liam.mccaffrey
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 05:12 PM |
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Question Sparkies and Plumbers
My parents run a series of let properties which have periodic gas safety inspections carried out. Recently they've had 2 inspections carried
out and received notices of "potentially dangerous situations" due to the gas meter lacking "equipotential bonding to gas
system".
The first system was installed about 20 years ago by the gas board and the second about 4 years ago by a reputable plumber and all gas pipes are
bonded where they enter the buildings.
Has there been a change in the regs or have the gas fitters been given a bollocking for over looking this sort of thing for 20 years.
Obviously will be speaking to a sparky/plumber tomorrow.
Anyone know any more about this
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adam1985
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 05:22 PM |
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Ive been doing it for 10 years and in that time gas regs have always required bonding within 600mm of meter or before first tee.
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JoelP
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 05:24 PM |
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Always needs a 10mm earth to the gas.
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 07:04 PM |
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The regs have always required an earth to the gas meter as stated by Adam and Joel.
eta: (In the last 20 years, at least).
[Edited on 18-10-12, by MakeEverything]
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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whitestu
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 08:00 PM |
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Could be the size of the bonding cables. Not sure but I think the regs have tightened up since 17th edition, but I haven't been a sparky for
many years!
Try a post on here link.
Stu
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JoelP
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 08:51 PM |
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You say that all gas pipes are bonded where they enter the building. This is exactly what main equipotential bonding is (iirc the name changed
recently but the concept is the same). It should be a 10mm earth cable between either your consumer unit or the main earth terminal if seperate,
unbroken, ideally within 600mm of entry, after the meter, and before any branching, or where possible. You should also usually have a 16mm main earth
on a new installation, between the suppliers earth point and your board.
You would be hard pushed to call it dangerous if it were missing, but it is needed to compy with regs, which is more important in a rented house.
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slingshot2000
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 09:49 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
You say that all gas pipes are bonded where they enter the building. This is exactly what main equipotential bonding is (iirc the name changed
recently but the concept is the same). It should be a 10mm earth cable between either your consumer unit or the main earth terminal if seperate,
unbroken, ideally within 600mm of entry, after the meter, and before any branching, or where possible. You should also usually have a 16mm main earth
on a new installation, between the suppliers earth point and your board.
You would be hard pushed to call it dangerous if it were missing, but it is needed to compy with regs, which is more important in a rented house.
^^ That is almost exactly what I would have quoted, word for word !
Regards
Jon
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Wadders
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| posted on 18/10/12 at 10:13 PM |
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It should have been noted on the certificate as NCS (not to current standards)
Al 
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lsdweb
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 10:04 AM |
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What do the electrical inspection condition report(s) say? Equipotential bonding is an electrical safety not gas safety issue!
If you need a hand give me a shout!
Regards
Wyn
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adam1985
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 01:02 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by lsdweb
What do the electrical inspection condition report(s) say? Equipotential bonding is an electrical safety not gas safety issue!
If you need a hand give me a shout!
Regards
Wyn
Gas engineers have to check its there and classify id/ar or ncs whichever is appropriate.
Weather a spark checks it out and leaves it is up to them but It will still get picked up next year
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lsdweb
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 02:44 PM |
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quote:
Gas engineers have to check its there and classify id/ar or ncs whichever is appropriate.
Weather a spark checks it out and leaves it is up to them but It will still get picked up next year
Yeah I agree. But it is strange that a gas engineer comments on something that they are, in theory, not qualified to do so.
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adam1985
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 06:00 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by lsdweb
quote:
Gas engineers have to check its there and classify id/ar or ncs whichever is appropriate.
Weather a spark checks it out and leaves it is up to them but It will still get picked up next year
Yeah I agree. But it is strange that a gas engineer comments on something that they are, in theory, not qualified to do so.
True but that earths there to protect a gas engineer from getting a shock when removing the meter, if the pipework became live somehow.(never seen
someone get a shock off a gas meter but have a water meter)
So its in the interest of the gas engineer to check its there we dont test it just a visable check
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JoelP
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 07:05 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by slingshot2000
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
You say that all gas pipes are bonded where they enter the building. This is exactly what main equipotential bonding is (iirc the name changed
recently but the concept is the same). It should be a 10mm earth cable between either your consumer unit or the main earth terminal if seperate,
unbroken, ideally within 600mm of entry, after the meter, and before any branching, or where possible. You should also usually have a 16mm main earth
on a new installation, between the suppliers earth point and your board.
You would be hard pushed to call it dangerous if it were missing, but it is needed to compy with regs, which is more important in a rented house.
^^ That is almost exactly what I would have quoted, word for word !
Regards
Jon
You'd think we were quoting the same regs lol! 
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slingshot2000
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| posted on 19/10/12 at 07:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
quote:
Originally posted by slingshot2000
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
You say that all gas pipes are bonded where they enter the building. This is exactly what main equipotential bonding is (iirc the name changed
recently but the concept is the same). It should be a 10mm earth cable between either your consumer unit or the main earth terminal if seperate,
unbroken, ideally within 600mm of entry, after the meter, and before any branching, or where possible. You should also usually have a 16mm main earth
on a new installation, between the suppliers earth point and your board.
You would be hard pushed to call it dangerous if it were missing, but it is needed to compy with regs, which is more important in a rented house.
^^ That is almost exactly what I would have quoted, word for word !
Regards
Jon
You'd think we were quoting the same regs lol!
Yes, I think we were !
Regards
Jon
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lsdweb
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| posted on 20/10/12 at 08:41 AM |
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quote:
True but that earths there to protect a gas engineer from getting a shock when removing the meter, if the pipework became live somehow.(never seen
someone get a shock off a gas meter but have a water meter) So its in the interest of the gas engineer to check its there we dont test it just a
visable check
I'd never thought of it like that - thanks for the explanation!
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