Regulations: Distance between central heating Pipe and Consumer unit

[masteramish]

Hello Guys

Hope you are all keeping well and safe in this unprecedented times.

Just wanted some advise please. So Yesterday i had a new radiator installed but the installation required extending pipe work under the stairs near the consumer unit and where the main electric feed into the house is. These are white plastic pipes where a T was taken from an existing radiator and passing nice and neatly under the consumer unit.

Now the pipe which has been extended under the stairs is fairly close at the closest point where it passes the main black electric cable coming into the house. The distance from the consumer unit is approx 15cms but the closest point between the white pipe and black MAIN cable is approx 3 cms. Now the gas safe installer (he was very good) who installed this advised this is very common and said if its gas pipes their needs to be minimum 15CMs from the consumer unit and 2.5CMS from the plug sockets but for water pipe their is no law as such but the electrical guideline is a minimum 2.5 CMS (25 MM) between the mains cable and the central heating pipe. In my case it is 3CM. He assured me this is ok as he advised their just need to be a sensible distance to allow for condensation etc. So he says as long as the distance is a minimum of 2.5CMS we will be ok.

At the time i took his word for it but now i just want to be 100 percent sure if this still passes the guideline if in future i wanted to get an electric safety certificate or do i need to go down the route of moving pipes or the consumer unit. I had a quick search online but couldn't find anything definitive on this.

I have attached a couple of pics below. Cant exactly tell from the pic but where the black mains cable coming into the house is going under the carpet is around 3CMS from the white pipe. I have circled this in red. Just wanted to know if the below installation will pass the British electric regulations for future reference.

Any advise would be appreciated

Thank you all

 

[davesparks]

There is no set distance for pipes carrying water and cables, only a requirement that they are installed so that neither damages the other.
So you can't have a hot pipe touching cables, which you don't.
I think he has got his distances wrong for gas pipes too, not that it's relevant to this situation.

 

[masteramish]

There is no set distance for pipes carrying water and cables, only a requirement that they are installed so that neither damages the other.
So you can't have a hot pipe touching cables, which you don't.
I think he has got his distances wrong for gas pipes too, not that it's relevant to this situation.

Thanks davesparks

Oh really? ok i thought their was a distance guideline for hot water pipes from the consumer unit and main inlet electric cable.
Ok so this means if i get an electrician in he will pass the electric safety cert if required for future ref?
Thanks

 

[telectrix]

agree with dave. 25mm between pipes and cables is compliant.

 

[davesparks]

Thanks davesparks

Oh really? ok i thought their was a distance guideline for hot water pipes from the consumer unit and main inlet electric cable.
Ok so this means if i get an electrician in he will pass the electric safety cert if required for future ref?
Thanks

Those pipes won't be an issue on an electrical inspection as far as I can see in the picture.
The wiring regulations leave this sort of decision up to the individual electricians.

Did the gas man say anything about the earth wire passing through the same tube as the gas pipe where it passes through the wall? That is not permitted under gas regulations and i'd have expected them to notice that.

 

[masteramish]

agree with dave. 25mm between pipes and cables is compliant.

Noted, thanks telectrix
[automerge]1588422562[/automerge]

Those pipes won't be an issue on an electrical inspection as far as I can see in the picture.
The wiring regulations leave this sort of decision up to the individual electricians.

Did the gas man say anything about the earth wire passing through the same tube as the gas pipe where it passes through the wall? That is not permitted under gas regulations and i'd have expected them to notice that.

Ok cool thanks, thats good to hear

In regards to the gas pipe, its no longer in use anymore, its an old one, the new one is now form the side of the house via a side extension, cheers

 

[Taylortwocities]

Why has the "earth" cable been taken outside?. If its the bonding conductor it clamps to the pipe inside the property.

 

[masteramish]

Why has the "earth" cable been taken outside?. If its the bonding conductor it clamps to the pipe inside the property.

Hello Taylortwocities

Not the earth cable, i was referring to the gas pipe, this one is not in use and is capped off, their is a new one installed on the side of the house via a side extension, albeit all this was done way before we moved into the house.

 

[telectrix]

Why has the "earth" cable been taken outside?. If its the bonding conductor it clamps to the pipe inside the property.

i think that is a bonding conductor to the new gas supply on other side of wall. if the gas pipes is external to the property, the bond should be inside where it re-enters the property (as you said), as opposed to external. possibly taken to the gas meter.

 

[pc1966]

Some people take the guidance about bonding as close to the gas meter's outlet pipe as possible too literally, they forget the real point is metalwork entering the building that matters and it can be bonded as close to the enter point as sensible (but definately before any T-junction splits, etc).

In some cases the pipe before the gas meter is deliberately electrically isolated!

 

[davesparks]

Some people take the guidance about bonding as close to the gas meter's outlet pipe as possible too literally, they forget the real point is metalwork entering the building that matters and it can be bonded as close to the enter point as sensible (but definately before any T-junction splits, etc).

In some cases the pipe before the gas meter is deliberately electrically isolated!

The problem is the publications for gas installers, and gas safe register advice always say that the bonding must be visible at the meter so gas installers regularly demand that bonding must be installed at the meter.

 

[pc1966]

The problem is the publications for gas installers, and gas safe register advice always say that the bonding must be visible at the meter so gas installers regularly demand that bonding must be installed at the meter.

Ah, now that explains some things!

 

[davesparks]

Ah, now that explains some things!

Add to this the way customers always seem to accept that what a plumber tells them about the wiring regulations is gospel truth, and anything an electrician says is rubbish, even when you show them the regulations!

 

[masteramish]

Morning all

Thanks for all your inputs this has been very helpful. Things are clear to me now and i am happy that i don't have to make any alterations or modifications for the current rad install.

In regards to the bonding conductor i just had a look at the side of the house (A cupboard in the interior side extension) and yes their is another bonding conductor their where the gas feed comes in by the meter so all good.

Enjoy your Sunday all