Main Bonding to another property.

[wcampbell]

Hi.
A brief history of myself: Self employed tradesman since 1982 ( Decorating, Joinery, Plumbing ).
Done lots of minor works over the years.
Did 2382 last year. Looking to register with NIC EIC.

I'm doing a PIR on my son's ground floor flat with a view to fitting new CU.
This is what I have found so far:

Metal socket switch plates not earth.
No evidence of supplementary bonding in bathroom.
Metric & Imperial throughout.
3 core & earth to bathroom wall light.
Unused N in bedroom light switch which operates lounge wall lights also.
Son's gas meter is bonded ( bonded to silver flexible pipe not copper!) but 10mm earth runs to upstairs flat. No bonding from upstairs flat to upstairs flat gas meter!!
Only water mains bonding in MET of my sons flat.
Fuse box is Memera 3 BS 5486 80 AMP MAX. Serves lights, cooker, and sockets.

The metal socket switch plates is no problem.
Bathroom bonding will be solved with RCCB and good test results.
Presume 3 core & E is all contractors had when running cable.
Not sure about spare N in bedroom socket ( will this effect 6amp CB? )
My initial reaction to gas bonding was horror ( I know it's not to BS 7671 ).

How do I comment on all this in PIR comments section ( C1, 2, or 3 ? )?

Would be grateful for advice from more experienced Electrician.

 

[Spazz]

I personally think the whole place needs a rewire.

That spare N in Bathroom, if I comes into contact with a Live it will blow the fuse with a bit of luck
Make sure the main gas and water pipes are bonded where they enter the building as a min
Fuse box needs changing as you said
Socket back box is not a big problem as long as an earth is connected to the switch, it will provide some earth to the back box when the face is fitted - how much will depend on the quality of the metal (rusted/corroded or not) - not the best though

As you probably know you need NICEIC to do the CU change and rewire - good one to use on your assessment tbh - (Not forgetting you need 1 job for NICEIC Domestic and 3 for Commercial)


Good luck

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I personally think the whole place needs a rewire.

That spare N in Bathroom, if I comes into contact with a Live it will blow the fuse with a bit of luck
Make sure the main gas and water pipes are bonded where they enter the building as a min
Fuse box needs changing as you said
Socket back box is not a big problem as long as an earth is connected to the switch, it will provide some earth to the back box when the face is fitted - how much will depend on the quality of the metal (rusted/corroded or not) - not the best though

As you probably know you need NICEIC to do the CU change and rewire - good one to use on your assessment tbh - (Not forgetting you need 1 job for NICEIC Domestic and 3 for Commercial)


Good luck

Niceic, elecsa, napit, BSI, stroma . Might be another.

 

[Mark P]

Is it the switch plate that is not earthed or the KO box? Can you describe the unused neutral some more? Supplementary bonding is not required if you sort the main bonding and install RCD protection. Presumably this is a converted house and the flats share a gas main. However there should be main bonding dedicated to each flat. This should be no more than 600mm from where the service enters the property, before any branches and the clamp should be attached to solid not flexible pipe. Mostly C2 or C3 as there is not imminent danger but if it is the socket outlet plate not earthed then take care of it asap.

 

[londonlec]

I personally think the whole place needs a rewire.

Why?! Because of a small amount of remedial work? That installation looks to be a good age for a CU change only.

 

[Des 56]

Seems there are quite a few "small jobs" to do to bring this installation back to its full glory.

 

[wcampbell]

Hi Mark.
Just the back boxes, so not a problem. It's the main bonding that is freaking me out. Each flat has independent gas supply yet there is only main bonding to one meter and that's coming from upstairs flat but bonded to my son's gas meter supplying his flat downstairs!
I know I will have to run new 10mm E to son's gas meter and take existing E over to black Gas Meter but I can't work out who is bonded and who is n't!
I have checked that extraneous central heating pipe work in my son's flat is not connected to upstairs flat in any way.

The bedroom switch would have been a 1 gang then changed to a 2 gang hence cable on wall going into switch ( has used short 3cm 1.5mm linking common to common hence spare N ).

Thanks again.