Do I need an Earth bonding cable from stopcock to fuse box?

davidmorton89

Hi all

We're buying a new home and the sellers have had a EICR report done.

Everything has come back fine but in order to get a passing certificate, the electrician has said he needs to put in an Earth bonding cable from the stopcock in the kitchen to the fuse board in the porch.

The problem is that means drilling through the kitchen wall and then running it through the garage, out the front, under the window and then over the top of our door and round the side of the porch and then into the porch.

I would rather not have cable running round our house as it could look a bit ugly.

Does anyone know it we need to get this done or if it's just a recommendation? I mean if we need it, then obviously that is more important than it looking a bit messy.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
David

Ectophile

It depends on what the incoming water pipe is made of. If it's plastic, then you don't really need any earth bonding, even if the pipework in the house is copper.


If the incoming pipe is metal, then it should be bonded. The electrician will refuse to sign off a "satisfactory" certificate until it's done. The risk with metal service pipes is that an electrical fault at a neighbour's property could result in the pipe becoming live. The bonding protects you from that.

Risteard

It won't prevent anything from becoming live. It is to minimise the potential difference (voltage) between simultaneously accessible parts. In essence it deliberately makes everything live in the event of a fault to minimise the shock risk.

davidmorton89

Hi all

Sorry for the delay but thanks for the replies, that really helps.

Have a good day

Cheers
David

stator

The tradesman has probably given you the easiest option.
It's probably possible to route the cable differently and/or bond it in a different place, but will require more effort.