Supplementary bonding/plastic pipes

[Jquinn]

Hi,

I have just had a new bathroom installed and have had a Periodi Inspection of my electrics at the request of Building Control (i relation to a new extension). The metal bath/taps/radiator are plumbe with plastic pipe/waste e.t.c. with the short visible pieces of pipe i metal. As my builder and I understand it, there is no need to provid supplementary bonding in this situation -is this correct?

The Inspector has written that this needs to be done but I have read a article from the IEE website clearly stsing that it shouldn't be don and that it could actually create increased danger if it were done.

Any help would be appreciated

-- Jquinn

[John Rumm]

Yes.

If they query it, tell em the inspector was wrong!

[meow2222]

Copper pipe is bonded with copper wire, and plastic pipe with plastic wire.

NT

[Stephen Dawson]

The above is correct you do not need to bond the pipes wok togather, however, do you havedifferent electrical circuits within the bathroom, such as towel rail, shave point, lights and shower. If yes then these should be bonded together.

Steve

[Lobster]

Hmm. Maybe using plastic wire to bond the pipes is the way to satisfy this ignorant jobsworth!!

But the OP's in a difficult situation surely - the Inspector is "God" so how does the OP (as a know-nothing member of the public like me) go about getting the stipulation refuted? It would surely be a great shame to have to follow the instruction and make the property less safe, just to gain the bit of paper.

Good old Part P eh?

David

[David Hansen]

On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 09:11:51 GMT someone who may be Lobster wrote this:-

Rebut the "inspector" with reference to the IEE. The council "inspector" is probably someone off a building site with minimum knowledge of and training in electricity.

[Ed Sirett]

How long is the longest section of copper pipe?

[zymurgy]

Indeed, if the inspector can't see the plastic, but only the metal stubs, how does he know it's not all metal down there underfloor.

All he can potentially see is metal, and no bonding straps or "reassuring" green wire.

Not defending him, as he's clearly wrong, but I can sympathise ..

P.

[Jquinn]

from the bottom of the towel rail/radiator to the floorboards, and the changes to plastic beneath the floor

-- Jquinn

[Jquinn]

Well yes, that's what worries me -the BCO said "I'm not an electricia so I just take advice from the inspector". I haven't given the repor to him yet but will do so tomorrow and will as has been suggested reference the IEE article and hopefully that will be satisfactory. I is irritating though that building control have made me pay the cost o a third party inspection which gives incorrect conclusions.

Thanks everybody for the help

-- Jquinn

[David Hansen]

On Sun, 2 Apr 2006 14:32:56 +0100 someone who may be Jquinn wrote this:-

Small Claims procedure, down south Small Claims Court.

[John Rumm]

Pr "This means in our opinion that local authorities do not have the power to require householders to retain an electrician to test and certificate the work in accordance with BS 7671. Local authorities which have adopted such a practice should discontinue it immediately.

[Ed Sirett]

And the hand basin is shorter and the bath and WC supplies also? If so then buy a copy of the on-site guide and show it to the inspector.

[Jquinn]

My apologies -the basin supplies are actually longer. The longes copper sections are closer to a metre in length. But that doesn't mak a difference does it

-- Jquinn

[Jquinn]

Yes I've seen that, and I did point it out to the BCO. He said "wel that's not really how we do it here"! I decided that it probably wasn' worth disputing the £100 cost of the inspection because I am having a extension built and a general refurb and I didn't really want to get o the wrong side of the BCO. But it is rather unfair, particularly as m council tax is amongst the highest in the country

-- Jquinn

[Christian McArdle]

Supplementary bond. Get inspection. Remove bonding cable. Life's too short to do anything else.

In my new en-suite I've run supp bonding cable to the toilet pipe, even though this short 10cm section of chromed pipe is fed by about 2m of 10mm plastic. I intend to leave the cable curled up behind and only attach if some unthinking inspector freaks.

As for the original problem, my IEE On Site Guide actually states the advice not to supplementary bond metal fittings and baths at the end of plastic pipe. However, my OSG is blue cover. Does anyone have the latest to see if this advice is still there? If it is, just wave the book at them.

Christian.

[Jquinn]

Well yes, I'd have to agree with you. The only thing is that th bathroom is now tiled/decorated and there would have to be a minor bi of hacking into the wall to get at the earth. Don't really want to d that if I can avoid it

-- Jquinn

[Ed Sirett]

Yes it does - see the OSG. Fig 4e -Note 2.

[John Rumm]

Not sure I follow that...

In my book Fig 4e Note 2 is:

"Circuit protective conductors may be used as supplementary bonding conductors"

What has that got to do with pipe length, or have I missed something?

[Jquinn]

that there should be no bonding in this situation:

quote from the article:

"It seems to be the practice of some builders to effect all the plumbing in plastic except for those bits of the pipework that are visible. These short lengths of metal pipework supplied by plastic pipes or metal taps connected to plastic pipes, metal baths supplied by plastic pipes and with a plastic waste do not require supplementary bonding."

Am I missing something here? Surely these "short lengths" could b

80-90cm and not make a difference

-- Jquinn