Do I need to upgrade my earth bonding under my sink to pass EICR?

nabil_bhimji · Mar 23, 2021

(Rented property) The current bonding under the sink is 6mm - the electrician said it has to be min 10mm in order to pass the EICR.
Is this correct? It looks like the wire has been there since the house was built and electrician said he would have to take a new one from the fuse box and somehow get this under the sink (go through ceilings etc as fuse box font of house and kitchen is at the back)
Is this correct? Any advice would be much appreciated!

i=p/u · Mar 23, 2021

If was good at time, is ok now. But we dont know if damaged or snipped or anything like that.

telectrix · Mar 23, 2021

electrician is talking rubbish. if the 6mm bonding is intact and shows no sign of thermal damage, then it's fine to stay. a new installlation to today's regulationswould be done in 10mm.

it's like failing MOT on a pre 1965 car for no seatbelts.

DefyG · Mar 23, 2021

It could be the incoming water service pipe enters the property under the sink (clouding his judgement), but as long as the existing 6mm is continuous and as #3 shows no signs of thermal damage, ..........No doesn't need replacing for satisfactory EICR.

nabil_bhimji · Mar 23, 2021

telectrix said:
electrician is talking rubbish. if the 6mm bonding is intact and shows no sign of thermal damage, then it's fine to stay. a new installation to today's regulations would be done in 10mm.

it's like failing MOT on a pre 1965 car for no seatbelts.

Thank you - even if it is on the water pipe? 6mm will pass the EICR?

nabil_bhimji · Mar 23, 2021

DefyG said:
It could be the incoming water service pipe enters the property under the sink (clouding his judgement), but as long as the existing 6mm is continuous and as #3 shows no signs of thermal damage, ..........No doesn't need replacing for satisfactory EICR.

Thank you for response - I have attached a picture -

Dartlec · Mar 23, 2021

nabil_bhimji said:
Thank you - even if it is on the water pipe? 6mm will pass the EICR?

Assuming that the reason for the "issue" is purely the size, and not its location or integrity that is in question, that's fine.

Refer them to page 18 of the Best Practise guide:

https://www.----------------------------/media/1200/best-practice-guide-4-issue-4.pdf

Non-compliances with the current edition of BS 7671 that do not give rise to danger and do not require reporting:

Inadequate cross-sectional area of a main protective bonding conductor provided that the conductor is at least 6mm and that there is no evidence of thermal damage.

It should be shortly after the main stopcock, or as soon after the pipe enters the building as practicable, and before any pipework junctions, which isn't clear in your picture...but the size is certainly not a reason to fail an EICR.

telectrix · Mar 23, 2021

could do with seeing where the main stop tap is in relation to the bond. anothe rconsideration is whether the water comes in in metal piework ot plastic.

nabil_bhimji · Mar 23, 2021

telectrix said:
could do with seeing where the main stop tap is in relation to the bond. anothe rconsideration is whether the water comes in in metal piework ot plastic.

I do no think the main stop tap is under the sink - here are some more photos..

nabil_bhimji · Mar 23, 2021

Dartlec said:
Assuming that the reason for the "issue" is purely the size, and not its location or integrity that is in question, that's fine.

Refer them to page 18 of the Best Practise guide:

https://www.----------------------------/media/1200/best-practice-guide-4-issue-4.pdf

Non-compliances with the current edition of BS 7671 that do not give rise to danger and do not require reporting:

Inadequate cross-sectional area of a main protective bonding conductor provided that the conductor is at least 6mm and that there is no evidence of thermal damage.

It should be shortly after the main stopcock, or as soon after the pipe enters the building as practicable, and before any pipework junctions, which isn't clear in your picture...but the size is certainly not a reason to fail an EICR.

Thank you! I do not think the stopcock is under the sink... I attached more photos - thoughts?

telectrix · Mar 23, 2021

the stop tap may be at the bottom of thet vertical cold water pipe, or could be off to the left of pic.either way you need to find it if only to be able to isolate the water when you get a leak.

brianmoooore · Mar 23, 2021

This appears to be the pipework to metal sink bonding that's no longer even required. Even if it was still required, 4mm2 would be adequate.
The main stopcock may or may not be just out of sight, but this connection would not be correct for a main incoming water bond, since the clamps are after the first branch.

DefyG · Mar 23, 2021

brianmoooore said:
pipework to metal sink bonding

Where is the metal sink?
Looks like a G/Y (Main Bond) coming through the top slot in backboard presumably from the MET to the hot and cold pipes.

brianmoooore · Mar 23, 2021

DefyG said:
Where is the metal sink?
Looks like a G/Y (Main Bond) coming through the top slot in backboard presumably from the MET to the hot and cold pipes.

Ooops! On closer inspection of the pic., the bonding tab on the 'sink' might well be a wire emerging through a slot in a board.
Clamp's still in the wrong place.