of BS7671, and if altering anything electrical in there, you should upgrade the bonding, and make sure you comply to Part P of the building regs

 

[chunky2006]

That's good news!

Thanks very much for your speedy reply