Bonding a Chrome Towel Rail

[moby_wan]

Hi,

Just bought a Chrome Towel Rail/ Radiator, I realise all metal work in the bathroom needs supplementary bonding, but will attaching the earth clamps to the copper heating pipes under the floorboards be sufficient to earth the radiator or does the body of the radiator need its own clamp attached??

There are no plastic parts between the pipework and the radiator to break the continuity, (unless there is something in a thermostatic valve that would break the continuity)

I realise the the clamps need to be accessable for inspection, but the pipes will be recessed into a block wall so under the floor is the closest I will be able to get unless I attach it to the radiator itself, something I do not want to do.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tim-spam]

If the pipework leading to the towel rail was plastic, there would be no need to bond it. I guess that if you cut a length out of the copper pipes under the floor and put in sections of plastic pipe, that would solve your problem. All of the upstairs plumbing at my house is plastic, with only the visible parts being copper - I used tectite fittings, as these work extremely well on both copper and plastic.

 

[moby_wan]

Thanks!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I guess that if you cut a length out of the copper pipes under the floor and put in sections of plastic pipe, that would solve your problem.

How long a length would you suggest?

 

[moby_wan]

Could I just use a speedfit pushfit elbow joint somewhere below the floorboards on both the pipes going to and coming from the radiator, I know that they definately break any earth continuity on a pipe run!! This would have the same effect as changing some of the pipe run to plastic wouldnt it??

Only asking because I have a couple of elbows floating around my tool box which would be ideal!

 

[plugwash]

putting in a short length of plastic pipe is a bad move, it means you end up with no solid connection but no real isolation either (you need at least a couple of meters for good isolaton preferablly more)

all you need to do is bond the metal pipes that enter the bathroom. There is no need to bond all the stuff thats connected to them.

 

[moby_wan]

Thanks for that!

My problem was originally where to place the clamp for the bonding, as apparently they need to be accessible for future inspection and testing.

Laminate flooring is going down in the bathroom, which i don't fancy taking up in the future to access them.

The clamps for the hot and cold water supplies to the sink, shower and cold to the toilet cistern will all be easily accessible, does it really matter if the clamps for the radiator supply pipes are hidden under the floor with no easy access, as they will all be linked by the earthing cable anyway!

 

[JohnD]

You can do the bonding just outside the bathroom, e.g. in an adjacent airing cupboard

 

[tim-spam]

If you go down the 'length of plastic pipe' route, 2 metres should be plenty. The problem with the bonding clamps is that they are made out of a different metal from the pipes, and in an area prone to condensation (like a bathroom), you will get bimetallic corrosion and deterioration. This is why it is essential that they remain accessible for inspection. Now, if you were to solder the wire to the pipes.............?

 

[plugwash]

yep afaict soldered joints to pipes are not required to be accessible for inspection

has anyone here ever tried soldering to a pipe and if so how hard is it (i'd imagine it would at the very least require draining the pipe first)