no main bonding to water

Benny_Boy · May 4, 2010

Evening all, bit late I know but...

Just been to a house today and the owner (rental) wants me to do the remedial work thrown up by a PIR made by a different company.

There are a few areas that need attention but one of the items on the list was no main bonding to water.
There is 10mm main bonding to the gas pipe but that's the only bonding conductor in the MET.
On further investigation it seems that the water incomer is "supplementarily" bonded with 10mm to a gas pipe and the resistance from the incoming water supply pipe to the gas main bonding conductor where it meets the MET is 0.03 Ohms.

Do I still need to run separate bonding for the water even though we're well under?
I'm presuming yes but I think in 16th ed (when this was installed) there was no requirement to have separate bonding conductors for each service. In essence, do you have to bring an older installation up to the most recent regs every time even though it's safe?

any opinions/suggestions appreciated

eddielarge · May 4, 2010

Benny_Boy said:
Evening all, bit late I know but...

Just been to a house today and the owner (rental) wants me to do the remedial work thrown up by a PIR made by a different company.

There are a few areas that need attention but one of the items on the list was no main bonding to water.
There is 10mm main bonding to the gas pipe but that's the only bonding conductor in the MET.
On further investigation it seems that the water incomer is "supplementarily" bonded with 10mm to a gas pipe and the resistance from the incoming water supply pipe to the gas main bonding conductor where it meets the MET is 0.03 Ohms.

Do I still need to run separate bonding for the water even though we're well under?
I'm presuming yes but I think in 16th ed (when this was installed) there was no requirement to have separate bonding conductors for each service. In essence, do you have to bring an older installation up to the most recent regs every time even though it's safe?

any opinions/suggestions appreciated

i might be wrong but you need a seperate 10mm to water unless it is a continuous are welded joint, because if the gas was stripped out for any reason you would loose the water bond

Benny_Boy · May 4, 2010

yeah, that's kind of what I thought.

I just remember my old lecturer saying that just because something doesn't comply now as a result of a regs change, it doesn't mean that it's unsafe.

I suppose what I'm really asking is, what code number would you give this non compliance?

Sintra · May 4, 2010

Code 1.

Could you not make a crimped or soldered connection onto your gas bond and keep it continious to the water.

Correct me if i am wrong but this still would not have complied with the 16th.

Benny_Boy · May 4, 2010

sintra said:
Code 1.

Could you not make a crimped or soldered connection onto your gas bond and keep it continious to the water.

Correct me if i am wrong but this still would not have complied with the 16th.

The water is only bonded to the gas pipe. it's also a good way away from the MET, several rooms and floorboards to get through to get back. I was quite surprised to get such a low reading from the water pipe to the MET.

I see what you're saying about the gas bond but what I didn't mention is that the gas incomer is only just <150mm away from the CU!

Looks like I have some bad news for the owner!