Bathroom bonding

[essex123456]

I am in the middle if refitting our bathroom, it's just an empty room now and I need to rerun the pipes. When I took the bath and sink out they were fitted with copper pipe that was earth bonded, but having looked this copper was actually connected to plastic pipe, so did it need bonding?

I have read that plastic push fit is now standard for plumbing to taps, so does this have to be earthed? I have read it doesn't.

There is a towel rail, that was plumbed with copper and was not earthed. I gather this does need earthing?

Thanks

 

[terryplumb]

mostly depends on your electrical installation. if you have a modern consumer unit will full RCD protection on ALL circuits you do not need supplementary earth bonding cables in bathroom joining all exposed metal parts

 

[sparkwright]

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[EFLImpudence]

I am in the middle if refitting our bathroom, it's just an empty room now and I need to rerun the pipes. When I took the bath and sink out they were fitted with copper pipe that was earth bonded, but having looked this copper was actually connected to plastic pipe, so did it need bonding?

The plastic could have been fitted more recently than the bonding.
It may be that, with the plastic pipes, the bonding may actually be introducing a hazard.

I have read that plastic push fit is now standard for plumbing to taps, so does this have to be earthed? I have read it doesn't.

Even electrical publications unfortunately state that "plastic pipes do not require bonding" rather than saying that it is not possible to bond plastic. Plastic does not conduct electricity.

There is a towel rail, that was plumbed with copper and was not earthed. I gather this does need earthing?

As said, it depends. It is not a case of "metal pipe - bond it".

As well as the RCD on all circuits of the bathroom and omitting bonding, there are a couple of other conditions which must be met as well - but it is unlikely that they would not be.

 

[John D v2.0]

As above the towel rail needs bonding to the cpc of any electrical accessories entering the room, so that would be the light fitting and maybe fan.
You can omit that completely if you have rcd protection on the bathroom circuit and the installation has passed the tests by an electrician for disconnection and main bonding.

Safest option is to add some plastic pipes into the heating circuit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have read that plastic push fit is now standard for plumbing to taps

Yup.

Standard amongst journeymen plumbers who care for nothing apart from minimising the time and maximising the profit of the jobs they are doing.

You are DIYing - seize the opportunity to do a good job, and stick to copper.

 

[ericmark]

I have read that plastic push fit is now standard for plumbing to taps.

Yes but as with all plastic pipes it should not be neat, plastic expands and contracts more than copper, if it is run like copper then it will pull its self out of the fittings, it needs to snake a bit to allow it to expand and contract, so where it is exposed it is common to return to copper because it looks better.

There is no point in bonding those short lengths.

 

[EFLImpudence]

There is no point in bonding those short lengths.

It would not be bonding (as we mean it); it would be earthing unnecessarily - and then it might require bonding.

 

[ericmark]

It would not be bonding (as we mean it); it would be earthing unnecessarily - and then it might require bonding.

Yes agreed.

 

[essex123456]

Thanks for the replies.

We have a new fuse box with RCD on all circuits. So I'm proposing that I will run plastic for the Sink, Bath and shower water feeds, I could do copper but the feed in looks like it is plastic so I would have to hunt back for meters and meters to make copper sense, none are seen. The toilet is atsying in same place so can just use current feed and waste. Obviously plastic for the traps and wastes. I read that the plastic feeds should have clips fitted for support? Copper for the towel rail.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm proposing that I will run plastic for the Sink, Bath and shower water feeds

You are DIYing - seize the opportunity to do a good job, and stick to copper.

the feed in looks like it is plastic so I would have to hunt back for meters and meters to make copper sense, none are seen.

I don't know what that means.

 

[winston1]

You are DIYing - seize the opportunity to do a good job, and stick to copper.

You need to move into the 21st century. Professional plumbers use plastic these days. It is cheaper and easier and saves the planet's resources of copper. Also don't have to worry about bonding.

Had you been around 80 years ago no doubt you would advising people to stick to lead and avoid this new fangled copper pipe.

 

[mwatsonxx]

Also don't have to worry about bonding.

Until an isolated copper pipe comes into contact with a live wire and kills someone.

And what is a professional plumber?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Until an isolated copper pipe comes into contact with a live wire and kills someone.

Isolated pipes are not considered to be exposed-conductive-parts.



I'm beginning to think you are just a wind-up merchant.

 

[John D v2.0]

Until an isolated copper pipe comes into contact with a live wire and kills someone.

And what is a professional plumber?

Well yes, touching live parts is generally not recommended in an earthy environment. But having earthed metal around is one half of a lethal circuit, so I would suggest minimising the amount of it around.