Can I bond to an external gas meter

[Norv]

Is it ok to bond to a external gas meter which is in a meter box using the clamps to BS951 (on the consumers side)

 

[JohnD]

you can. It is quite common to bond to the pipe inside the house where it comes through the wall behind the meter box, though. Is that not accessible?

 

[Norv]

The meter box is on the side of my house. About 150mm out the meter the pipe splits, one pipe carries on down the side of the house & goes in through the wall where the oven is on the other side & the other pipe goes up the wall & goes in under the floorboards in one of the bedrooms which then carries on to the combi.

 

[giblets]

From a gas regs point of view the earth bonding should be applied on the outlet pipework from the meter within 600mm but before any branch/tee.

 

[ColJack]

From the electrical side, it should be bonded where it enters the equipotential zone ( ie the house ).
within 600mm of the meter or where it enters..

you will have to run 2 MEB's to the 2 points where it enters the house..

EDIT:

Regulation 547-02-02..

The main equipotential bonding conductor to any gas, water or other service shall be made as near as practicable to the point of entry of that service into the premises.
Where there is an insulating section or insert at that point, or there is a meter, the connection shall be made to the consumers hard metal pipework and before any branch pipework.
Where practicable the connection shall be made within 600mm of the meter outlet union or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external.

this tells us that it has to be where it enters the house, or within 600mm of the meter or stop tap where we can..

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If i'm talking rubbish it's because I'm ****ed...

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[Norv]

If I bonded it where it entered the house it would be under the floorboards & not visible for inspetion, so I'll have to do it in the meter box. I cant see anything in the regs saying "The connection cant be made externally"

Cheers

 

[giblets]

Surely best to fit bonding point in the meter box to protect it from the elements.

 

[Paul Barker]

yes meter box

 

[sparkydude]

Ignore ColJAck he is not thinking clearly. If you bond it in the meter box BEFORE any T or branch then you have satisfied the regulations. You do not need 2 Earthing conductors to the two points as it enters the house unless they are made with plastic gas pipe as opposed to copper soldered joints.
Nick

 

[ColJack]

Where practicable the connection shall be made within 600mm of the meter outlet union or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external

ok, so what part of the highlighted text in the regulation do you lot not understand..?

you must bond inside the premises, not external to them..

if not then you are extending your equipotential zone to the great outdoors..

 

[sparkydude]

Where Practicable is the phrase, where your gas pipe tees off to two lcoations just after the meter then sureley it makes sense to bond it in the gas meter box. Running two Main bonds to the two points of entry is just a waste of time and money. bond it in the gas meter box and be done with it. Just do not run the earth cable through the same sleeve as the gas pipe enters the property, drill your own hole and seal around it with putty or mastic afterwards.

Nick

 

[ColJack]

see, this is why the regs are pretty much no help..

everyone has their own slant on what a regulation says..

there is no definitive "do this, do that, don't do tho other.."

its written in leagalese.. designed to be purpousfully vague...

 

[Norv]

Agree with you there ColJack, but I suppose thats what a forums all about, finding out how people do things & then doing it a totally different way.....