Supplementary Bonding (Bathroom)

[matt]

Having trawled various sources there seems much debate about supplementary bonding. I've run an earth between all the metal bits in the bathroom, including the radiator, taps, bath, etc. So now there is no potential between any of them. However, I've not connected in to the household earth. I'm within a few feet of a socket in to which I could connect but there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus about whether this is some that should be done or not.

On one hand it means everything is earthed. On the other, it kinda introduces a greater risk of making everything live if there were a problem with the earth (albeit I kinda accept that a problem with the earth is quite serious in its own right).

So... any thoughts?

 

[StevieB]

Aye, don't bother. With the advent pf plastic pipe and push fit fittings it is rare to find a fully earthed house these days. I have heard people say that supplementary bonding is not a regs requirement for this reason, but am not up to speed on the latest edition so don't treat this as gospel. So long as any supply coming in is earthed ( lights, shaver socket, shower etc) earthing the taps and bath is not going to make much of a difference.

Steve.

 

[Digit]

I gave up bonding on pipes and taps years ago and went for insulation instead.
Accidentally coming into contact with a live line is one thing, then making contact with a good earth line at the same time isn't good!

Roy.

 

[Jenx]

There's nowt like a good 'blast' of elastictrickery' to get ones attention, eh Roy ! :wink: ...
Whilst on the burners, it was an almost daily occurance :wink: :lol: ...
Always got away with it on 220/240v stuff... but having dropped a 17mm combination britool across some 3ph busbars in a control cabinet, and being left with only the 'smell' of molten steel and temporarily blind from the flash, It always seemed a good move to 'respect' three-phase supplies that tiny bit more, after that :wink: :lol:

House earth bonding has always been a bit OTT :wink:

 

[Digit]

Your spanner story reminds me of one I read in the Reader's Digest.
A fellow in America was working on the inside of the silo lid for one of the Minute Men ICBMs when he dropped a spanner, something like 100ft to the deck.
He descend to the bottom and found his spanner a couple of feet from a guy doing some welding.
Realising how dangerous a hit could have been he apologised profusely.
The other guy shrugged it off and the chap went back up top, and promptly dropped the damn thing again.
This time he found it even closer to the welder, overcome with embarrassment he apologised again and returned to the top, where he dropped the damn thing again.
When he got down to the bottom the welder had gone, and his spanner was welded securely to the floor!

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

Matt

I'd be inclined to ask your question on the Askthetrades forum. They're a pretty knowledgeable and helpful lot there.

My bonding and earthing book is offsite and so I can't give you a definitive answer but IIRC bonding taps and radiators is overkill.

When I rewired the cottage I made sure that I used plastic piping throughout ergo zero supplementary bonding and zero main bonding. The MET simply goes to the earth spike.

Roger

 

[Maverick.uk]

Matt

Ive just done my bathroom and got a spark to check it over once i had done it. He said everything i had done was ok. I asked like you about bonding to the earth in the house and he told me it is explicitly not required. The idea is that you are making evrything at the same potential within the bathroom by bonding, if there was a fault and you had taken it to the house erath it could potentially be more dangoerous because you then provide a path for the electricity to flow. As i said the bonding withihn the bathroom as i understand it is to keep everything at the same potential either with no fault or during a fault.

Cheers

Mav

 

[matt]

Matt

Ive just done my bathroom and got a spark to check it over once i had done it. He said everything i had done was ok. I asked like you about bonding to the earth in the house and he told me it is explicitly not required. The idea is that you are making evrything at the same potential within the bathroom by bonding, if there was a fault and you had taken it to the house erath it could potentially be more dangoerous because you then provide a path for the electricity to flow. As i said the bonding withihn the bathroom as i understand it is to keep everything at the same potential either with no fault or during a fault.

Cheers

Mav

Thanks for all the feedback. Mav, your experience matches my understanding and preference based on the same logic. Many thanks.