Earthing

[gee-force]

hi all, been reading the forum for a while, lots of great info - thank you.

So, my question:

all of my copper pipes run directly to / from my combi boiler, with the maximum single pipe distance being about 15 metres, and no 'breaks' (plastic joints etc). does this mean i can simply put earth bonding clips around the pipes just under the combi, and then run the earth wire directly to the cu, or do i have to bond the pipes in each individual room??

any help very much appreciated.

gee

 

[Lectrician]

Why do people want to earth everything?

 

[gee-force]

thought i had to??

every plumbing installation i have ever seen is bonded, even new builds, so i assumed must be for a reason or they wouldn't do it - whether for regs or just safety.

so i don't have to?

gee

 

[Lectrician]

A special location, as specified in BS7671, will require supplementary equipotential bonding. This will connect pipework and other extraneous conductive parts together, along with the earthing terminals of electrical kit in the same zones.

Special locations include rooms containing a bath or shower, and swimming pools etc. Hot tubs are becoming more of a domestic luxury, and as such are often found inside a home aswell (not always in the garden!).

Unless your boiler is in a special location, there is no need for any bonding.

Any extraneous conductive parts that can introduce an earthy potential, such as water supply pipes from outside, gas suply pipes from outside, metal structural buildings etc etc will require main equipotential bonding connecting it to the MET.

 

[gee-force]

a ha, thank you

so please correct me if i'm wrong:

bond the pipes in the bathroom, and run the earth wire to the cu?

much appriciated

gee

 

[Bazdaa]

I have also heard of people bonding in bedrooms (stop it), and wondered why! Why do people earth the copper rad pipes in a bedroom?

Bazdaa

 

[Qedelec]

I have also heard of people bonding in bedrooms (stop it), and wondered why! Why do people earth the copper rad pipes in a bedroom?

Bazdaa

Ignorance and a mistaken belief that they are increasing safety.

 

[fastJedi]

So, from this I assume .....

"No need to bond the kitchen plumbing (assuming the water main entry point is elsewhere) or the central heating pipes (assuming there is no radiator in the bathroom) .... and if there is a radiator in the bathroom, bond the heating pipes close to or in the bathroom rather than at the boiler"

Correct?

 

[Bazdaa]

So, from this I assume .....

"No need to bond the kitchen plumbing (assuming the water main entry point is elsewhere) or the central heating pipes (assuming there is no radiator in the bathroom) .... and if there is a radiator in the bathroom, bond the heating pipes close to or in the bathroom rather than at the boiler"

Correct?

I would definately bond the relevent things in both the kitchen and the bathroom.

Might want to check out these books, to make things a bit clearer.
//www.diynot.com/books/view/uk/c/dy

Bazdaa

If your not a sparky, get your work checked! AND DONT TAKE SHORTCUTS!

 

[Lectrician]

Kitchens do not need bonding.

Bonding in bathrooms is internal tot he bathroom - no point running to the CU.

Bond together all pipework, and take this to each circuit in the bathroom.

So if you had a shower, heater and lights (if - LOL). You would run a 4mm cable from either the light switch, fan, light fitting, shaver point to either the shower or shower switch, and then to the heater. This would also be connected to the pipework.

You dont need to bond to metal pipework which is fed via plastic pipework, aslong as the transition is in the bathroom. You dont need to bond a metal bath if it is fed via plastic pipe and plastic waste.

It can be quite logistical decided how and what to bond.

 

[Bazdaa]

Kitchens do not need bonding.

Bonding in bathrooms is internal tot he bathroom - no point running to the CU.

Bond together all pipework, and take this to each circuit in the bathroom.

So if you had a shower, heater and lights (if - LOL). You would run a 4mm cable from either the light switch, fan, light fitting, shaver point to either the shower or shower switch, and then to the heater. This would also be connected to the pipework.

You dont need to bond to metal pipework which is fed via plastic pipework, aslong as the transition is in the bathroom. You dont need to bond a metal bath if it is fed via plastic pipe and plastic waste.

It can be quite logistical decided how and what to bond.

I need to look into this, as I cannot understand why bathrooms need bonding and kitchens do not. When I guess there is more dangerous equipment in the kitchen!

Bazdaa

 

[Spark123]

Supplementary bonding is applied in bathrooms as there is an increased risk of fatal electric shock due to reduced body impedance owing to lack of clothing (particularly footwear), presence of water reducing contact resistance, immersion in water reducing total body resistance, ready availability of earthed metal, increased contact area.
To reduce the shock potential which could arise from imported fault voltages, supplementary bonding is required between all simultaneously accessable exposed - exposed, exposed - extraneous, extraneous - extraneous conductive parts.

 

[Bazdaa]

Supplementary bonding is applied in bathrooms as there is an increased risk of fatal electric shock.

Which to me means that there is a risk!.

I'm sure I have seen a kitchen bonded, just can't remember where. Need to to think about this one.

Cheers

Bazdaa

 

[JohnD]

I'm sure I have seen a kitchen bonded, just can't remember where. Need to to think about this one.

Bazdaa

Perhaps you've been in my kitchen

I always encourage my ladyfriend to do the cooking naked and wet.

 

[Qedelec]

Bazdaa
I think you'll find that bonding in a kitchen was a requirement under 15th edition regs but is no longer the case.
Certainly this applies to bonding metal kitchen sinks.