Why are ELECTRICAL WIRES attatched to my kitchen sink??????

[1FastLearner]

Might sound stupid to the Pro's, but i've just had a look at the kitchen sink I want to move and i've noticed green and yellow wires attached to the hot and cold pipes underneath the sink. Closer inspection revealed a metal tag which says "Electrical Safety Connections DO NOT REMOVE"

Emptying the tank and disconnecting the waste is obviously no problem, but theses wires are new to me. They are attached to the main pipes and NOT the actual taps, so can I go ahead and unscrew the taps and remove the sink without worrying about getting electricuted?

What are the wires for anyway? I'll need to know either way because the hot and cold pipes the wires are attacthed to need to be extended so I can get water to the sinks new location. All words of wisdom will be gratefully received.

Sincerley Yours

Wet behind the Ears...

 

[D_Hailsham]

Green and Yellow wires are Earth wires. They are there to prevent anyone getting a shock if the pipes accidentally come in contact with a live supply. (Electricity and water don't mix!) You will probably find similar wires on the taps in your bathroom.

You can remove taps etc without any fear of getting electrocuted. If you need to extend the wires, just buy the same size earth wire from your local DIY store and replace the existing wires.

 

[1FastLearner]

Much Obliged!

Now I just need to grow a second elbow so I can bend my arm up and behind my sink to unscrew the taps...

Cheers

 

[tryitandsee]

They are for cross bonding, in order to 'earth' everything metal in the house that could conduct electrical current.

I think the new electrical regulations have dropped this requirement to cross bond the kitchen sink, but you would have to check that one out yourself.

Sparks on the other forum (this site) would be better asked.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think the new electrical regulations have dropped this requirement to cross bond the kitchen sink, but you would have to check that one out yourself.

That'll be "new" as in "17 years ago" will it?

The requirement for supplementary equipotential bonding in kitchens was removed when the previous edition of the Wiring Regulations, the 16th, was published in 1991, but not everyone has caught up yet...

1FastLearner - do whatever you need to do - ignore the bonding cables, or even remove them.

 

[Taylortwocities]

You can remove taps etc without any fear of getting electrocuted. If you need to extend the wires, just buy the same size earth wire from your local DIY store and replace the existing wires.

If your main water stop cock is there under the sink then there should be a thicker earth wire clamped just by the stop cock.
This must not be taken off and you cannot extend it, despite Hailsham's advice!

The thinner wires that loop between the hot and cold are now redundant. Its not a problem to leave them there.

 

[GaryMo]

If your main water stop cock is there under the sink then there should be a thicker earth wire clamped just by the stop cock.
This must not be taken off and you cannot extend it, despite Hailsham's advice!

Even with a 10mm uninsulated through crimp and a decent set crimpers?
I can't see a problem with that. (I assumed Hailsham was talking about supplementary bonding though).

 

[ban-all-sheds]

On the basis of "green and yellow wires attached to the hot and cold pipes underneath the sink" I certainly thought the OP was....

 

[1FastLearner]

Cheers you lot,
But now you've got me curious whether there IS a stopclock under there as I always assumed there wasn't cos I couldn't see one. The wires on the tap disappear from view so hopefully they're connected to a stopclock thats now hidden by the kitchen unit. I'll find out soon enough when I remove the sink and have a good look behind it.

There def isn't a stop clock anywhere else in the house so if it isn't behind the cupboard I guess I'll have to climb up into the attic to empty the tank like last time

Cheers again that really helped!

 

[RF Lighting]

2 things here.

If you could post a photo, it would give us a much better idea of what you have, and wether it can be entirely removed or some of it needs to remain.

point 2.

Emptying the tank in the loft will not stop the water to your cold tap.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you could post a photo, it would give us a much better idea of what you have, and wether it can be entirely removed or some of it needs to remain.

And a photo too of the area around where your electricity supply enters, and the CU etc - there should be main bonding cables running from there to where the water, and any other services like gas or oil, enter the house.

 

[1FastLearner]

The first time I went in search of the stopclock I needed to replace a washer on a leaking cold tap, so I turned a valve in the loft OFF, emptied the tank and roberts your mothers brother. There was no running water anywhere in the house till I turned that valve back on and filed up the tank again... my bad if didn't explain it properly, but I CAN stop all running water by turning the valve off as i've done it before. Either that or I was hallucinating from the WD40...

The photos a great idea, bit fiddly getting it on to this message but (hopefully) here it is:


View media item 4548

There are THREE wires in total.
The FIRST one is between the hot and cold pipes on either side of the white waste pipe. The SECOND wire is attached to the cold pipe on the left and disappears behind the back of the white cupboard. The THIRD wire is attached to the hot pipe on the right and also disappears behind the cupboard.

Like I said, when I detatch the taps and waste pipe and move the sink and the cupboard i'll see clearly whats behind it - would be nice if I find a stopclock to save me messing about in the loft...

Thanks again boys, let me know what you think, DIYNOT is a great place to get proper advice, much obliged.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1) Speak to the plumbers about the stopcock thing.

2) If the sink etc is comng out ayway, can't you just hack the back of the cupboard away now and see what you find?

3) Would still like to see a photo of your incoming electricity supply & main earth terminal.

 

[sparkyspike]

It sounds like turning the valve off stops the cold water and draining the tank stops the hot water. If you have to drain the tank to stop the cold water then I hope you use a Brita filter when you make the tea for when the electrician's there. Dead bats in the tank and all that!

 

[NewOrder]

We have earth bonding on the kitchen sink pipe but that is only the place I can find it in the entire house, the bathroom has no earth to be seen anywhere.

Is this a potential danger and there is there anything I can do to make it safer?