EEBADS (the actual insulation of such safety measure)

[Ben Grant]

I know we bond pipe work with earth clamps and 4.0mm earth cable. But does anyone know why some people coil up the earth conductor, making it look like a spring? Instead of just putting a small length from A to B without making it go round and round an imaginary loo roll?

 

[Guest55]

To allow for movement / expansion of the metalwork in question.

 

[lister]

hi, (10mm in th uk), the coils is personell choice it serves to combat vibration / movement acting as a spring and to add cable length so it can be removed and refitted should pipe work be altered.

 

[Ben Grant]

Just how much are they supposed to move, cause I have taken them away felt now and there has been around 40cm of cable to go between pipes 2" apart

 

[GaryM]

It's ADS now and some of the loops I've seen would allow for movement to next doors property!

 

[Ben Grant]

10mm for bonding to main service - gas,water,oil ect. 4mm with mechanical protection or 6mm earth without for between pipes under sink and by boiler?!?

 

[GaryM]

hi, (10mm in th uk),

I assumed the OP was talking about supplementary bonding.

 

[Ben Grant]

I know about the ADS side as its all rcd, but people ask me why they are coiled, I think it's ridiculous as its cable that is costly and time consuming

 

[GaryM]

10mm for bonding to main service - gas,water,oil ect. 4mm with mechanical protection or 6mm earth without for between pipes under sink and by boiler?!?

4mm doesn't need mechanical protection.

 

[Guitarist]

The coil allows for some alteration of pipework as well as movement. Imagine a plumber or DIY'er has to move a pipe over and the cable is only just long enough. There's a good chance that rather than get a sparky in, it simply wouldn't get reconnected if it was too short.
I think the main reason it's done though, is that it looks "pro"

 

[jimmymac]

I was taught to always leave some extra which i refer to as the pigs tail, the reasoning is stated above, movement ect.

 

[Rockingit]

There was a thread on this a while back, and the concensus then is still my opinion now: it's an unnecessary waste of cable and introduces the potential for inductance and heat.

Yes, of course you don't run the cable tight-as-you-can to the clamp/bolt/whatever and there's almost always some natural slack for fixing it to the aforementioned, and you might consider leaving a couple of inches if you think it might be prudent to avoid a sloppy plumber.... but anything else is just not needed!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

Aye, vaguely remember that inductance thread. I think it just looks nice
In my instrument days we'd always terminate the cables with 1 or 2 360 loops.

 

[Knobhead]

Many years back while supervising the construction of a plant I had to tell the contractors to take all the fancy pigtails out due to inductance. They weren’t happy!

 

[Guitarist]

I think there is a huge difference between a couple of 360's to give an extra few inches, and something that looks like a garage forecourt airline

 

[StuSpiers]

Back in the 16th days I always did it with pigtails because it looked nice.

No other consideration just pride in my own work.


Probably was a waste of cable but I wasn't paying for it, as for inductance loops well where is the induced current going to go? down to earth maybe.

 

[Rockingit]

I think there is a huge difference between a couple of 360's to give an extra few inches, and something that looks like a garage forecourt airline

Like this, you mean?!

 

[StuSpiers]

lol that just looks ****

 

[RISElectrical]

I used to work a lot in commercial kitchens and benches etc would be bonded in the coiled way, allowing for the bench to be pulled out 500mm for the deep clean without having to disconnect the bond, it was in the spec for this to be done.

 

[Rockingit]

Well pop over to the brand-spanking newly built QNCC in Doha, and you will find MILE after MILE after MILE of such fine cable wasteage. My theory is that it's been done deliberately so that in the event of a massive fault to earth, the whole place will just become one big electromagnet long enough to drag even more dollar coins into the place.

 

[RISElectrical]

I will be there in September, I will keep a look out for it

 

[StuSpiers]

Yhea anything over 2 - 4 inches of pigtail just looks silly.

The kitchen bench scenario makes sense.