British Gas and earthing

[oldtimer]

Hi guys
Can someone explain to me what are British Gas take on earthing of the boiler and the pipes and why are their techs making a big deal of it.

Also what is the definitive regs view on this ie boiler casing earthed ? bonding between pipes ?

thanks

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

i am under the impression that there is no need for any sup bonding now so long as main services are bonded
as for british gas i dont know
are they saying it should be done

a friend has had a new boiler payed for by a grant and the inspector on behalf of the installer failed it because the sup bonding was not 10mm

 

[oldtimer]

The reason I asked as some of BG service techs or churners as they are known appear to be highlighting that the boler plus system is not up to spec with regards to earthing and basicaly put the fear of god into some (old) customers one couple I know paid to get their "system" earthed 10mm to boiler and pipes cross bonded in cupboard not realising that the service tech is on a commission to sell or upgrade heating systems.

I had my boiler serviced last month and as I was out my wife got the your system is not up to spec speech as the back boiler was noted as 20 years + old. So when I got in I had to point out that the boiler was 5 years old as it had electronic ignition.Also pointed out that BG does not check the additives in the system and then charge £750 for a power flush.

My feeling are that if your board is not up to the 17th ie split RCD then you may be fair game for the your system is not up to spec speech or is it being incorrectly interpitted ?

As I cannot see if the CH boiler or pipes have to be earthed I take it this was a requirement in the 16th ?

 

[Mr Mark Sparks]

bonding regs have been changed more times than seems possible so the chances are it was ok once and still ok now as long as main bonds are done

 

[chris m]

As a heating engineer, i always supplementary bond pipework under the boiler although on a recent technical assessment with elecsa the inspector said not required unlesss the manufacturers instruction say to do so. i do for one reason only, the safety relief pipe to outside from the boier is in copper so in my view that would be classed as extraneous conductive parts and should be earthed as such to include bonding to adjacent concutive parts. Dont ask me which reg though
oh nad bg are just rip off merchants

 

[EddieB]

Regulation 411.3.1.2 states that each installation shall connect to the main earthing terminal extraneous condctive parts including (iv) central heating and ac systems

 

[Des 56]

Regulation 411.3.1.2 states that each installation shall connect to the main earthing terminal extraneous condctive parts including (iv) central heating and ac systems

The vast majority of central heating systems probably have no extraeneous metal parts
Even the external copper vent would be difficult to classify as such
I dont think that reg applies to most systems

My view is that it is usually no requirement because the pipework of the systems are generally coupled with entry plate at the boiler, so no equipotential issues. and the water bond is generally connected via a copper feed pipe to the boiler

Having said that I always bond at the boiler because it might be a manufacturers recomendation

But mainly because it stops the potential hassle with the new entrants to our trade ,the heating engineer or what we used to term in our parity days "the plumber"

 

[Guest123]

My local authority insist on us cross bonding at the boiler position.

Tend to do it now as a habbit.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

There's more talked about bonding than any other issue. The requirements are main bonding to incoming services and structural steel work, and supplementary bonding in special locations where certain other requirements are not met. Nothing else is required.Unless your boiler is located in a special location,or outside the equipotential zone with metallic pipes coming into the building, it and the associated pipework will not need either main or supplementary bonding.Conductive parts of the system will need to be earthed as would any other conductive parts.
If BG engineers or anyone else demand it then ask them to justify their request. Of course if the customer wants to waste their money doing it I'd be more than happy to oblige.