Earth bonding questain

[MrA]

hi all,
I have very little earth bonding in my home and wanted to add some more to the pipes, can i connect this to the existing earth bonding cable, or must i go back to the consumer unit,
also, how would i find out how to add a earth bonding block to the main fuse block (where the electric comes into my home)
thanks in advance for your help

 

[baldelectrician]

you need to have it checked by someone compotent - you might have a pme(tnc-s) system, which makes good bonding more important

 

[MrA]

its a TN-S system, whats the differance ??

 

[pdcelec]

See BS7671 and all will become clear

 

[sparkybird]

Bonding isn't all that technical or dangerous and I can't see any harm in over bonding!

Not sure why you want more - depends on what you already have.

You need main bonding to incoming water and gas (back to main earth terminal), plus supplementary (in the bathroom, although debates rage about this). To be on the extra safe side I normally do hot, cold pipes on bath and basin, plus the bath if metal and one of the radiator pipes. This should all be continuous and be tied into eg the light fitting cpc. It doesn't need to go back to the board.

You can buy main earth blocks for about a fiver if you can't get all the main bonding into the board.

You should only need to do your main bonding once unless you know that your gas/water pipes are not continuous (eg part plastic or part goes 'back' into the ground)

Hope this is helpful
SB

 

[Gary0]

It's about whether a seperate earth is used and starred back at the terminal.

Earth problems can be a swine to find if you create one. But I think, in your shoes, I'd give it a go and see if it worked. Call someone in if your RCDs keep tripping out

----

Or check the diagrams here !

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Remember that installing or upgrading main or supplementary bonding in a kitchen or the zones of a bathroom is notifiable....

 

[MrA]

Thanks, that was all very helpfull,
exactly what i wanted to know, cheers

 

[dingbat]

Thanks, that was all very helpfull,
exactly what i wanted to know, cheers

With respect, MrA, you did ask a rather vague question about a subject that not many fully understand. From another post of yours about no earths in your lighting, you mention a friend who is a registered electrician. Why did you not ask him exactly what you need to do?

If you do prefer to find out for yourself, I suggest you start by reading this:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.1.1.htm

and, in particular, this:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/5.4.3.htm

I sincerely hope that helps.

 

[MrA]

Yes, it helps a lot, thanks,
My problem is my friend, (well sort of, it seems the favors are a bit one way at the moment) is now on holiday.
He did a report on my flat for me, £140.00 He said it was cheap.
And £500.00 to rectify the faults,
Most of them I can understand, and rectify myself, but some I am not quite sure about,
Some examples would be,

1. Change bathroom light fitting for IPX4 light fitting, (would this be just one)??
2. investigate earth fault on light circuits/fix/advise
3. install supplementary earth bonding to immersion pipes
4. install RCD supplementary earth fault protection for stuff outside equipotential zone
5. install phase conductor identification at light and switch points

The main observations sheet says

“Unable to get any earth loop reading for any lights”
And “main equipotential bonding to gas and water not visible”
And “supplementary bonding to immersion not visible”
And “supplementary bonding to bathroom pipes not visible”

As well as some other miner things like changing pull cord switches and earthing all switch and socket back plates/metal boxes,

I have had a good look around where the boiler is, and I found a (one) earthing strap under the lagging, on top of the boiler, but that was it, there doesn’t seem to be anything on the gas meter (what side do I need to bond to, consumer or suppler side) or the hot and cold pipes, in either the kitchen or bathroom,

So, really, another question, would be, can I use the existing earth bonding cable on the boiler, or should I run a new one back to the consumer unit?

 

[darren7]

Pack of 5 clamps £3.99 at wickes................get bonding

Darren

 

[pdcelec]

Bonding isn't all that technical or dangerous and I can't see any harm in over bonding!

Although I agree in part, over bonding can actually introduce dangerous potentials to items that would otherwise be electrically seperated. Bonding requires thought about the different items that are to be considered

 

[mark.carline]

Remember that installing or upgrading main or supplementary bonding in a kitchen or the zones of a bathroom is notifiable....

Are you sure this is right??

This link:

//wiki.diynot.com/electrics:part_p:diy_electrical_work_and_the_law

says:

At the time of writing (April 2006), the following work was classed as not needing notification to LABC

.....

1. Work consisting of -

.....

e) installing or upgrading main or supplementary
equipotential bonding;

(p.s. sorry old post I know!!)

 

[Adam_151]

Its an old post, so its going to get locked soon, but for reference the regulations were amended with effect from the 1st of April 2006 (after a previous ammendment at the start of January 2005 introduced part p) this April 06 admendment added bonding to the list of non-notifiable work and removed requirement P2

The post by former member ban-all-sheds predates this change by a number of months

 

[mark.carline]

.....added bonding to the list of non-notifiable work and removed requirement P2

Excellent so its been removed - (something else I can do myself!) as long as its done to code!

Thanks!