Explaining Main Bonding to customers

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I am finding more and more that I have to explain why main bonding needs to be installed. Why RCDs are needed etc.
I want to produce some handouts to customers to explain the reasons behind the regs.
So they know whats going on, and that I am not just trying to rip them off... :(

I have attached one I am working on. I have tried to make it as clear as possible with out any technical stuff.

any comments or additions would be appreciated
(Bonding is on the wrong side of gas meter at the moment)

View media item 18289
 
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The NIC already have some PDF's to cover most things. We just print out the PDF required and send it with the quote or PIR report.
 
The one I find hard to explain is we are connecting your water pipe to the electrical earth not earthing the electrics to the water pipe.

So I have a metal pipe coming out of the ground and you want to ground it? Why? Is it not already connected to ground?

We want to ensure all parts are at same voltage sir. So why don't you just connect the electric to ground then it will be at same voltage.

But the electric ground due to a fault may not be at same voltage as the ground Sir. You mean this electric is not safe.

At this point one just shakes ones head and walks off before you say something you will regret.
 
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The (metal) central heating pipes also require protective bonding
I'd be interested in an explanation for this claim.

I gather that whatever regulations cover gas (boiler) installation work did or still do stipulate that all pipework at the boiler be bonded together, although often there is no need as the pre-plumbing jig takes care of this. I'm sure an RGI would be able to explain in more detail, although I've certainly never read anything like that in BS7671. I suppose badelectrician could also be referring to supplementary bonding of CH pipework in special locations, not that it has a lot to do with PEBs.
 
The (metal) central heating pipes also require protective bonding
I'd be interested in an explanation for this claim.

I gather that whatever regulations cover gas (boiler) installation work did or still do stipulate that all pipework at the boiler be bonded together.....

Afraid not - not required at all by Gas regs, however you will normally find the comment that all pipes to boiler must be cross-bonded, hidden within small print in boiler M.I's somewhere.
BUT, as you said, the pipe jig, or at least the connection plate with the inlets (brass compression joints) is, by many, deemed to be enough...
 
Kitchens do not require supplimentary bonding but the pipes are at an equipotential due to the Main Bonding.

Thats the whole point is it not.
 
All extraneous conductive parts which may introduce a potential into the equipotential zone require main protective bonding.
The regs cover a vast amount of installations, where you have an industrial site with a boiler house then where the water enters+leaves each building should be bonded. It isn't usually necessary for domestics, it is up to the sparky to determine wether the heating pipes are an extraneous conductive part.
Other extraneous conductive parts can be things like metal waste pipes entering the ground, metal structures embedded in the ground, oil services, lightning conductors etc.
 
OSG page 27 (also in big red book, but not to hand)
Main protective bonding of metal services
411.3.1.2

Main protective bonding conductors are required to connect the following metallic parts to the main earthing terminal, where they are extraneous conductive parts:
i) Metal water installation pipes
ii) Metal gas instalaltion pipes
iii) Other metal installation pipes (including oil and gas supply pipes and ducting)
iv) Metal central heating and air conditioning systems
v) Exposed metallic structural parts of the building
vi) Lightning protection systems (where required by BS En 62305)

discuss
 
OSG page 27 (also in big red book, but not to hand)
Main protective bonding of metal services
411.3.1.2

Main protective bonding conductors are required to connect the following metallic parts to the main earthing terminal, where they are extraneous conductive parts:
i) Metal water installation pipes
ii) Metal gas instalaltion pipes
iii) Other metal installation pipes (including oil and gas supply pipes and ducting)
iv) Metal central heating and air conditioning systems
v) Exposed metallic structural parts of the building
vi) Lightning protection systems (where required by BS En 62305)

discuss


No discussion required ;)
 

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