Earthing

[wcavanagh]

So im refitting the kitchen. Ripped all the old units out yesturday.

Now I notice I have no earth bonding on any of the copper pipework.

My old house used to have the mains earthed, and jumper wires between the pipes.

Is this still needed?

I have no plastic pipe, and the mains into the house from the stopcock in the street is all metal.

Cheers

 

[electronicsuk]

You should have a 10mmsq earth bond on both the incoming water and gas mains into the house, installed within 600mm of the service entering the property and before any joints or tees. If these are not present then you should get it sorted ASAP.

There is no need to cross-bond pipework in the kitchen.

 

[wcavanagh]

Thanks, I thought it was odd.

Scary what you find when you pull out units.

Will get some 10mm and straps and sort today.

Many Thanks.

 

[Space cat]

There is no need to cross-bond pipework in the kitchen.

But it doesn't hurt to do it and now is as good a time as any. My general rule is, if I can easily put one hand on a tap and the other on an earthed electrical appliance, put the cross bond in.

 

[bernardgreen]

My general rule is, if I can easily put one hand on a tap and the other on an earthed electrical appliance, put the cross bond in.

Which is plain and simple common sense.

 

[securespark]

So why has supplementary in kitchens been deleted from the regs since the 16th?

 

[bernardgreen]

So why has supplementary in kitchens been deleted from the regs since the 16th?

Good question and I have yet to hear a reason that justifies it. Have heard several odd reasons

It could link the Live from the casing of a defective piece of equipment to the hot and cold pipework making the all the taps in the house live and therefore dangerous.

It can divert earth fault current away from the RCB on the faulty circuit and that might prevent the RCB tripping.

On the second one where the supply is a TT and there is a 100mA CPC current triggered earth leakage breaker ( RCCD ) measuring the actual earth current then this is a valid reason to not have supplementary bonding which could divert fault current away from the RCCD and into the earth via a different route thus prevent the RCCD operating.

 

[Taylortwocities]

On the second one where the supply is a TT and there is a 100mA CPC current triggered earth leakage breaker ( RCCD ) measuring the actual earth current then this is a valid reason to not have supplementary bonding which could divert fault current away from the RCCD and into the earth via a different route thus prevent the RCCD operating.

Those trip devices that monitor the earth current are obsolete and should be removed. MEBs to water and gas will render them useless.
The protective device(s) for a TT system should be an RCD. These trip when there is an imbalance between line and neutral.

 

[wcavanagh]

Right, just been looking at what I got, you can see I have a photo of the main in.

Now there are 2x 16mm earth cables from the collar of the Mains into the house, going up the wall to the CU's, you and see they are cable tied with the 25mm tales. There is also a brass JB at the bottom with a 10mm earth cable from the same collar going to it. Then two 10mm earth cables going up into the attic. No idea where they go as it is fully floored.

Now the mains water and gas come into the house 2 meters to the right, the other side of my back door.

So do I need to bond my mains and gass with 10mm to the brass JB or to the collar (looks Full)

Oh the elecy board put a new meter in last week, and added hundreds of cable ties

Have to ignore the mess, only just fitted the unit over the mains incomming.

Cheers

Untitled

• wcavanagh
• 16 May 2009
• 2

Untitled

• wcavanagh
• 16 May 2009
• 2

 

[ColJack]

what the hell?

I see at least 2 sets of tails from those henley blocks ( possibly 3 reds, )..

 

[kevindgas]

fkin mess is the only description for the layout in your abode

 

[kevindgas]

So why has supplementary in kitchens been deleted from the regs since the 16th?

because some **** thinks it is a good idea

 

[wcavanagh]

what the hell?

I see at least 2 sets of tails from those henley blocks ( possibly 3 reds, )..

Yep, I did explain the to Elecy People that did the meter, but the said its all OK.

From the meter there are tails to the blocks. Then from each block new(ish) looking grey tales, these are 25mm, going up the wall about 1.3 meters, one to each consumer unit. To me the tales look too long, but no one would change them. I guess whenever these where installed they did not have a CU long enough so used two small ones.

But I need to get this earth thing sorted. Any help would be great.

Do you think I need to get someone in to change anything?

Cheers/

 

[wcavanagh]

fkin mess is the only description for the layout in your abode

Yep, hence the reason for planning the new tall unit to cover the mess

 

[flameport]

You need an earth block like this:

5 wires into this block:

1 wire to the earth terminal (the 'collar' on the main supply cable).
Preferably 16mm, although this wire and terminal isn't actually your property, it belongs to the electricity company.

1 to the gas pipe, 10mm
1 to the water pipe, 10mm
1 to the 1st consumer unit, 16mm
1 to the 2nd consumer unit, 16mm