A few first fix questions

[AMEdinburgh]

Is there anyone on line who can advise me with answers to any or all of these questions

1) When we converted and renovated the surgery house in 1996, the then electrician had me earth bond all of the radiators as we were using plastic pipe. Is this still necessary and / or best practice and if so what size conductor is suggested?

2) Similarly he had me bond the metal sinks and tap tails. Is this still necessary and / or best practice and if so what size conductor is suggested?

3) He has a maxim of not having a switch or socket within a metre of the edge of any sink bowl. Is this in the regs, good practice or simply an opinion?

4) I put all of the fans into the rings as a switched fused spur but am wondering whether the new ones could go into the lighting circuits (all fans domestic kitchen or bathroom type) Is there a benefit in terms of spikes and interference with things like laser printers / fax machines plugged into the mains with or without spike arresters? All the circuits will be RCD protected.


All helpful advice gratefully received, thank you.

 

[Spark123]

1) When we converted and renovated the surgery house in 1996, the then electrician had me earth bond all of the radiators as we were using plastic pipe. Is this still necessary and / or best practice and if so what size conductor is suggested?

Why on earth (excuse the pun) did he want to do this? Nope - not a requirement and can make something that is electrically isolated into an extraneous conductive part.

2) Similarly he had me bond the metal sinks and tap tails. Is this still necessary and / or best practice and if so what size conductor is suggested?

Not a requirement for kitchens etc, however it would have been part of the requirement for supplementary bonding in a bathroom at that time

3) He has a maxim of not having a switch or socket within a metre of the edge of any sink bowl. Is this in the regs, good practice or simply an opinion?

Not in the regs, the regs require the accessory to be suitable for the environment where it is installed i.e. if it is going to be splashed then a general accessory isn't suitable. The electricians guide to the building regs advises a distance of 300mm along the horizontal away from the edge of a sink or drainer.

4) I put all of the fans into the rings as a switched fused spur but am wondering whether the new ones could go into the lighting circuits (all fans domestic kitchen or bathroom type) Is there a benefit in terms of spikes and interference with things like laser printers / fax machines plugged into the mains with or without spike arresters? All the circuits will be RCD protected.

The items you install need to be installed to the manufacturers instructions. A lot of fans require a 3A fuse hence even if on a lighting circuit a FCU may need to be installed.
A bog standard spike arrester protects the device from mains spikes, if you have a lightening stike nearby it may blow your expensive items if they don't have any spike protection, they may blow anyway. Don't forget to protect the phone line too!

 

[AMEdinburgh]

Thank you Spark123

1) Should I leave the earth bonding on the existing radiators or remove it?

2) Is it no longer a requirement?

3) Thanks

4) I'll continue to put them on the power ring, I think. I've had a lightening strike and it blew our wee phone exchange with burn marks all over the main circuit board. Fortunately, overnight, as it was a hard wired system.

 

[Spark123]

1) How big a job is it to remove them? Saying that - as they are not there for a purpose then removing them might be a better idea.
2) Supp bonding in bathrooms is no longer required in all instances. Have a peep at //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:supbond17th
4) I mean put a surge arrester on the telephone line as well as the mains leccy as surges can travel up phone wires too

 

[AMEdinburgh]

Thanks again