UK secondary gas meter

[L1Jay1]

Does secondary gas meter to be earthed .

 

[Pete999]

Does secondary gas meter to be earthed .

Gas pipework doesn't require earthing, may require BONDING though

 

[Spoon]

Is there bonding to the gas pipe going to the first meter?
Is the second gas meter in the same building as the first?
How is the second gas meter connected to the first... e.g. route of pipe?

 

[davesparks]

It is unlikely to require a main bond if it is continuous metal pipework from the incoming service and it is in the same building.

If it is in a separate building then it will require bonding if it is all metallic pipework, and will require testing to see if it is extraneous if there is any non-metallic pipework in the run.

If it does not require main bonding I would be inclined to bond across the meter locally linking the incoming and outgoing pipework so that they remain bonded when the meter is removed. This is just my personal opinion and is not a requirement of the regulations.

 

[John-SJW]

Does secondary gas meter to be earthed .

Need more information. Is the secondary meter in separate sub accommodation with its own electricity supply with its own CU?

Electrical supplies need to be connected by earth cable to all extraneous metal entering the building, such as, water pipes, gas pipes, steel frames of the building.

If the secondary gas meter in the sub accommodation has its own electrical supply with a CU, then this needs to be connected to the extraneous metal that enters that sub accommodation. This includes the secondary gas meter. Just think of the secondary gas meter as pipe entering the accommodation as does a metal water pipe.

If the accommodation served by the secondary gas meter does not have its own electrical supply, as it is off the supply for the whole building, as long as the primary gas meter, if it has a metal mains pipe, is connected to the earth cable of the buildings electrical supply, that is all that is needed.

But! If the primary gas meter has a plastic gas main pipe entering the building then there is no extraneous metal on the gas supply, then no need to connect the earth cable to the metal outlet of the primary or secondary meter.

 

[L1Jay1]

Is there bonding to the gas pipe going to the first meter?
Is the second gas meter in the same building as the first?
How is the second gas meter connected to the first... e.g. route of pipe?

The primary gas meter is earthed to the main distribution board , but the gas meter is outside, the pipe work is on the outside goes down the side of building. flat has its own cu . secondary gas meter is bonded to other pipe work inside the building but not earthed to the flats cu.

 

[davesparks]

But! If the primary gas meter has a plastic gas main pipe entering the building then there is no extraneous metal on the gas supply, then no need to connect the earth cable to the metal outlet of the primary or secondary meter.

This is incorrect, a plastic incoming main does not automatically mean that the installation pipework is not extraneous. If the installation pipework is metallic and in contact with the ground, possibly via burial in concrete or the building fabric, then it may well be extraneous.

 

[John-SJW]

The primary gas meter is earthed to the main distribution board , but the gas meter is outside, the pipe work is on the outside goes down the side of building. flat has its own cu . secondary gas meter is bonded to other pipe work inside the building but not earthed to the flats cu.

What about the accommodation that the sub meter services? Slf contained with its own electricity supply with CU?
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This is incorrect, a plastic incoming main does not automatically mean that the installation pipework is not extraneous. If the installation pipework is metallic and in contact with the ground, possibly via burial in concrete or the building fabric, then it may well be extraneous.

If the plastic main enters the building that is so. If the meter is outside with plastic main with the outlet pipe entering that is not extraneous. Outlet gas pipes are supposed to be in plastic sleeving or wrapped, so no ground or wall masonry contact. If there is it is a cowboy job.

 

[davesparks]

If the plastic main enters the building that is so. If the meter is outside with plastic main with the outlet pipe entering that is not extraneous. Outlet gas pipes are supposed to be in plastic sleeving or wrapped, so no ground or wall masonry contact. If there is it is a cowboy job.

Whether it is a cowboy job or not it would still require main bonding as a result of it.

Years ago this was not a requirement and you will still often come across buried iron gas pipes in an installation which are extraneous due to their being buried on the consumers side.

Making the statement that a plastic incomer automatically makes all installation pipes not extraneous is incorrect in my opinion and it would be very bad practice to make such assumptions without carrying out testing to prove otherwise.

 

[John-SJW]

Whether it is a cowboy job or not it would still require main bonding as a result of it.

Years ago this was not a requirement and you will still often come across buried iron gas pipes in an installation which are extraneous due to their being buried on the consumers side.

Making the statement that a plastic incomer automatically makes all installation pipes not extraneous is incorrect in my opinion and it would be very bad practice to make such assumptions without carrying out testing to prove otherwise.

You are right about years ago. Even iron gas pipe has to be protected. There should be no contact of any gas pipe, not matter what material it is made of, with masonry. It is worthless bonding to a meter with plastic main pipe.

 

[davesparks]

You are right about years ago. Even iron gas pipe has to be protected. There should be no contact of any gas pipe, not matter what material it is made of, with masonry. It is worthless bonding to a meter with plastic main pipe.

'should be' is a wonderful phrase that doesn't always mean much in the real world. There are lots of 'should be's' in the world which just aren't.
I stand by my point, the pipework should be tested to establish whether or not it is extraneous rather than making assumptions based on what 'should be'

 

[John-SJW]

'should be' is a wonderful phrase that doesn't always mean much in the real world. There are lots of 'should be's' in the world which just aren't.
I stand by my point, the pipework should be tested to establish whether or not it is extraneous rather than making assumptions based on what 'should be'

Always assume all gas pipes were all fitted properly not assuming a cowboy job, or something installed in the 1950s, which is what you saying you do, to get some electrical bonding.

When in the late 1960s/early 1970s electrical installations were bonded to gas meters (previously it was a no, no), they bonded them to the outlet. Gas people complained, as a fault could give a spark across meter horns & meter union as the meter was removed - I have seen it happen. The gas people said connect the bonding onto the main pipe. The electricity people said you are moving over to plastic gas mains. They were told about the installation pipes not being reliable on an earthing point. The electricity people took no notice still assuming all gas pipes somewhere would be earthed. Also saying if a gas meter is removed the outlet pipe still gives an earth. Complete nonsense. Gas people were p****d off. To remove a meter you are suppose to clip a wire with crocodile clips onto the inlet and outlet pipes to avoid a spark at the horns when removing a meter.

In my view no electrical installation should bond to a gas pipe. None, for the reasons I gave. When I bond to a gas installation I bond to the inlet and outlet with earth wire making the line between the inlet and outlet.

BS is wrong, very wrong.