Taking the water's bonding from a gas pipe?

[malcolmsanford]

The OSG pg 29 section 4.4 you do not have to bond the Plastic Incoming pipe which I agree with. If though the rest of the installation within the premises is copper then I would bond as you could not guarantee that the metal installation is not producing an earth potential via the gas pipe ie at a boiler connection.

The good news is the OSG just mentions bonding it on the Customer Side of the meter, stopcock etc, so I would bond it, wherever you could.

 

[DomB]

Ahh, Soz, I shoulda looked that up in the OSG myself. Thanks. Hm, I guess the water inside the plastic pipe could still conduct along the length of that pipe to the remaining copper installation too?

So I'm back to square one - sussing out how to route the bonding conductor. I've found a route outside the house now, albeit quite a long one. I suppose I have to put the cable in conduit then - is that right?

Thanks very much for everyone's replies btw!

D

 

[IQ Electrical]

Ahh, Soz, I shoulda looked that up in the OSG myself. Thanks. Hm, I guess the water inside the plastic pipe could still conduct along the length of that pipe to the remaining copper installation too?

So I'm back to square one - sussing out how to route the bonding conductor. I've found a route outside the house now, albeit quite a long one. I suppose I have to put the cable in conduit then - is that right?

Thanks very much for everyone's replies btw!

D

Forget the conductivity of water, it's a myth, it's a pretty good insulator-take a look at this: View attachment EarthingPlasticPipes.pdf

A relic from the 16th edition but some interesting stuff, maybe an update will crawl into the new Guidance Note 8 that we've been promised for the last 2 years!

 

[ukpablo]

why would u have to put it in conduit? just clip direct

 

[SimpleSimon]

Thanks all.

I can't really do a continuos conductor between the gas and the water bonding, in fact I'm having trouble routing a conductor to where the water comes in at all - what I was thinking of doing was to use the gas pipe as the conductor itself, i.e. bond the gas by the gas-meter and then further down the gas pipework, when it gets near the water, link the two systems with an earthing conductor (Hmm..now I don't like the sound of it myself, I think I may be starting to answer my own question...)

544.1.2 - I'm looking very hard at that word practicable...does it mean if it's gonna mess up their new kitchen's tile work then don't bother?!

Hold up.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong but are you suggesting to use the gas pipe as a conductor to provide a comtinous path? Is this allowed?

 

[IQ Electrical]

Hold up.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong but are you suggesting to use the gas pipe as a conductor to provide a comtinous path? Is this allowed?

No it's not, you can with structural steel though, not that that helps the OP!

 

[SimpleSimon]

Didn't think so. Apologies to the OP if I'm reading this wrong as I'm the first to suggest it.

 

[DomB]

Pls don't apologise - that is exactly what I was suggesting (ashamedly)!

As Malcolmsanford mentioned earlier (& if I understand it right) I guess now that I know the incoming water pipe is plastic it wouldn't be unreasonable to just bond the remaining copper water system at the earliest 'practicable' place on the customer side.

I know after the water inpipe the first branch of copper heads off under a concrete floor and over to the boiler which is relatively easy to access and bond. I'll bond the water system there and measure the resistance accross to the next copper branch near the inpipe just to confirm continuity. Tis a much less disruptive job doing that and I'm thinking it's effective.

Thanks everyone for all your help, it's sorted what was becoming a mushroom cloud of a job!

Happy New Year to one and all!

 

[telectrix]

the old REME solution comes to mind here. " if it moves, salute it, if not, bond it "

 

[SimpleSimon]

Pls don't apologise - that is exactly what I was suggesting (ashamedly)!

As Malcolmsanford mentioned earlier (& if I understand it right) I guess now that I know the incoming water pipe is plastic it wouldn't be unreasonable to just bond the remaining copper water system at the earliest 'practicable' place on the customer side.

I know after the water inpipe the first branch of copper heads off under a concrete floor and over to the boiler which is relatively easy to access and bond. I'll bond the water system there and measure the resistance accross to the next copper branch near the inpipe just to confirm continuity. Tis a much less disruptive job doing that and I'm thinking it's effective.

Thanks everyone for all your help, it's sorted what was becoming a mushroom cloud of a job!

Happy New Year to one and all!

Any chance you can do it before it branches as that is preferable.

 

[Richard]

It needs to connected to the main earth terminal of the installation with a minimum of 10mm sq of copper conductor or another material of the same conductance within 600mm of the point of entry to the building. By the regs theres nothing to stop you using the water rising main as a conductor if its continus copper and you are responsible for it and linking to the gas but with the increased use of pushfit and plastic pipework care must be taken. Some sparks will not agree with the above but its an option within the regs just not widely applied. A gas pipe cannot be used as an earthing conductor though.

 

[Spudnik]

A little late down the line, but remember the OSG is a GUIDE and not BS7671.