Bonding

[axel132132]

So ive been to this house today to quote a new Consumer Unit,

Checked everything all good except no bond to Gas or Water, SO i look for GAS yep gas good then i go to the water..

NOW there is a bit of pipe that comes from the ground.. this sticks out about a CM... then the isolator is there, then STRAIGHT AWAY like not even a stem of copper or anything there is a copper T straight of the isolator, from that plastic..

Now what do i do here?? No were can i fit a clamp?? No were can i bond the pipe.. I cant exactly just strip back the copper cable and solder it to that tiny little T piece of copper..

 

[Sintra]

Does the water pipe come up through floorboards or is it a solid floor.

 

[telectrix]

is the incoming water main plastic? if it is, then find some copper pipe in the house, IR test to the MET> if the reading is > 22k ohms, then no need to bond.

 

[axel132132]

Solid floor :/ i thought that i thought like if it was able to take up to just bond before the isolator but na it solid! Maybe the Electrician REGS should work with Plumbing REGS and it should be plumbing regs to make sure that after the isolator there is a clean bit of straight copper pipe long enough for a clamp to fit to ><! Unless this is a reg for them who knows lol

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is the incoming water main plastic? if it is, then find some copper pipe in the house, IR test to the MET> if the reading is > 22k ohms, then no need to bond.

What do i put on cert then do i just write it down, No copper to bond to for water? Cheers tele

 

[Fin170]

Maybe the Electrician REGS should work with Plumbing REGS and it should be plumbing regs to make sure that after the isolator there is a clean bit of straight copper pipe long enough for a clamp to fit to

If they were going to do that they should have a piece of pipe with a moulded earth terminal to it


And if i recall right, there is something in the regs about reasonably practical in regards to where to bond......interpret :lol:

 

[Engineer54]

If the copper fitting tests under 23K, then it still requires bonding, as it's still an extraneous earth being brought into the building...

 

[kingeri]

You'll have to get creative on how to attach the bond! If you physically can't use a clamp then you'll have to come up with an alternative and note it on the cert. That little stump of pipe will be 'earthy', I'm sure!

Can't you turn the water off and insert a length of copper yourself? Would only take a minute....

 

[Engineer54]

You'll have to get creative on how to attach the bond! If you physically can't use a clamp then you'll have to come up with an alternative and note it on the cert. That little stump of pipe will be 'earthy', I'm sure!

Can't you turn the water off and insert a length of copper yourself? Would only take a minute....

I can't see any particular problems in attaching an earthing clamp to a Tee fitting myself....

 

[kingeri]

I can't see any particular problems in attaching an earthing clamp to a Tee fitting myself....

Especially if there's no alternative I suppose.

 

[lauriehurman]

Screw it in with a self-tapper.

 

[MDJ]

Thats if the tee is accessable, the amount behind sinks and visible but not accessable is incredible around these parts, drill a hole into the tee and tap a screw in like laurie mentioned above :teeth_smile:

 

[ackbarthestar]

Thats if the tee is accessable, the amount behind sinks and visible but not accessable is incredible around these parts, drill a hole into the tee and tap a screw in like laurie mentioned above :teeth_smile:

There are some plonkers out there who might take you seriously

IMO, I would

1/ continuity test the pipe and then to the next accessible point back to the MET.
2/ Make the connection at that point of accessibility
3/ State on the certificate what you've done
4/ I wouldn't use the 22k Ohms as a point of reference since all this does is limit short duration earth fault currents across simultaneously touchable exposed and extraneous conductive parts to 10mA, it doesn't guarantee isolation. This method is more suited to localized bonding in such places as bathrooms and saunas

 

[rattlehead85]

Just to clarify, are you applying a test between the M.E.T and the copper pipe by means of Insulation Resistance at 500v d.c or a continuity test setting?

 

[ackbarthestar]

Just to clarify, are you applying a test between the M.E.T and the copper pipe by means of Insulation Resistance at 500v d.c or a continuity test setting?

Its a straightforward continuity test, not quite since continuity means checking the continuousness of the conductor not the resistance value, using a low reading Ohmmeter. The value you are looking for as a rule of thumb is 0.05 Ohms or less.

Using Tel's method is by Insulation Resistance at whatever voltage you like, but usually 500V. You are now checking that there is a high enough insulation between the MET and the copper water wipe to ensure that your pipework is not extraneous.

This cannot always be guaranteed because as extraneous pipework becomes isolated it could go the other way and isolated pipework suddenly becomes extraneous again. You never know what is likely to happen in the future.

 

[rattlehead85]

Sorry got mislead by the op. Yeah i see what he means now.