Reg that apply to cutting water pipes

[grimysparks80]

Hi all. I attended a job tonight where a plumber got a belt from an incoming cold water main. he cut it below the 10mm earth bond to tee off for a boiler.I am just wondering if there are any regs applying to the plumber cutting the pipe with regards to maintaining continuity. I know they have to connect an earth wire across the pipe when cutting gas pipes. does this also apply to water pipes and can anyone quote any regs that apply to this. thanks

 

[Plonker 3]

You sure the water pipe isn't the main earth and there is a earth leakage?

 

[Guest111]

Don't know about a reg on this but I would have thought it was good practice to attach a temp bond across,are you saying that the earth was attached to the house side and he got a belt off the incoming piece?

- - - Updated - - -

You sure the water pipe isn't the main earth and there is a earth leakage?

that's what I was thinking,bit unlikely to get a belt off something coming out of the ground.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Interesting..... Im always intrigued in stories where wetpants get belts

 

[grimysparks80]

manweb were there trying to suss it it out when I left. nothing wrong with customers electrics. they told me its definitely on their side or possibly from a neighbours house. only one cold tap in the house which comes in on the ground floor. 1m of pipe then the tap. looks to me like theres a problem with the neutral. there is arcing across the pipes even when main fuse is out.

 

[Plonker 3]

Now is this "arcing" or a measured voltage?

 

[grimysparks80]

24v between pipe and met, but only checked with my continuity tester so may not be 100% accurate. pme earthing system with 10mm bond to water pipe.

 

[telectrix]

supply neutral fault?

 

[Guest55]

a plumber got a belt

best post all day.
;-)

 

[telectrix]

bet it won't keep his wet pants up, though. most of the fat tw*ts need braces.

 

[grimysparks80]

I think so Tel but the manweb engineers didn't want to talk about it and were speaking welsh to each other. I think a dodgy connection at the telegraph post nearby (ovrhead supply} as they were messing with it when I left. I am mostly interested in trying to find out if the plumbers should have had a temp cable across the pipe before cutting it. this would probably have stopped him getting a shock but is it just good practice or has he broken any regs? I think the manweb guys didn't want to confirm anything to me due to the possibility of claims from the plumber. Lol. always good to see sympathy for a fellow tradesman

 

[Plonker 3]

If it's a faulty neutral connection, no link is going to prevent this happening if the only bonding is to the water pipe, and it's a TN-C-S

In answer to your question, no you shouldn't remove any bonding cables while the supply is live.

 

[telectrix]

sillty sod should not have cut before the bond, which we all know should be before any branches.

 

[grimysparks80]

If it's a faulty neutral connection, no link is going to prevent this happening if the only bonding is to the water pipe, and it's a TN-C-S

In answer to your question, no you shouldn't remove any bonding cables while the supply is live.

He didn't remove any bonding cables as such. just cut pipe before bond. what im asking is do you know of any reg for a plumber that says he should attach a temp earth wire across any main pipe he cuts to maintain continuity?

 

[Plonker 3]

Well if it cut before the bond then he has removed it, it's not just there to protect the stop tap or the few feet near where it's bonded.