no bonding to water or gas? what do you do next

[egginyourface]

Ive been asked to fit extra socket to an existing ring circuit. was planning on fitting surface box and rcd protected socket.

As i was looking around the house noticed gas and water were not bonded to MET.

I advised customer and warned him about the dangers and gave them a written price to fit 16mm earth to the incoming supplies.

Anyway, they said they couldnt afford it and that they just want socket.

Regs say you need to be sure existing installation is safe before any works is carried out, does this mean i cant fit the extra socket




hey said they only wanted extra socket and bonding

 

[Amp David]

Got to be done but why 16mm?

 

[SMB]

10mm would be cheaper mate, the bonding must be done.

 

[thekingiam]

difficult this one, not sure if i am correct on this .
will you be providing customer with full certificate?
if so you have completed a periodic test and noted failures, customer has refused alterations, you legaly haven't got the wright to disconect customers supply, as long as its noted on certificate issued its up to customer?

 

[ian]

yep, afraid the bonding needs to be done, walked away from loads of jobs like that.

ian

 

[Amp David]

difficult this one, not sure if i am correct on this .
will you be providing customer with full certificate?
if so you have completed a periodic test and noted failures, customer has refused alterations, you legaly haven't got the wright to disconect customers supply, as long as its noted on certificate issued its up to customer?

Bonding is a requirement. If its none existant then it needs installing. If its installed but undersized, as long as continuity and condition are deemed OK, then this may be noted on the cert.

 

[thekingiam]

cheers david, was not sure on this.
personaly i wouldn't touch it without alterations, but i am sure that an electrician legaly can not disconect customers supply even if a danger is found.

 

[SMB]

Plumbers can legally disconnect gas supplies. Electricians can not legally disconnect electric supplies, however the DNO do have the legal right to disconnect dangerous installations.

 

[ridemx27]

iv had to pir (well visuals and dead tests anyway) a few that edf have disconnected due to growing weed, they took away the meter and fuse and would not reconnect till proven safe via nic cert, so i believe that have the power to in circumstances

 

[IQ Electrical]

A police officer, fireman, DNO operative or a representative of the DNO all have the right to disconnect a supply. Competence to do so is another matter with the exception of the DNO hopefully!

 

[nickblake]

iv had to pir (well visuals and dead tests anyway) a few that edf have disconnected due to growing weed, they took away the meter and fuse and would not reconnect till proven safe via nic cert, so i believe that have the power to in circumstances

By growig weed i assume you mean canabis etc , well knowing what they do to power up the lights for these i would have a very deep PIR done from to to bottom could be alsorts of damaged and over loaded cables in there

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Main bonding is essential to the safety of the existing install but more importantly to any alterations and additions that you install. Therefore if you carry out alterations without installing main bonding you are carrying out an unsafe install.
There are 3 options
1.If the customer will pay for it carry out the alterations required and the main bonding.
2.Carry out the alterations required and if the customer will not pay for the bonding do it anyway and swallow the cost.
3.If the customer will not pay for the bonding and you are not prepared to swallow it,walk away.

 

[andyb]

Why all the talk of disconnection?

The customer wants a new socket, an inspection shows up the lack of bonding so your price includes this,
the customer has a simple choice to accept your price or not.

If the customer does not accept your price issue a Electrical Danger Notification Certificate and leave.

Although I must say that getting the client to sign a document saying the installation is dangerous has more than once acted as a spur for them into changing their mind.

 

[egginyourface]

thanks for the replies.

what about if the there is bonding to incoming water and gas but undersized? is this deemed dangerous and unsafe to make alterations

 

[telectrix]

if it's undersized, as long as it can carry the fault current, should be verified as continuous and connected, noted on cert.