Metal plate to protect earth bonding cable

f0rmula · 6 Jun 2013

I’m going to have to run the water supply earth bonding along the safe zone along the bottom of a wall in the kitchen. The wall is a brick wall, dry lined, with approx. 1.5” thick battens. I really don’t like having to use this bit of the safe zone (especially for earth bonding) so I’m looking to put some metal plates over where the cable passes through the battens/studwork to prevent me drilling the cable in the future.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Necessities~Cable_Protection/

Does anyone think BCO would fail a first fix inspection because of this? I don’t think it contravenes any regulations.

Thanks guys.

Taylortwocities · 6 Jun 2013

The bottom of the wall is NOT a safe zone.

Run the cable along the same route as other cables that are in a safe zone.

PS In general, Safeplates do not provide the required level of protection. You would need earthed steel conduit to do this.

f0rmula · 6 Jun 2013

Taylortwocities said:
The bottom of the wall is NOT a safe zone.

Run the cable along the same route as other cables that are in a safe zone.

PS In general, Safeplates do not provide the required level of protection. You would need earthed steel conduit to do this.

Oh cripes. You're right. Sorry. I've seen wiring behind skirtings previously, and just though it was legit. I assumed the 150mm applied to the bottom, as well as the edges of all walls. Thanks a lot.

Taylortwocities · 6 Jun 2013

The bottom of the wall is probably the worst place.
That is where the 2nd fix chippy will be banging in 3" clasp nails to hold on the skirting.

f0rmula · 6 Jun 2013

Taylortwocities said:
The bottom of the wall is probably the worst place.
That is where the 2nd fix chippy will be banging in 3" clasp nails to hold on the skirting.

Absolutely. That's why I was wary about putting anything in that safe zone... which, as it turns out, is not a safe zone for probably that reason.

That said, I now I have absolutely no idea how to I can get this earth bonding to the incoming water pipe. Solid floor, with the stairs preventing me using the safe zone to the top of the wall. :-/

(I’ve checked, and the top is definitely a safe zone

)

ban-all-sheds · 6 Jun 2013

f0rmula said:
I’m going to have to run the water supply earth bonding along the safe zone along the bottom of a wall in the kitchen.

Where does it currently run?

f0rmula · 6 Jun 2013

ban-all-sheds said:
f0rmula said:

I’m going to have to run the water supply earth bonding along the safe zone along the bottom of a wall in the kitchen.

Click to expand...

Where does it currently run?

Good question. It doesn't.

Taylortwocities · 7 Jun 2013

Post a drawing of the layout, we can probably help.
Nothing is impossible.....given time, money and some thought....

Lectrician · 7 Jun 2013

Taylortwocities said:
The bottom of the wall is NOT a safe zone.

Run the cable along the same route as other cables that are in a safe zone.

PS In general, Safeplates do not provide the required level of protection. You would need earthed steel conduit to do this.

Those steel plates will prevent a nail, and could be used without being earthed as comply with this: "be mechanically protected against damage sufficient to prevent penetration of the cable by nails, screws and
the like,"

They were intended to be used over joists to protect notches, and to placed on the reverse side of stud walls on drilled noggins prior to the 17th edition when the zones "came through the wall" from the other side.[/b][/i]

f0rmula · 7 Jun 2013

Taylortwocities said:
Post a drawing of the layout, we can probably help.
Nothing is impossible.....given time, money and some thought....

Thanks for the encouraging words. I should probably have just put pictures up at the beginning.

Here's the run in question. I was planning to have the earth bonding enter from the cellar, through the side of the door architrave, then run along the bottom of the wall, but that's not going to happen now

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f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

Here's a couple of shots from my sketchup of the kitchen. It's a semi, and our neighbours are on the other wide of long wall at the back/left. The door from the cellar is under the staircase, the cellar stairs running beneath the main staircase.

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f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

Here's a shot with a bit of wall which we were thinking about removing for a kitchen extension where you can see a bit more of the wall.

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f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

The water enters this corner of the kitchen.

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f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

Tucked away behind the dishwasher, but you get the idea.

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f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

I need to get the earth bonding across from this corner of the room, probably.

Untitled

f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

I can't have it enter the top of the wall, as that's where the stairs are. I wonder about running it in, up to the safe zone at the top, along the top, then down again, but that'll involve pretty much destroying the kitchen

Untitled

f0rmula
7 Jun 2013
1

I'm wondering about running it round the outside of the house, underneath the gas meter (the box on the wall in the 1st sketchup picture) and in again, but I'm not sure if that's allowed. It'll also look quite sh.it.

ban-all-sheds · 7 Jun 2013

f0rmula said:
I'm wondering about running it round the outside of the house, underneath the gas meter (the box on the wall in the 1st sketchup picture) and in again,

Where's the CU?

Could you put the CU and water entry positions on the model, and post the .skp on a file sharing site?

but I'm not sure if that's allowed. It'll also look quite sh.it.

It's allowed, and you could put it in conduit to improve the appearance.

bernardgreen · 7 Jun 2013

How far does the cellar extend. ? Could the bonding cable go down into the cellar and then run exposed and visible ( ie safe from damage ) along the cellar ceiling and back up at or closer to the CU ?

JohnW2 · 7 Jun 2013

Just to throw a cat in amongst these pigeons (and this is a genuine, not rhetorical, question) do the requirements for cables to be in safe zones (or otherwise protected) actually extend to bonding cables?

Kind Regards, John

mfarrow · 7 Jun 2013

JohnW2 said:
do the requirements for cables to be in safe zones (or otherwise protected) actually extend to bonding cables?

The regulations don't say they don't.

I'd look at 3mm steel strip rather than a series of safeplates, to give you mechanical protection. £10 should get you a 12ft length of 40mm wide in black steel.

Taylortwocities · 7 Jun 2013

Cheaper/better to get some lengths of steel conduit and joints and sink it in teh wall.

diynot

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Metal plate to protect earth bonding cable

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