no incoming services = no main protective bonding?

[marksparky]

hi folks been asked to wire 3 garages with provision for lights plugs car ramp roller door etc there is no water as yet but have been asked to leave supply in each unit for possible future toilet cubicle if whoever rents them wants to build 1 nor is there gas or structural steel so there is no main bonding just earth to earthrod, my concern is that they bring a water supply in at a later date, i havent been in this situation before there has always been some sort of service. whats ur thoughts on it?

 

[Plonker 3]

Well you can't connect to what is there, as long as you cert is fully completed correctly it wouldn't be your responsibilityshould water or gas be installed later. Although could be worth mentioning to the landlord what needs doing should he change anything in the future.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Well if it has not been decided yet that there will be a service installed, then there is no need to supply one.

I'd advise the client as to the requirements of providing MPC's and then let them decide if they would like the provision of one installed at this moment in time.

 

[Baal]

Also make a note on your EIC to the effect that no services were installed at the time of completion.
It's all about covering your backside!

 

[jeremy]

Even if they do bring in a water supply in future it would most likely be in plastic. I wouldn't worry about it

 

[Spudnik]

Agreed^^^^

 

[Sparky Ninja]

But if it's a 'hard metal pipework' system that is then installed after the insulated/plastic, it will still require a main protective bonding conductor.

 

[jeremy]

I would have been sure ( until you said otherwise!!) that plastic incoming supplies don't need to mains bonded as there is no real connection to earth (Impure water is a conductor but not a very good one). Metal pipework should be supp bonded where necessary. I was going to go down to the van get the osg/brb but it's after 11 ive been going since 0630 and maybe my head is a bit fuzzy. Please!! enlighten me if I'm talking £$%^

 

[Baal]

Generally, main water services today are of an alkathene type and where, internal plastic type pipework is also installed there will be no necessity to provide main equipotential bonding to these services, as there would be no conductive parts likely to introduce a potential.
Where, internal copper pipework is installed throughout a building, then this pipework may be in touch with earth at some point in the installation and would therefore be considered to be an extraneous conductive part which would therefore require to be main bonded.
This is where differences of opinion may occurr, i.e. as to whether metal pipework is considered to be an extraneous conductive part or not. If the designer considers that metal parts are not extraneous conductive parts, then there would be no requirement to main bond.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Fao Jeremy..

The reg is 544.1.2

The main equipotential bonding connection to any gas, water or other service shall be made as near as practicable to the point of entry of the service into the premises. Where there is an insulating section or insert at that point, or there is a meter, the connection shall be made to the consumer's hard metal pipework and before any branch pipework. Where practicable the connection shall be made within 600mm of the meter outlet union or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external.


As with everything else, it's always down to interpretation.

 

[UNG]

I'd recommend that speedfit pipe is used for the internal pipework if a water supply is installed saves having to bond it

 

[telectrix]

re: widdler's last post. came across a job where i had to bond to incoming water. stop tap behind new kitchen units and inaccessible without causing major damage to said units, nearest i could get was under floor upstairs. about 15ft from stop tap. got a good reading from sink tap to gas bond 0.16ohms. i would say that this was as near as practicable