earth bonding in bathrooms

[securespark]

look here.....http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/bondingbathroom.htm

 

[ban-all-sheds]

"We suggest the use of a specific 6mm earth cable for these connections, which can be reduced to 4mm if the cable is to be placed in an conduit type protective covering"

Wonder why they only "suggest" rather than tell you that it is mandated by the wiring regs?


"The earth bond required to metal parts of a bathroom heater and shower can be very unsightly if taken to their next connection in the line, and it is permissible to connect the earth wires from these directly to the earthed electrical connection from which they are wired"

Wonder why they say "permissible" rather than tell you that it is mandated by the wiring regs?

 

[Big_Spark]

They say that because they don't know any better..bloody amateurs.

 

[erethryn]

I have installed the plumbing to an electric shower, taking the feed from the bath cold water supply, using copper pipe and brass compression fittings. The final inlet on the shower is a plastic pipe.
The shower will be earthed via the 10mm sq T&E cable to the CU.
I assume the new plumbing will be earthed via the pipe I've taken the feed from, so do I need to cross-bond between the earth connection in the shower and the copper pipe where it connects to the plastic shower inlet?

Thanks.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You need to connect the earth of the shower to the rest of the supplementary bonding in the bathroom.

Whether you need to also include the new length of copper pipe in the bonding scheme depends on whether it is accessible, and is also partly a judgement call on how close to it the existing pipework is bonded.

 

[Stod]

Wonder why they only "suggest" rather than tell you that it is mandated by the wiring regs?

I live in a house built in 1968. Nothing is bonded, not the bathroom nor the incoming services. Bonding was only a requirement for PME systems in 1968, so my house complied with the then regulations.

The current regulations do not require me to upgrade my wiring so that it complies with the current regulations.

So if I were to ask if I should bond, the correct answer would be to suggest that I bond.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So if I were to ask if I should bond, the correct answer would be to suggest that I bond.

Indeed.

But having made the decision to go with such a suggestion, and carry out bonding, the manner in which it is done and the sizes of cables used are then covered by the current regs...

 

[securespark]

Indeed.

 

[kendor]

"We suggest the use of a specific 6mm earth cable for these connections, which can be reduced to 4mm if the cable is to be placed in an conduit type protective covering"

Wonder why they only "suggest" rather than tell you that it is mandated by the wiring regs?


"The earth bond required to metal parts of a bathroom heater and shower can be very unsightly if taken to their next connection in the line, and it is permissible to connect the earth wires from these directly to the earthed electrical connection from which they are wired"

Wonder why they say "permissible" rather than tell you that it is mandated by the wiring regs?

The reason they "suggest" is because the regs are NOT mandatory

 

[erethryn]

You need to connect the earth of the shower to the rest of the supplementary bonding in the bathroom.

Whether you need to also include the new length of copper pipe in the bonding scheme depends on whether it is accessible, and is also partly a judgement call on how close to it the existing pipework is bonded.

Hmmm...had a look around my bathroom, and unless it's under the floorboards, there's no supplementary bonding!
Is this possible?
If so I guess this is something else I'll have to do in conjunction with fitting this [place appropriate word here] shower!!

 

[securespark]

You and every other personage with a 60's house. Or indeed any other vintage with inad. supp bond.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

The reason they "suggest" is because the regs are NOT mandatory

Not yet. But in the meantime, it does no harm, generally, to regard them as de facto mandatory, even though they are not de jure mandatory.

I guess what I should have written was "I wonder why they only "suggest" rather than tell you that you must use these sizes if you wish to comply with the wiring regulations"

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Hmmm...had a look around my bathroom, and unless it's under the floorboards, there's no supplementary bonding!
Is this possible?
If so I guess this is something else I'll have to do in conjunction with fitting this [place appropriate word here] shower!!

That would be a reasonable plan of action...