Consumer unit

mateyboy

Hi

Just had some work done in the bathroom,the bath has been moved and also a new consumer unit installed.

Question : If i have got a steel bath does this have to Earth bonded

Also my plumbing has been upgraded to plastic pipework with copper tails to the basins do these also have to have a earth bond as well


Any help would be appreciated

andipandi_2

yes you will need to earth the steel bath, cross bond the sink (link hot and cold tap with earth clamp on each),

christhesparky_2

andipandi wrote: »

yes you will need to earth the steel bath, cross bond the sink (link hot and cold tap with earth clamp on each),

also, the radiator should be earted

HugoSP

mateyboy wrote: »

Question : If i have got a steel bath does this have to Earth bonded

Also my plumbing has been upgraded to plastic pipework with copper tails to the basins do these also have to have a earth bond as well

The clue is in the 2nd paragraph. Equipotential bonding is only necessary where any extraneous conductive part is likely to conduct to earth. If all the plumbing to the bathroom (including the CH system) has been replaced by plastic then to all intents and purposes the plumbing is now isolated from earth. Hence there would be nowhere for a current to go to if it bridged the human body as there would be no potential difference.

The advice in the IEE On Site Guide is that equipotential bonding is only necessary between the circuits that supply the bathroom itself. These are likely to include the lighting circuit and an electric shower circuit, but could include a heater. Any circuts that supply equipment or transformers etc located in a cupboard either within the bathroom would not normally be bonded. For example a power supply/transformer to a pumped shower may be located in a cupboard. No cross bonding would be necessary.

To answer this question in more detail I would need to know whether all the plumbing had been changed for plastic, or just the H and C water supplies.

Canucklehead

Good evening: The IEE website is a great source of info, in particular the online version of the magazine 'Wiring Matters' ... http://www.iee.org/Publish/WireRegs/WiringMatters/Documents/PreIssue14/1999_6_autumn_plastic_pipes_to_bond_or_not_to_bond.pdf

HTH

Canucklehead