earth wire?

mug51

Hi,

I had my home rewired last year, and just recently I had builders in doing the bathroom. My bathrrom fan installed by the electricians last year had been earthed to a copper pipe, but the builders had to sort out the fan and disconnected the earth wire from the pipework.
When they were complete I asked them if they had connected the earth wire and he said he did and it was behind the doorframe and then went on to say that it wasnt required cos he put in plastic pipes.
Since I am doing up my kitchen, I checked if the earth wire was there iand it wasnt, so I went into the loft and found the earth wire had been cut and left in the loft unconnected.

Should this earth wire be connected to a copper pipe?

adouglasmhor

To a copper pipe or the ouside of a metal conduit or a drainpipe.

Canucklehead

Hi

Your extractor needs to be earthed to the lighting circuit .
The bathroom fitter is right to a point . If he has fitted plastic pipe to your bathroom fittings then they do not need earthing. BUT if you have a metal bath or metal pipes to a radiator or towel rail they need earthing, with the extractor,
to the lighting circuit.

Earthing to a copper pipe or external drain pipe is not suitable. In the case of copper pipes you don't know if the continuity has been broken by the fitting of plastic pipe or other non conductive items.

Corgi Guy.

fatnbald

The earth wire is probably a supplementary equipotential bonding wire - it is unlikely that it is earthing the fan (it is against the rules (and dangerous) to use a service pipe as an earth), but providing a earth to the exposed metalwork in the bathroom (the pipes).
If the pipes are now plastic then the supplementary bonding is no longer required BUT because the bathroom is an area requiring special precautions and regulations I would suggest you get a spark to have a quick look at it for you.

Avoriaz

I think your electrician has explained things badly or has got it somewhat back to front.

If an earth wire is required it may be possible to earth via copper pipework if this is allowed by the regulations. But if some or all of the copper is replaced by plastic, then it no longer works as an earth because plastic does not conduct electricity. If an earth is required then it is essential that this is done properly. Water and electricity do not mix well, especially in bathrooms.

Whether you need an earth or not I cannot say as I simply don’t know what is installed and I am not qualified to advise. But I do know when something sounds possibly dodgy so I advise you to get the electrician to properly explain what he has done and to confirm that it complies with all current building and safety standards. If you are at all unsure, or think the electrician is spinning you a line, get it properly checked out. It might be worth contacting your local council or electricity board as they often offer free electrical health checks. You might be able to have the whole house inspected for electrical safety for free.;)

baldelectrician

Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask:

http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/WiringMatters/Documents/PreIssue14/1999_6_autumn_plastic_pipes_to_bond_or_not_to_bond.pdf