New fuse box needed - would it be easier to become an electrician than employ one?

[ebee]

As John rightly pointed out, these conductors "substantially" equalise the potential between our incomming esrthy pipework, our electrical earth teminal and the ground around us.
That is what we attempt to equalise to reduce shock risk.
Some things are not substantially earthy as they enter our installation or the sphere around it, some things are substantially earthy.
We set a borderline as to what we consider earthy and what we consider not earthy.
The earthy bits we "equalise" to non earthy bits we do not.
Two problems 1/ What do we consider earthy and what do we consider not? 2/ What about things that appear in one group some of the time but in the other group at some of the time?
In an ideal world (which does not exist) we would make everything non earthy, therefore live in an electrically insulated world and just have a system of the only things you must not touch are the conductors that are Live (including the conductor we refer to as N), that would be the only danger we need to avoid (Bathroom shaver socket example).
But, either deliberately or fortuatesouly one of the poles might become earthlike so we tend it make it very earthlike and try to avoid touching something at a different potential at the same time - more than a bit difficult sometimes.
We could have a system that uses less than say 50 volts or so and that could be electrically safer in normal dry conditions but in terms of fire risk and costs of all the generating and transmition etc woul be too great.
So we compromise and use a system that only kills a few people and we take a few steps to keep that number low-ish.
If we never had useable electricity then would life be better or safer? I reckon not!

 

[JohnW2]

As John rightly pointed out, these conductors "substantially" equalise the potential between our incomming esrthy pipework, our electrical earth teminal and the ground around us. ... That is what we attempt to equalise to reduce shock risk. ... Some things are not substantially earthy as they enter our installation or the sphere around it, some things are substantially earthy. ... We set a borderline as to what we consider earthy and what we consider not earthy.

Indeed so, but as you go on to say ....

Two problems
1/ What do we consider earthy and what do we consider not?
2/ What about things that appear in one group some of the time but in the other group at some of the time?

Quite so - and my LPG pipe is a prize example of the latter. Someone attempting to determine by measurement whether or not it was 'earthy' could come to different Opposite) conclusions if their measurements were taken during very wet' r 'very dry' conditions. To me, in my case, it's a no-brainer - since I know, effectively 'for sure', that it will sometimes be so wet that the pipe would qualify as 'earthy', I would (and do) definitely bond it.

There is, however, a 'saving grace'. Although one theoretically increases risk (of electric shock' by 'unnecessarily earthing' touchable metal (and 'bonding' would certainly result in 'earthing'), in reality nearly all metal water/gas pipework will already be earthed, by virtue of its electrical continuity with boilers, CH components etc - so no additional risk would result from 'unnecessary bonding'.

So we compromise and use a system that only kills a few people and we take a few steps to keep that number low-ish. ... If we never had useable electricity then would life be better or safer? I reckon not!

Quite so. Much as we (and particularly politicians) don't like to talk (or even thunk) about it, in almost every serious safety-related context the concept of 'the acceptable number of deaths' has to arise - because of that need for compromises (a nationwide 2 mph speed limit on all roads would eliminate virtually all 'road deaths' but .....!) - and we are (or should be) hearing about that in the context of the current "Covid Inquiry"

Kind Regards, John

 

[Arbu]

So the electrician tells me that the bonding has to be encased in trunking, it can't just be a plastic coated cable through my flat. Which, if it looks like the trunking that was placed in my bathroom (see photo), is liable to look pretty awful. It seems to have a tendency to fall off the wall. Are there any better options?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Bonding conductors do not have to be in trunking.

 

[ebee]

Although trunking can often look better than that (I tend to not use those awful knuckle joints but just trim the trunking itself to size/shape). Another tip , a long run (example floor to ceiling can look better than just half way etc)

 

[Arbu]

Bonding conductors do not have to be in trunking.

Thanks. Any authority that I can give him for that? Or is it just that there's nothing to state it has to be in trunking? Here's what he says:

"The trunking is used to enclose and protect the wiring. We cannot run wiring clipped direct to walls/ceilings."

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thanks. Any authority that I can give him for that? Or is it just that there's nothing to state it has to be in trunking? Here's what he says:

Rules rarely state what is not prohibited.
It will be up to him to show where it is prohibited.

"The trunking is used to enclose and protect the wiring.

Whilst that is true -

We cannot run wiring clipped direct to walls/ceilings."

It is done all the time for all wiring.
Clipped direct is one of the installation methods - Why else would he use that phrase?

From the Wiring Regulations; Method C:

 

[Murdochcat]

If it’s in plastic trucking or conduit it’ll need metal clips to hold it in place