Service Head Earthing Terminal TNC-S

[Paul505]

I want to upgrade the main protective bonding conductors on the gas/water from 6.0mm to 10mm.
Its a bit frustrating when the original bonding condutors along with the main earthing conductor are all conected into an earthing terminal, which is in the side of the main service head....which means you have to withdraw the cut out fuse and take off the cover to gain acsess to the earthing terminal.
Why would someone have done it that way originally? Because i would have thought to make life easier they should have fitted a seperate MET so you dont have to tamper with the service head, plus it makes sense for testing purposes aswell... Ze for example.

 

[Engineer54]

I had no main earth at all when my house was converted to PME (I dont know when this was done) and when i called them to ask about it they said it would £85 + vat to connect an eath, and if they had to change the service head it would be £165.

Luckily for me I had noticed the seals had fallen off so I installed the 1m of 16mm myself.

Well that sounds very intellegent of you!!!....

 

[Knobhead]

There’s a gravitational anomaly around meter seals. They suddenly take on an immense mass that the little bit of wire can no longer hold.
Strange really?

 

[snowhead]

I heard if you give Uri Geller a call he can sort them out remotely..

.

 

[ezzzekiel]

As a side note, on a recent nic visit it was pointed out that the only cable at the service head should be main earth, any bonding conductors etc should be ran direct to board or a separate met fitted.

 

[Guitarist]

All i can say then, is it must have been and older PME head if it only had earthing facilities for 2 X 6mm cables, though i can't remember 6mm ever being acceptable for PME main earthing or bonding...

Eng, the house was built in 1981. I can only assume that it was like that from new. I did find no bonding at all to the 10 year old boiler, the 2 copper oil supply pipes of which were partially buried....

 

[Paul505]

As a side note, on a recent nic visit it was pointed out that the only cable at the service head should be main earth, any bonding conductors etc should be ran direct to board or a separate met fitted.

Definitely agree with that...

 

[Paul505]

Guy from Eon said it is what they are all using now. Just one connection for the customer to do what they want with.

View attachment 12007

Will they supply an earth block where i can fit my 2x main bonding conductors into aswell....lol? Because im not taking them back to the CU as that is 6 mtrs from the meter cupboard which also houses the gas meter.
Thanks for the pic by the way! It seems to me they solder there side, to rid themselves of any responsibility, for example if an earthing problem was to arise due to a loose connection..

 

[Knobhead]

That's interesting so from the soldered termination you take an Earth Conductor then onto your MET, wonder if us pedantic Regs types would argue that could possibly classed as a MET, and the conductor coming out of that would be an EMT now .........................but I digress

Personally and this is personal I’d solder the outgoing.

 

[Guitarist]

Will they supply an earth block where i can fit my 2x main bonding conductors into aswell....lol? Because im not taking them back to the CU as that is 6 mtrs from the meter cupboard which also houses the gas meter.
Thanks for the pic by the way! It seems to me they solder there side, to rid themselves of any responsibility, for example if an earthing problem was to arise due to a loose connection..

You can always fit a standard MET to do what you like with, no different to always.

 

[Spudnik]

As a side note, on a recent nic visit it was pointed out that the only cable at the service head should be main earth, any bonding conductors etc should be ran direct to board or a separate met fitted.

Did he also point out what reg stipulates this?