Earth bonding

[Plumber1975]

Can anyone tell me if when all metal pipes have been earth bonded together do I have to them conect the earth bond to anything else? Like the earth on a plug socket or light switch?
I know it shouldn't be connected directly to a consumer unit under new regulations.
Thanks

 

[JohnW2]

Can anyone tell me if when all metal pipes have been earth bonded together do I have to them conect the earth bond to anything else? Like the earth on a plug socket or light switch?

Other than in certain (probably uncommon these days) situations in bathrooms/shower rooms (an electrician could undertake tests and determine whether this is necessary), bonding together of metal pipes ('Supplementary Bonding') is no longer required by regulations. It is certainly not required anywhere other than in bathrooms/shower rooms.

Kind Regards, John

 

[flameport]

Where required, bonding includes the protective conductors (earth) of any circuits in the location such as lighting or electric showers. It would include sockets as well if it was permitted to fit such things.

I know it shouldn't be connected directly to a consumer unit under new regulations.

That was never required under any regulations.

 

[Plumber1975]

Other than in certain (probably uncommon these days) situations in bathrooms/shower rooms (an electrician could undertake tests and determine whether this is necessary), bonding together of metal pipes ('Supplementary Bonding') is no longer required by regulations. It is certainly not required anywhere other than in bathrooms/shower rooms.

Kind Regards, John

Thanks John,
This would be in a bathroom

 

[Plumber1975]

Where required, bonding includes the protective conductors (earth) of any circuits in the location such as lighting or electric showers. It would include sockets as well if it was permitted to fit such.

Would I have to channel out walls and ceilings to bond directly to lights or showers or could I connect further down the wire. For example if an electric showers cable was visible under a bath could I cut it, put a waterproof junction box in and earth bond to that point?

 

[Plumber1975]

when all bathroom pipes are bonded do I then have to run the earth anywhere else to connect to earth or just bonding the copper pipes together is all that's needed?
Thanks

 

[JohnW2]

when all bathroom pipes are bonded do I then have to run the earth anywhere else to connect to earth or just bonding the copper pipes together is all that's needed?

"Just bonding the copper pipes together" is never needed. As flameport said, IF bonding is required then it has to include the 'earths' of all circuits supplying the bathroom (as he said, lighting, showers, etc.).

However, as I said, it's quite likely that bonding would not be required at all. It would therefore probably be worth your while to get an electrician to check, since it could save you a lot of (potentially disruptive) work.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Plumber1975]

Thank you John and flameport.
Seems I'm just getting worried over nothing.

 

[JohnW2]

Thank you John and flameport. Seems I'm just getting worried over nothing.

Well, not necessarily. The bathroom might need supplementary bonding (including all circuits, as well as the pipes), but only an electrician who had seen and tested could tell you that for sure.

Kind Regards, John

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If the circuits connected to electrical equipment within the bathroom are RCD protected then supplementary bonding could be excluded, also if plastic pipework is preventing continuity of the metallic pipework within the bathroom, then again it could be excluded.
There are also few over examples where it is not necessary for the pipework within this location not to have supplementary bonding.
On all occasions inspection and testing would be required, so it would be advised to contact an electrician.