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R

robwgun

Hi

Just finished a EICR on a flat, and want to pick some people's brains.

Scenario:

One bed first floor flat

Water main rises into flat in plastic pipe and is plastic throughout the installation, therefore main bonding can be omitted.

Boiler is gas and is bonded on point of entry.

Fuse board is 16th edition so lighting isn't rcd protected

Lights are the only circuit in bathroom, normally only give absence of rcd protection for circuits in bathroom a code 3 if bathroom is supplementary bonded, but what if bonding is omitted because its all plastic within the bathroom?.

Looked in regs and can't find definitive answer as to if I should have code 2'd the lighting circuit needing rcd protection, or if I was correct in giving it a code 3

Any views would be appreciated

Robin
 
Rob, if the average person is stood naked and wet in the bath can they touch the light fitting?

NO: Then go with your gut feeling and make a code 3 at worst.

YES: Then code 2 it and recommend an RCBO be fitted for compliance.

As I have said in other posts, I do not do domestic so am certainly no expert in this area these days, plenty of the chaps here are though so if they see anything wrong with what you or I have said I am sure they will let us know pretty soon..:D
 
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You need to test to find out if there are any extraneous conductive parts in the bathroom and if there are the resistance between them needs to be less than or equal to 50V/In. This also applies to the resistance between exposed conductive parts and between exposed and extraneous conductive parts. If all of the results are satisfactory then no supplementary bonding is needed.

Remember, just because the water main rises in PVC it doesn't mean to say that there isn't anything connected to the water service that is liable to introduce earth potential. Also, if your gas required bonding, then there is a fair chance that you do indeed have extraneous conductive parts in the bathroom.

I'd be checking to make sure supp bonding isn't indeed required, only then would I be divvying out a C3 for no RCD protection. Iff supp bonding is needed and no RCD protection then C2.
 
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hi
if the hight of ceiling less than 225cm yes it will be c3 if not is it fine

slight correction there. heught to bottom of light fitting. the ceiling could be outside zones, but the fitting could be within zone 2.
 
No resistance at all on pipework when R2 test conducted, I'm satisfied that Supplementary bonding isn't required.

I don't see why the height is relevant here, only if I was seeing if a light had the correct IP rating for zone 1.

My only query is normally if we have supplementary bonding in place we can just code 3 the lack of RCD protection, and would code 2 only if there was no bonding, and this situation is different as bonding isn't required.
 
No resistance at all on pipework when R2 test conducted

You mean resistance too high to register lol. No resistance at all would be worrying!

I don't see why the height is relevant here, only if I was seeing if a light had the correct IP rating for zone 1.

You're correct, height is irrelevant to this part of the EICR, dunno why it was mentioned???

My only query is normally if we have supplementary bonding in place we can just code 3 the lack of RCD protection, and would code 2 only if there was no bonding, and this situation is different as bonding isn't required.

If supplementary bonding isn't required then that means that the bathroom is safe without it right? Therefore the only issue is a non compliance with current regs, a C3 is the only code warranted.


Out of interest what was your IR reading between the bath/basin taps and the MET?
 
You know what I mean!.

I always do a R2 continuity test and a insulation resistance test as well to determine if the pipework is extraneous etc.

The only metal pipework in the installation was where it joined to copper rising to the boiler, and these lengths where all cross bonded via the gas bond ( it entered flat just below the boiler).

I was quite surprised to have that high a resistance since the pipework goes via the boiler and is bonded etc, but I guess all those tests people have done saying how high the resistivity of water is must be true.

Just thought I would Double check people's views, my qualifying manager is a arsehole when he interrogates an engineers codes etc
 
You gotta pray the Missus either doesn't read that, or thinks your talking about her!! :D

Nahhhhhh, shes a good lass.

When she caught me with my blow up doll she didnt freak, she just blew it up some more so it was bigger than her:eek:mg_smile:
 
You gotta pray the Missus either doesn't read that, or thinks your talking about her!! :D

Nahhhhhh, shes a good lass.

When she caught me with my blow up doll she didnt freak, she just blew it up some more so it was bigger than her:eek:mg_smile:


This reminds me of "DUXD".......Only fools nad horse, where the dolls inflate them selves!!!lol Best sit com ever!!!


C3

JAY
 
Off the subject slighly, there will be the need to fit additional smoke detection under building control, so maybe an idea to install additional cable for smoke detection so suggest info from building control to save head ache later....just a suggestion
 

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