Earth bonding back to meter? Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[lonifan]

I am extremely concerned about a quote for installing a kitchen. I have been told that my water pipes may neeed earth bonding, and that it must be done back to the meter? all posts here indicate that that is dangerous.
Also I have been quoted for earth-bonding the gas meter, which is outside the house, and the only appliance is the boiler in the bathroom, which is definately cross bonded. There is no gas whatsoever in the kitchen so why should they want to fix the meter, or am I being taken for a sucker?

[kbrownie]

Ionifan,
Earth bonding?
are you sure or are they talking about supplementary bonding?
Main equipotential bonding to you gas and water pipes must be done by connecting your main equipotential bonding cable from your MET (main earth terminal)
which is a small metal terminal block at your cut out at the electric meter. (look for it) Cable size 10-16mm CSA
They must be connected to the gas supply pipe no more than 600mm from consumer side of the meter or 600mm from entering the property if meter is in outside cabinet.
The same applies to the water but it's 600mm from the stockcock.
(If you have an earth electrode/spike this will go straight to you CU rather than to the MET)
This is a must!

Supplementary bonding, such as linking up the gas and water pipes of appliances/sink in the kitchen is no longer a requirement!
Find out exacly what it is they intend to do!
KB

PS Just to add, are they electricians or kitchen fitters is it within their scope to carry out this work anyway?

[collectors]

Hi, naturally their price is dependent on how much work is involved & how much cross bonding is needed. But! There are rules in place now that make it law that the electrician is responsible for checking & making premises electrically safe of the work they have installed & any system they are connecting to is up to date. This is bringing the electricians more in line with other trades like gas fitters.
Make sure they also supply a certificate for there works. (Hold back payment until they do)

[lonifan]

Yes it's definately Earth Bonding, I've been crawling round looking at the pipes etc.
It's interesting to see 600mm from point of entry to the house if the gas meter is outside. The gas meter is about 18m from the point of entry, and the pipe runs round the outside of the house.
As the water main was installed in 2005, and the gas piping from meter to house was done in 2006 should the earth bonding have been done at that point in time?
Would it be reasonable for me to ask the company that put the new water main and plumbing, and re-plumbed the gas meter to do the job as remedial work because they didn't do it at the time?

[rosebery]

KB wrote:

"Main equipotential bonding to you gas and water pipes must be done by connecting your main equipotential bonding cable from your MET"

I suspect that this is exactly what the sparks is talking about - upgrading it to current standards.

No Ionifan I don't think you are being taken for a sucker at all.

Cheers

[kbrownie]

Ionifan,
The supply companies for your gas and water, should have mentioned that you MEB had been removed when the the services had been replaced/re-routed. They wouldn't consider it their duty to re-connect it but they should have informed you. (Which may be worth asking about)
So you could have arranged this to be updated by an electrician (not a kitchen fitter)
As Rosebury says the Kitchen fitters (not sparks) have spotted a dangerous situation and should be thanked for this!
You need to update your MEB, Find out if the kitchen fitters have part p define or full scope.
It is likely to be a special installation as boiler is in bathroom and I assume water supply enters in kitchen, so if kitchen fitters are not part p registered.
Call an electrician that is.
Main Equipotential Bonding (MEB) is a very important part of your installation, the reason why it is connected within the premises at entry point on your side of meter is.
This is the equipotentail zone (outside is not), all exposed metal work such as gas,water,oil pipes, central heating/air conditioning systems and exposed metal structural parts of building should be bonded.
This will mean that in the case that a fault should occur and make exposed metal work live, it will raise the potential voltage to a value close to zero volts and reduce the chances of a fatal shock!

KB

[lonifan]

Thank you all very much for your replies, I now know what is going on and can react accordingly.
I must accept that this work needs doing, but also I must ask the company that put in the new water main, and that also did the gas work, why this bonding was not done at the time as this work was not too long ago.
I expect that I didn't have it before, as the house was built in the 1870's.
Once again, thanks
:D

[ban_all_sheds]

but installing or updating MEB is not notifiable.