Earthing

[JP]

Help please !

When attending to one or two minor changes in the electrics in my house I discovered that there is no earthing on the central heating, water or gas pipes.

Questions
1) I take it this is essential ?
2) Do the earthing clamps have to go as close to where the services enter the house or will anywhere be an improvement from the current situation ?
3) Can you daisy chain the earthing so there is only one connection at the consumer unit or does every pipes need its own earth ?

Help / advice / opinions always appreciated,

Cheers
JP

 

[dingbat]

Hi JP. in answer to your questions:

1) Incoming service pipes should be bonded but there is no specific requirement to supplementary bond pipework outside of the bathroom.
2) Main bonding clamps should be within 600mm of the service meters or the point of entry to the building, on the consumer's side.
3) The main bonding conductors (e.g. to the water and gas supply pipes) will be separate, but supplementary bonding can be carried out using cicuit protective conductors, subject to regulations on size of conductors.

There is much more to earthing than most people realise and before you start clamping everything in sight you'd be well advised to read up on the subject. A good starting place would be Here. Have fun!

 

[plugwash]

our main water pipe is plastic and runs most of the way accross the house before changing to copper just before the main stopcock

am i correct in thinking that the main stopcock is the place this should be bonded as everything before that is plastic?

 

[il78]

our main water pipe is plastic and runs most of the way accross the house before changing to copper just before the main stopcock

am i correct in thinking that the main stopcock is the place this should be bonded as everything before that is plastic?

Usually within 600mm of main intake (consumers side / main stop cock) when reasonably practible......