Earth Bonding

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Hi
I've recently had my whole kitchen refitted by a well-known UK company and the electrics were signed off. I wanted more work done by someone else and he refused to fit new sockets as he said it hadn't been earth bonded (I think that's the expression he used). I rang the company and someone came out (not a qualified electrician) and fixed it! in about 30 minutes. I asked that it be signed off and he said it didn't need to be as it wasn't electric. However, on my insistence, the person who originally signed it off is coming tomorrow to sign it off again! My question is how dangerous was it for me that it wasn't earthed - could I have been electocuted and should I trust the person who is coming out to sign off work done by a non-professional in view of the fact that he already signed off work not done. What are my options.
Many thanks.
 
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Kinda need a bit more information, you say your spark refused to add sockets as 'IT hadn't been earth bonded'

Presumably it is not the socket circuit as you later say it was fixed and 'wasn't electric'

I'm guessing you're talking about bonding to pipework either water or gas.

A lot depends on your installation, but if you have main bonding to your water & gas incomer (which renovating the kitchen shouldn't affect unless you gas & water incomers are in the kitchen) then you were most likely fine.

If you didn't have main bonding to your gas & water, it's a slightly bigger issue, but doesn't sound like that's what the guy fixed.

Any reason as to why your spark didn't just fix it? If this guy from the company fixed it in 30 minutes, your spark could have done it in half that time I reckon
 
Any reason as to why your spark didn't just fix it? If this guy from the company fixed it in 30 minutes, your spark could have done it in half that time I reckon

Unless the kitchen company installed 'magic' bonding...
 
Any reason as to why your spark didn't just fix it? If this guy from the company fixed it in 30 minutes, your spark could have done it in half that time I reckon

Unless the kitchen company installed 'magic' bonding...

:LOL:

That must be like the 'magic' earthing I found on an outdoor bulkhead earlier. Need to get me some of that!
 
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Kinda need a bit more information, you say your spark refused to add sockets as 'IT hadn't been earth bonded'

Presumably it is not the socket circuit as you later say it was fixed and 'wasn't electric'

I'm guessing you're talking about bonding to pipework either water or gas.

A lot depends on your installation, but if you have main bonding to your water & gas incomer (which renovating the kitchen shouldn't affect unless you gas & water incomers are in the kitchen) then you were most likely fine.

If you didn't have main bonding to your gas & water, it's a slightly bigger issue, but doesn't sound like that's what the guy fixed.

Any reason as to why your spark didn't just fix it? If this guy from the company fixed it in 30 minutes, your spark could have done it in half that time I reckon

I believe it's bonding to gas but I do need more info - it's so complicated for me to understand and the guy who came round from the company offered no explanation. He attached a wire from the box in the garage to the fuse box, I think. I'm probably talking tosh so probably best see what happens tomorrow. The spark who came round didn't fix it as the company is responsible as I've paid them to do the job. He may well have done it but I felt it was the company's responsibility as they got paid. Thanks for your reply.
 
Hi
I've recently had my whole kitchen refitted by a well-known UK company and the electrics were signed off.
If you mean one of the sheds, such as Wickes, B&Q, Homebase et al, or one of the specialist kitchen sheds like Magnet, search this forum and you'll find many stories of how incompetent and dangerous their "electricians" can be.


But what exactly was the electrical work which they did that was associated with the kitchen refit?


My question is how dangerous was it for me that it wasn't earthed
There's no indication that "it" (whatever "it" is) wasn't earthed. Earthing and bonding are not the same and there is no such term as "earth bonding", but sadly many so-called professional electricians have no understanding of this.

And nobody contributing to this thread should ignore the possibility that the person who refused to install the new sockets was some old dinosaur who still thinks that extraneous-conductive-parts in kitchens need bonding.


could I have been electocuted
Unlikely, caveated by my first observation about the lamentable abilities of some kitchen company "electricians".


and should I trust the person who is coming out to sign off work done by a non-professional in view of the fact that he already signed off work not done.
It would be good to know exactly:

1) What was left undone.
2) What the second person really didn't like.
3) What the remedial work really was.

And no offence, but with your layman's level of knowledge, I fear we're going to struggle to get a true picture.
 
Yes, that makes sense but not really a reason to refuse to fit sockets.
131.8?

Maybe the second guy on the scene finds he's frequently encountering cr*p work done by whoever the kitchen supplier is using, and doesn't see why he should carry on fixing their mistakes, even if he charges for them. Maybe he is rightfully p***ed off and wants them to get complaints and to be forced to sort out their mess.
 
Yes, that makes sense but not really a reason to refuse to fit sockets.
131.8?
Maybe the second guy on the scene finds he's frequently encountering cr*p work done by whoever the kitchen supplier is using, and doesn't see why he should carry on fixing their mistakes, even if he charges for them. Maybe he is rightfully p***ed off and wants them to get complaints and to be forced to sort out their mess.
Yes - perhaps making a point.
 
Hi
My question is how dangerous was it for me that it wasn't earthed - could I have been electocuted and should I trust the person who is coming out to sign off work done by a non-professional in view of the fact that he already signed off work not done. What are my options.
If is the protective bonding conductors for your gas and water services, could be very dangerous. If supplementary bonding of kitchen pipework this is not a requirement. But you have mentioned later in the thread that a connection between board and gas pipe was made, which sounds like you had a potentially dangerous situation.
When the electrics were signed off, what type of documents were you issued and what comments/remarks/details were made regarding the main protective conductors?
 
Thanks for all your replies and help. I got a gas certification installation modification, Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, NAPIT Electrical Certificate Installation/Modification, and NAPIT Electridal Test Sheet. I should have tought that covered everything?
 
Thanks for all your replies and help. I got a gas certification installation modification, Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, NAPIT Electrical Certificate Installation/Modification, and NAPIT Electridal Test Sheet. I should have tought that covered everything?
What do the certs say regarding the bonding arrangements?
 
Thanks for all your replies and help. I got a gas certification installation modification, Building Regulations Compliance Certificate, NAPIT Electrical Certificate Installation/Modification, and NAPIT Electridal Test Sheet. I should have tought that covered everything?
What do the certs say regarding the bonding arrangements?

Its says: Earthing conductor, copper, 16Csamm2 verified water 10 gas 10
Protective Bonding Conductor, copper, 10Csamm2 verified
 
Its says: Earthing conductor, copper, 16Csamm2 verified water 10 gas 10
Protective Bonding Conductor, copper, 10Csamm2 verified
Does it state the location of the bonding?
As this may not be in the kitchen, there is no requirement to have it there, ideally within 600mm of entering the property, if that is practicable.
Providing the installer has not lied on the document, the connection has been verified and should not be an issue. Unless other trades have disconnected it, to do work.
 
Can't understand this:

If it was bonded (as the cert said), there should be no issue doing further work.

The bonding should have been done before the kitchen work.
 

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