bonding to portable equiptment?

[SMB]

Hi, Im hoping someone can help me here with a regulation number, or a direction where to find the regulation inregard to my question....

In an industrial sized kitchen there is a console in the middle, this supplies most of the equiptment via 13amp socket outlets. The equiptment that is supplied is plugged in. This is okay and I understand it.

What has happened, at an earlier date to me arriving, is every piece of plugged in equiptment has been supplimentary bonded to the metalic consel.

The problem is that all the plugged in equiptment needs to be moved every day to clean below it. This has caused the supplymentary bonding to disconntect (snapped, broken), its broken everytime the equiptment is moved.

The equiptment is not stationary, mostly its on wheels, its stainless steel, as is the consel which is feeding it via socket outlets (water tight socket outlets)..

I was of the thought that this type of equiptment did not need to be supplimentary bonded to the metal around it (ie the consel it was fed from.) I think im right with this.......but I need to show this in writing....BRB...or BGB.

It would be great if you could help me with this.


I really need to show what the score is with this, I need to find a reg number.


thanks.​

 

[SMB]

I don't think my question relates to Section 717 of the BRB.

Its moveable metallic (stainless) equipment which is plugged into a non-moveable metallic area.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

There is no requirement to bond portable/mobile equipment in BS7671.
Even fixed equipment does not require bonding if it has an earthed flex.
This may be something an over zealous H&S bod has come up with.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

BS7671:2008 is for fixed installations only. There is no requirements for bonding the equipment to the metal work.

The equipment should be used in accordance with the code of practice, and the fixed installation to comply with BS7671.

I have cross bonded a large industrial kitchen before with all of the metal frames and racks, but appliances have there own arrangements and they shouldn't be altered.

 

[Adam W]

If the equipment is class 1 it will already be 'bonded' via the earth connection through the plugtop.
Extraneous conductive parts (eg worktops) will be bonded to the installation, not an appliance.

In short there's no point having a plug on something so it can be moved, if you're going to tie it down with an earth wire.

The only reason you'd need to do that is if the equipment were class 01, as per COP 11.4:
"... Class 01 equipment is allowed only in very specific locations. Such equipment should not be used in the normal commercial, industrial or domestic environment."

If you need a reg number you could go with regulation 5 of the EAWR 1989 - strength and capability of equipment, ie the equipment is designed to be moved but the earth connection isn't, and is being damaged by doing so.
That's the law that is.

 

[malcolmsanford]

BS7671:2008 is for fixed installations only. There is no requirements for bonding the equipment to the metal work.

The equipment should be used in accordance with the code of practice, and the fixed installation to comply with BS7671.

I have cross bonded a large industrial kitchen before with all of the metal frames and racks, but appliances have there own arrangements and they shouldn't be altered.

Hi Widdler was just reading your post mate, was those racks extraneous then, and intoducing an potential into the kitchen. I know in the 90's and such that most sparks were taught if it's metal and it don't move bond it, just wondered why you did this.

Or was it just a case of cross bonding but not connecting back onto the MET via a local protective conductor.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

It was in the temporary three tier marquee at Royal Ascot. The floor was half grass and half boarding (boarding just for wheeling food trolleys in and out), and the head chefs kept moving it all around, so it was checked every morning. It was the equivalent of the old 'cage bonding' with a conductor returning to the MET.

 

[malcolmsanford]

It was in the temporary three tier marquee at Royal Ascot. The floor was half grass and half boarding (boarding just for wheeling food trolleys in and out), and the head chefs kept moving it all around, so it was checked every morning. It was the equivalent of the old 'cage bonding' with a conductor returning to the MET.

Ahhhhhhhh got you mate cheers.

Thought it might have been the old, "well the last kitchen I was in had it, so why hasn't this one" from the chef ......................many a pretty green and yellow cable going across a pipe or a stainless steel table connected to nothing.

Just saves the arguments.

 

[SMB]

Thanks alot guys......I just need to try and explain this to someone who is totally up his own butt now.

I was sure supplimentary bonding wasn't required. He replied that there was an earth lug on the portable equipment and thus needed bonding. I replied that most stainless sinks also have an earth lug and they don't need bonding.......he then went on to tell me it depended on the DNO !?


I wish I was more clever, however, im glad im not stuck up my own butt and won't listern to others.

Nothing stranger than institutionalised fools.

 

[Adam W]

It might be worth getting in touch with the manufacturer of the equipment to see if it has to be... Well, basically earthed separately. It may be that an earth lug has been provided to make it easier to bond extraneous parts, but it sounds like in this situation it would be better to bond the worktops separately.

 

[SMB]

Great suggestion Novus Sparks.

All I am spose to do is maintain the electrical supply to socket outlets which feed the appliances. The actual appliances are maintained by an outside company. Then someone has come along and supplymentary bonded them.

I will ring the contract company.

If they do require this bonding then im going to have to re-think how its done in regard to the cable type....its going to have to be of a flexible type.....armour flex perhaps?

Thanks for your input.

Regards mate.

 

[Adam W]

Could you bond from the worktop directly to the socket with a bit of 4mm single? I don't see how that is so different from bonding to the equipment considering the metal casing of the equipment will be earthed via the socket anyway. The only difference would be that when you unplug the equipment the worktop will still be bonded.

... Or just sort out the socket and let the contract company faff around with the bonding.

 

[SMB]

I like the last sentence of your post......'let the contract company faff'.

I will ring them.

The two 'areas' are already bonded with 4mm singles, this is the problem....it breaks, gets twisted and to be really honest its a compleat lash-up.

Even if the manufacturer say a bond is required then singles aint the way forward, it wil need to be flexible. Armour flex? (I doubt single core armour flex exists but I cant think of another alternative? Flexi conduit?)

My head hurts and I feel like im owed some overtime for all this thinking...giggle.


Thanks for your time and input mate.

 

[Adam W]

No problem at all mate, that's what I'm here for
I don't think you can get single core armoured flex, I was thinking along the lines of 13mm adaptaflex (flexi conduit) as well, maybe a bit of waterproof heatshrink over the end.
Do the worktops get moved around as well, or just the appliances?

 

[SMB]

The 'work top' is stationary.

The 'work top' has the sockets mounted apon it (its probably 7 meters in length).

Its only the appliances (which are plugged into the sockets mounted upon the 'work top') that get moved.

Everything is stainless (plus grime).