upgrading bonding.

[flashbanger13]

Hi all,

Can some of the more experienced please confirm these points as correct or not!

If method of protection against indirect contact is eebads, main bonding must be upgraded to 10mm2 before any work is carried out on an installation?

supplemetary bonding need not be installed/upgraded unless work is carried out on a circuit in a bathroom?

Upgrade of consumer unit requires all bonding and meter tails to be installed/upgraded to current regs?

Clarification would be appreciated.

 

[fireman22]

niceic state that you should check main and sup bonding before carrying out any work. so yes upgrade all bonding before start of any job really

 

[dingbat]

130-07-01 says it all.

If you don't have access to the reference I'd question whether you should be doing the work at all.

"No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work." [EAWR 1989, Reg 16 ]

 

[flashbanger13]

130-07-01 states 'No addition or alteration shall be made to the existing installation unless... the earthing and bonding arrangements are also adequate.'

This regulation does not cover the school of thought that if, for example nothing has been touched in the bathroom, it is "in no worse condition than before work commenced."

Or if an upstairs lighting circuit has no CPC, and the consumer unit is changed from the rewirable type fuses to MCB's, you may well be leaving the installation in a safer manner than it was before, without adding a CPC to the aforementioned circuit. (Debated and approved as acceptible practice by the Competant Persons Scheme operators and the ODPM).

So, could you please clarify Dingbat, that if asked to add a further point to a lighting circuit, not affecting a bathroom, you would upgrage all supplementary bonding first?

I am only looking to debate these issues not battle it out with ppl!

 

[fireman22]

well i guess if someone was spending some money adding a lighting point to make their life easier, under stair light, attic light, outside light, then they wouldn't mind spending some money on making their installation safer, surely.

 

[dingbat]

So, could you please clarify Dingbat, that if asked to add a further point to a lighting circuit, not affecting a bathroom, you would upgrage all supplementary bonding first?

No need in this instance, provided the circuit is satisfactorily protected by EEBAD and capable of handling the increased loading.

But, as for changing a CU, stand by for a much more rigid approach to the regs regarding re-connecting forty-year-old circuits to new means of protection. With several scheme providers there is naturally a range of opinion at the moment, but consensus is being sought and it is unlikely to be the easy option.

 

[dingbat]

well i guess if someone was spending some money adding a lighting point to make their life easier, under stair light, attic light, outside light, then they wouldn't mind spending some money on making their installation safer, surely.

Oh, if only!

The major concern of the homeowner would seem to be appearance, then convenience and only then, if there is room in the budget, does safety come into consideration.