Earth bonding for bathroom

[chriselevate]

Hi,

I've got the floorboards up in my bathroom and I've noticed that the towel radiator, taps and toilet filler isn't earth bonded.

I've got some earthing straps in order to do the job but what guage flex do I need? Is it 4mm yellow and green cable I need?

Also where's best to take it from? I've got access to my shower bodning cable, can I connect all of them to this or does it need doing differently?

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

supplementary bonding is not always needed in bathrooms but that will depend on certain requirements being in place.
but general rule is 4.00mm csa of bonding conductor (green & yellow cable) between extraneous parts (thats metal work you can become directly in contact with) plastic pipes don't need bonding.
If your connection is through shower if the protective conductor on the shower circuit is greater than 10mm csa then the supp bonding conductor should be at least half the size of it but unlikely to be a factor, but thought it worth a mention

 

[seasickstevie]

if the protective conductor on the shower circuit is greater than 10mm

That would be a big shower!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

if the protective conductor on the shower circuit is greater than 10mm

That would be a big shower!

reference methods, correction factors you never know
Thought it worth mentioning and see what response it got

 

[Taylortwocities]

Just an add-on.
The BS951 straps, etc have screwed terminals and must be accessible so you should not bond the pipes under the floor.

It is sometimes more convenient to bond in an adjacent airing cupboard but will depend on yr environment.

There is info on bonding in the WIKI. See click me

 

[dizz]

Another bathroom earth bonding question !!!! (sorry).

Look I have ripped out a bathroom in a flat.

I have installed new radiators in all rooms in plastic except for a short piece above floorboard level.

1. The new bath instructions says it need to be bonded, but as I have plastic everywhere is this the case?

2. If it does need to be bonded, can I run 10mm from the bath to an existing bonded pipe in the kitchen?

3. In the kitchen (where the Combi has been installed), I have about 1.5m of metal pipe before we go plastic under the boards to the flow and return, but the cold and hot have been soldered to the existing (metal) pipes. What is the recommendation here?

Cheers.

 

[dizz]

Anyone have an idea on this?

Does the bath need bonding?

 

[flameport]

Does the bath need bonding?

No. It isn't an extraneous conductive part.

 

[dizz]

Cheers flameport.

Is this the same for the flow and return in the kitchen - I have about a metre and half before we go plastic.

The hot and cold were already bonded - I have had a gas boiler fitted and there is a "spare bit" of unbroken earth which will reach to the gas pipe - can I ask sparky to just attach it to the gas pipe, and will I be done.

I have to get someone in to replace the consumer unit and I don't want to get ripped off (i.e. sparky suggesting he needs to spend loads of time under the floorboards to bond a bath that doesn't need it ... )

 

[flameport]

There is no requirement for supplementary bonding in a kitchen, even if all the pipes are metal. No need to bond boilers, pipes connected to boilers, metal sinks or radiators.

You will need main bonding from the consumer unit to the incoming gas and water pipes. This must be checked and replaced as required when/before the new consumer unit is fitted.

 

[dizz]

Thanks for that. Just about to install the kitchen units, so will leave earth wire available to bond to the gas pipe.

Finally (sorry). Got myself confused about the bath. While all my new pipework (the radiators) were done in plastic, I connected the bath to the old hot and cold copper pipes. So we have about 1/2 metre of copper above the floorboards connected to the bath taps and metal bath. Below floorboard level I have connected to about 1/2 metre of plastic which then connects to the original copper pipes. Will he have to bond the bath now?

 

[dizz]

This is an interesting document.

http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/EarthingPlasticPipes.pdf

Page 3 says "metal baths do not need to be bonded if all pipe connected to them already are" (NOTE 3) ... well my hot and cold pipes are bonded in the kitchen, they run under the floor to the bathroom to the new plastic before returning to copper again ... am i ok .. i think i might be?

 

[dizz]

Just had a look at the 10mm earth wire in the kitchen, and I notice that the wire connecting the hot and cold pipes is not "unbroken". Was it always a requirement to have an unbroken earth (the flat was built in the 80's) and would it require replacing (i.e. is it dangerous)?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Why don't you read and remember the responses that you get to your questions?

There is no requirement for supplementary bonding in a kitchen, even if all the pipes are metal. .

You even thanked him for the useful post

 

[dizz]

... and he goes on and says :

"You will need main bonding from the consumer unit to the incoming gas and water pipes."

... this is the bonding i am talking about.