Electrical installation certificates

[JohnW2]

If your question was actual in regards to plastic pipework rather than copper. Plastic is an insulation material and will create a barrier between any potential electrical contact between the voltage and the water contained within the pipework, should an electrical fault occur.

As I suggested last night, I would guess that he probably did mean plastic pipe, and that he was asking the 'standard question' as to whether, say, metal taps supplied by plastic pipe need supplementany bonding (if conditions for omiting it are not satisfied) because of the water within the pipe.

The standard answer to this standard question appears to be 'no' - i.e. that the water in the pipe is not considered to have adequate conductivity to require the tap (or whatever) to be treated as an extraneous-conductive-part.

Kind Regards, John

 

[SparkyTris]

could fresh (I suppose it would have to be properly deionised) water flowing through a plastic pipe develop a static charge on the plastic pipe?
not really relevant to the thread, sorry.

 

[wayneward25]

sorry what I meant was copper pipework that was "floating" then went to plastci but wasnt directly connected to earth other than through the water

 

[JohnW2]

sorry what I meant was copper pipework that was "floating" then went to plastci but wasnt directly connected to earth other than through the water

Same answer as above.

Kind Regards, John

 

[wayneward25]

so presuming any circuits that were near to the pipework or radiator, towel warmer etc were rcd protected and the trip times and earth tests were ok no supplementary bonding would be needed? or it wouldnt matter because it wouldnt be conductive anyway?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If you satisfy the requirements of 701.415.2 iv,v vi, then yes.

 

[JohnW2]

If you satisfy the requirements of 701.415.2 iv,v vi, then yes.

As I see it, in the situation the OP is postulating (as I understand it, a bit of copper pipe in bathroom, fed by plastic pipe), then I think it's a bit more commplicated than that...

(1) If one decides that the copper pipe is not an extraneous-conductive-part, then it obviously does not need to be supplementary bonded, regardless of anything else (e.g. even if there's no RCD).

(2) If one decides (for whatever reason!) that it is an extraneous-conductive-part, then the chances are that (because of the plastic feed pipe) 701.455.2(vi) would not be satisfied - in which case you probably would need supplementary bonding even if there were an RCD and satisfactory ADS.

Kind Regards, John

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

So then some assessment is needed, or belt/braces are required.

 

[JohnW2]

So then some assessment is needed, or belt/braces are required.

Exactly, since it's not totally straightforward.

Kind Regards, John