External gas supply bonding

[EFLImpudence]

I am probably not understanding what you say here. Can I strap an earth cable to the water pipes underneath my supply board and that would be my water supply bonding sorted?

Not really, The regulations state that it shall be bonded at point of entry where practicable - not practical.

And could I then strap the water pipe at the boiler to the gas pipe and that is my gas supply bonding sorted? I just spent £40 on a roll of 10mm2 cable!

The regulations state that the gas pipe shall be bonded at point of entry where practicable.

My view on this is - it is at the point of entry where the potential may be introduced. Bonding there prevents disconnection (of the bond) by alteration and isolation of the pipework inside the premises. If you can be sure that there is no interruption of the pipework inside the building then connection of the bond anywhere will achieve the desired result.

Doing as I stated above - using other parts - would require testing to ensure that they, themselves, are continuous and suitable for the purpose.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Needs to be within 600mm of the stop cock/service meter or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external. And on the consumer's side of the stop cock before any branch pipework.

That's not quite right.

There is NO mention of stopcocks in the regulation.

The 600mm. only applies to internal meters and is in fact not the best place for the bonding connection.

 

[MikeAustin]

Earth strap(s) need to be within 600mm of the stop cock/service meter or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external. And on the consumer's side of the stop cock before any branch pipework.
Its all in teh WIKI at //www.diynot.com/wiki/Electrics:main_equipotential_bonding

This is what I thought - and why I got the roll of earth cable. The water bond would have to be on the consumer's side of the stop cock for another reason - it is lead piping on the other side.

 

[MikeAustin]

I am probably not understanding what you say here. Can I strap an earth cable to the water pipes underneath my supply board and that would be my water supply bonding sorted?

Not really, The regulations state that it shall be bonded at point of entry where practicable - not practical.

And could I then strap the water pipe at the boiler to the gas pipe and that is my gas supply bonding sorted? I just spent £40 on a roll of 10mm2 cable!

The regulations state that the gas pipe shall be bonded at point of entry where practicable.

View attachment 92849

My view on this is - it is at the point of entry where the potential may be introduced. Bonding there prevents disconnection (of the bond) by alteration and isolation of the pipework inside the premises. If you can be sure that there is no interruption of the pipework inside the building then connection of the bond anywhere will achieve the desired result.

Doing as I stated above - using other parts - would require testing to ensure that they, themselves, are continuous and suitable for the purpose.

My question was more out of surprise rather than seeking a realistic alternative solution. 'Practicable' seems to be a mix of 'practical' and 'possible'. Something being a P.I.T.A. is no excuse, it seems. I should resign myself to my original wiring plans, and the consequent discomfort in sitting comfortably!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why not just fix a piece of wood to the wall alongside the existing board to allow a larger earth block to be fitted?

 

[Johnmdc]

Why not just install it vertically instead of horizontally?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes - that's another option - it would require a bit of manipulation of the main earth conductor to bend it differently. It's fabric covered, and we don't know what's underneath. In terms of work it's pretty much swings'n'roundabouts, I reckon.

 

[MikeAustin]

Why not just install it vertically instead of horizontally?

Probably the best idea - just need to bend the supply earth 90 degrees, which should not be a problem.

 

[stillp]

The water bond would have to be on the consumer's side of the stop cock for another reason - it is lead piping on the other side.

I thought lead supply piping was now illegal?

 

[JohnW2]

I thought lead supply piping was now illegal?

Illegal it may be, but I still see a lot of houses in which the water arrives in lead!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Better than cast iron, which I have and which I need to get replaced before I have a water feature in my kitchen...

 

[JohnW2]

Better than cast iron, which I have and which I need to get replaced before I have a water feature in my kitchen...

In some senses worse in my case - water enters my house in the cellar in an ~2" iron pipe - about 2 feel below ground level, and seemingly coming from under the neighbouring house (once part of what now is my house, and built 2 or 3 decades after my bit). If, as I suspect, it pre-dates the 'neighbouring house', it must have been there for ~100 years! Even worse, despite a number of attempts, the water supplier (Anglian Water) has failed to find anything outside that turns off the supply - so if/when it all goes wrong, they'll probably have to turn off the supply to the entire village!

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

Aren't those copper pipes too close to the incoming cable?

 

[JohnW2]

Aren't those copper pipes too close to the incoming cable?

It's hard to be sure from that pic - but it is quite close.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Even worse, despite a number of attempts, the water supplier (Anglian Water) has failed to find anything outside that turns off the supply - so if/when it all goes wrong, they'll probably have to turn off the supply to the entire village!

Tell them you'd like a water meter fitted.