Missed this thread, but earthing that table seems like the wrong thing to do to me 
Earthing a metal Clad workbench
- Thread starter Nozzle
- Start date
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I'm interested to hear why you think it is the wrong thing to do, what do you see are the greater risks? What do you see is a better alternative?
It's never too later to remove the earth if required.
I've treated it in the same way as a kitchen appliance or metal lamp - the metal case is connected to earth so if a live wire comes in contact with the chassis (be it either from the installation or externally), the protection will operate.
Nozzle
It's never too later to remove the earth if required.
I've treated it in the same way as a kitchen appliance or metal lamp - the metal case is connected to earth so if a live wire comes in contact with the chassis (be it either from the installation or externally), the protection will operate.
Nozzle
How do you envisage the bench coming live? I see you weld. You need to be careful with welders around earthed metal that you don't accidentally melt all your installation earths.
You have a faulty tool in one hand and an earth potential at the bench, giving you a severe shock. Remove the earth potential and you greatly reduce the severity of the shock.
You have a faulty tool in one hand and an earth potential at the bench, giving you a severe shock. Remove the earth potential and you greatly reduce the severity of the shock.
I think the most likely thing to happen is cables getting damaged while using power tools on the floor - then as soon as the tool (damaged cable) is placed on the bench, the whole table top will become live.
The schematic for the welder shows the chassis earth is not connected to anything else other than the earth pin in the plug. The LV side of the transformer/rectifier is attached to the current return clamp - and ne'er the two shall meet. So if the current return clamp is not attached, and I (attempt) to start welding, there is no return path via the installed earth.
Nozzle
The schematic for the welder shows the chassis earth is not connected to anything else other than the earth pin in the plug. The LV side of the transformer/rectifier is attached to the current return clamp - and ne'er the two shall meet. So if the current return clamp is not attached, and I (attempt) to start welding, there is no return path via the installed earth.
Nozzle
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Yes, they aren't designed for that sort of use, they are designed for use with fixed wiring where the cables would be clipped along their length and short of something snagging the cable and pulling reasonably close to the JB (eg within a few clips) then it wouldn't strain the connections.
I need a better JB then, something with glands and half decent terminals, this one is shat.
Nozzle
If you're happy with the current aesthetics, as Simon has implied, all you need is to clip the cables to the joist and all would be well - glands are not necessary.
Kind Regards, John
If we worked on the basis of not bothering to protect against events which were 'very unlikely', then it would be a very different world. For example, you presumably agree with the earthing of exposed-c-ps of Class I appliances/equipment, but when did you last, in your house, experience an event which would have been a hazard in the absence of such earthing? You may even agree with the installation of RCDs to reduce the risk of electrocution!
As discussed at length in this thread, the OP has to decide/judge which is the more likely (of two types of event, both of which are 'very unlikely') - evens which would be made more dangerous by earthing the worktop and those which would be made less dangerous by earthing the worktop.
Kind Regards, John
I was questioning the likelihood of the power cord getting damaged enough to cause the bench to become live.
If that really is a risk which needs mitigating then surely using a more robust power cord would be better than earthing the bench?
Very low likelihood, yes (but see my previous comments about that), but almost any powered tool (grinder, saw, router, drill etc. etc.) will have no trouble seriously damaging the cable of a tool.
What were you thinking of? I would have thought that little short of SWA would afford much protection against power tools, and that's hardly practicable for portable power tools
Kind Regards, John
I'd suggest a better strategy would be to take better care of ones tools
Or at least paying attention and noticing when you'd mangled the flex rather than waiting until you're alerted by the RCD tripping when you put it down on an earthed metal bench.
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