Connecting earth to gas pipe

[Electrifying]

Additionally, and I'm sure some of our resident gas fitters will correct me if I'm wrong, this is from BS 6891 (Quoted, Dingbat )

8.16.4.2 Main equipotential bonding shall be connected:
a) on the customer's side of the meter;
b) as close as practicable to the meter before any branch in the installation pipework;
c) in a position where it is accessible, can be visually observed, and fitted with a warning label stating "Safety electrical connection. Do not remove.";
d) by a mechanically and electrically sound connection which is not subject to corrosion.

'can be visually observed'............. visible??

So I suppose it depends on which set of regs trumps the other set of regs

 

[dingbat]

So I suppose it depends on which set of regs trumps the other set of regs

In matters pertaining to bonding, BS 7671 is the correct reference; ask the gas man. (Actually, better not; tradesmen are universally incapable of reading.)

You might want to read up on the commentary on BS 6891, reg 8.16.4.2, where it states, "For meters in outside boxes/compartments, the bonding connection should be preferably inside the building and as near as practicable to the point of entry of the installlation pipework into the building/

But, accessible and visible are still two different things, with 'visible' not being a requirement of BS 7671, largely because it is meaningless and irrelevant in this context.

 

[dingbat]

...under a floorboard with no ready means of access isn't acceptable

You're quite right. That isn't acceptable.

But under a floorboard, with ready means of access would be. Obviously, you would need to know where to look, but that still doesn't mean the connection has to actually be 'visible'.

 

[JohnD]

what I had in mind was that if you hide the clamp under a floor, above a ceiling, inside a wall etc, it might almost not be there. If no one can see where it is, how can they access it? The day you fit it, you might know which floorboard to lift. Next time, the next person won't.

if it is under the floor, someone is sure to nail down laminate flooring and a carpet, and put built-in furniture on top, so it becomes inaccessible.

An earth-rod pit with an opening cover is not the same, because people can see and open it

 

[ban-all-sheds]

what I had in mind was that if you hide the clamp under a floor, above a ceiling, inside a wall etc, it might almost not be there. If no one can see where it is, how can they access it?

By knowing where it is, and how to access it.

A bit like your girlfriend's wossname. You know where it is, and you know how to access it, but you can't see it for most of the time.

 

[JohnD]

no-one nailed laminate flooring over it while I was away. I saw it this morning so I know where it was then, but I happen to know it's been moved since.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So you can't be sure that it's not had any built-in furniture during that time?

Nor, as much as you might like to see, any carpet munchers involved with it?

We'd better stop with the analogies....

 

[LiamPope]

what I had in mind was that if you hide the clamp under a floor, above a ceiling, inside a wall etc, it might almost not be there. If no one can see where it is, how can they access it? The day you fit it, you might know which floorboard to lift. Next time, the next person won't.

if it is under the floor, someone is sure to nail down laminate flooring and a carpet, and put built-in furniture on top, so it becomes inaccessible.

An earth-rod pit with an opening cover is not the same, because people can see and open it

But as in other situations, you are not required to idiot-proof against future stupidity. If somebody covers up a nice inspection hatch with laminate flooring/built in furniture, it's their own stupid fault. Come inspection time, it wont exactly take Sherlock Holmes to locate the external meter then work out where the earth clamp might be.

 

[JohnD]

so if you're the one who hides it under an anonymous floorboard, with no inspection hatch...

 

[MalcofArabia]

Or you could note on the EIC where you have "Hidden" the connection to make it Accessible.

If you put it under the floor boards though do you then have to make a flap or lid to class it as accessible or just screwing the boards down still class it as accessible?

 

[dingodeano]

If they are that close together, 1 hour labour + a few parts (which would be less than £5). .

Test and verifiy connection. Go home type a E.I.C. . Notifiy council of work. Return to customer / post copy of E.I.C. .

The electricians price is his price. If your not happy shop around i would be charging you half a day.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Alternatively test & verify, print off MEIWC there and then using a laptop and portable printer - job done, no more things to do later, and don't notify the council.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I wonder, if there was a poll concerning your sarcastic response here:

The bonding connection has to be accessible and visible.

Visible? Really? Please tell me where it says that?

Yeh quite right, its much better to hide the connection beneath floor boards so no one will know where it is and it can never be inspected. Where would we be without you dingbat.

how many people would think that you were indicating agreement with JohnD and disagreement with dingbat?

But we can put all speculation etc to bed if you're prepared to answer a simple question.

Do you believe that the bonding connection has to be accessible and visible?

 

[Corgigrouch]

Fancy name for a quarter turn ball valve with a yellow handle?

Ah, but they are not all ball valves and they don't all have yellow handles.... But it is an ECV.

Where as it is unreasonable to try to anticipate a house owners every future action, it is not unreasonable to expect that they may lay flooring of some description on top of the floor boards. Is it really too much like hard work for some of you to provide your customer with bonding in an easilly accesible position?