Earth bonding in bathroom, confusion.

[billhicks2]

I've been renovating my bathroom and the kitchen below and started replacing some old copper water pipes with plastic. The old lead main and stop cock remain along with the odd bit of copper (i ran out of plastic pipe). The hot water is still all copper although most of the fittings are plastic pushfit.

I also removed a radiator completely.

Anyway I'm abit lost on what to do with all the earth bonding wires that I have. Theres an earth connected to the stopcock that goes up to the bathroom, it used it be connected to the bath and the hot/ cold water pipes before going to the radiator and im not sure where after that.
Edit: so I checked and it carries on from where the radiator was to the consumer unit or somewhere around there.

I also had a cold water pipe coming back down from the bathroom on the other side of the room which had an earth that goes back to the consumer unit. Can that just be removed?

Will add pictures shortly.

Cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

Your incoming supply pipe looks like plastic. If it is - and none of the metal pipes reenter the ground - then no 'main' bonding is required there.

As for the bathroom - some 'supplementary' bonding might be required to join together (bond) pipes in close proximity to each other - NOT the spaghetti shown in the pictures.

However if some of the metal pipes have been separated from any earth connection by lengths of plastic pipe, then these pipes should NOT be bonded.

Plus if all the circuits in the bathroom are protected by RCDs (and a couple of other stipulations which very likely will be in place) then no bonding is required.

No bonding is required in kitchens (except possibly the main supply pipe if metal).

 

[billhicks2]

I just replaced the copper pipe above the main with plastic, the incoming main is still lead and the 2 stopcocks above it are brass. So i should leave the earth connected to the metal part and going to the bathroom and presumably on to the consumer unit?

How do I know if the circuits are protected by rcds?

 

[EFLImpudence]

I just replaced the copper pipe above the main with plastic, the incoming main is still lead

Ah ok. I just saw the blue.

and the 2 stopcocks above it are brass. So i should leave the earth connected to the metal part and going to the bathroom and presumably on to the consumer unit?

Yes, to the Main Earthing Terminal which might be in the consumer unit.

How do I know if the circuits are protected by rcds?

Do you have a relatively modern CU? RCDs look like circuit breakers but they have a 'test button' - one might cover several circuits.

 

[billhicks2]

This is the consumer unit, it does say rcd on it and it has a test button. What does this mean for my bonding? Can I just go from stopcock to consumer unit (through the bathroom) and just remove the excess cable? Or is that not even necessary?

Cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

Does the RCD state 30mA or 0.03A and does it cover all the circuits of the bathroom?

Can we have a better picture to read the writing?

 

[billhicks2]

Its 30 and its just the lighting that isn't protected by the rcd.

 

[billhicks2]

Oh and I know it says shower but that was removed years ago and there are no plans for a shower..

 

[EFLImpudence]

If the lighting circuit is not covered by the RCD then you still should have supplementary bonding in the bathroom.

BUT

If there are plastic pipes that separate any bathroom metal pipes from anything electric then you will have nothing which requires bonding.

 

[billhicks2]

Ok I'm still confused, its only the cold water line that has any plastic pipe in it. Hot water is copper pipe with mostly plastic fittings and and ch is all copper/metal.

The boiler is in the bathroom and is rcd protected, should I bond the earth coming into the bathroom with the ch pipes (flow/return) and the hot water and then on to the cu?

Cheers

 

[EFLImpudence]

Ok I'm still confused, its only the cold water line that has any plastic pipe in it.

Ok.

Hot water is copper pipe with mostly plastic fittings and and ch is all copper/metal.

Ok. If the plastic fittings disconnect the metal bits from any earth connection then the pipes should not be bonded.

The boiler is in the bathroom and is rcd protected,

Forget the RCD as the light circuit is not covered by it so not ALL circuits are covered.

should I bond the earth coming into the bathroom with the ch pipes (flow/return) and the hot water and then on to the cu?

This is getting a bit too complicated to be able to tell from the internet, however -

from what you have said, you need to bond (join electrically) "simultaneously accessible" earthed parts including the earth wires of the boiler and light fittings. The wires do not have to go to the CU; just join together the parts that you can touch at the same time.

 

[billhicks2]

Its certainly getting abit complicated. How difficult would it be to move the light circuit to the rcd protected side of the cu? If i did that i wouldn't need any bonding, correct?

I can also add some plastic pipe to the hot water so it doesn't need bonding, would that make it simpler?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Its certainly getting abit complicated. How difficult would it be to move the light circuit to the rcd protected side of the cu? If i did that i wouldn't need any bonding, correct?

That is correct but some will then complain that all your circuits are on one RCD so the least little fault would switch off everything including the lights.

I can also add some plastic pipe to the hot water so it doesn't need bonding, would that make it simpler?

The hot might not need bonding because of the plastic joints and the fact that it is already connected to the boiler in the same room.

That just leaves the lights and boiler to bond. Are they simultaneously accessible?

It really needs someone knowledgeable on site to do some inspecting.

 

[billhicks2]

Simultaneously accessible? The light fixture and switch (pull cord) are on the ceiling. It wouldnt be possible to touch both if thats what you mean?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Is it possible to touch the boiler and light or switch at the same time?