bond or no bond?

[tflda29]

Hello,

I have recently fitted a new kitchen to my parents house and am cunfused as to whether i need to earth the kitchn sink or not. The old sink was not bonded and i see to bonding on the visible pipes coming up from beneath the floorboards.

thanks
Trevor

 

[hi-spec plumbing heating]

is it a metal sink ? if not no

 

[JohnD]

recommendations have changed. You used to be required to bond the kitchen sink, now you aren't.

However, the incoming water main must be bonded back to the CU or MET. If the water main happens to come up under the sink, as they often do, it must be bonded (10mm G&Y which is nearly as thick as a pencil) on the house side of the stop-cock

 

[tflda29]

Thanks for replies....yes it is a metal sink......however there is no bonding above the stop cock....could it be that it is bonded below the floor boards as the pipe to the stop cock is copper and not the newer plastic ones.

thanks

 

[JohnD]

if there is no bond to the incoming water main that you can see, you must instal one.

It is not particularly difficult but will involve a bit of crawling about.

10mm G&Y costs about £1 a metre. Clamps (bought individually) somewhere about 50p

the gas main has to be bonded in the same way.

Both on the consumers side of the meter and stop-cock, within 600mm, and before any Tee joint. No joins in the cable (as these might come loose or get undo)

I have simplified a bit, there is more on //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:main_equipotential_bonding

If you can post a pic of your incoming electricity supply; the supplier's fuse; the meter, the consumer unit, and all the cables between them, and any Green and Yellow cables round them, we can tell you more.

Also tell us the route of the water pipe (e.g. does it run under the hall floor before going to the kitchen, or is it buried in the earth or in concrete)

Some installations are not as I have described (especially if you have an old or overhead supply in the country), but this will in most UK houses be correct.