UK Earth bonding to Water

[Hemant007]

Greetings, I am homeowner and looking to confirm if I will need earth boding to water pipes.
There is already earth boding near Gas meter and the gas copper pipe enters the house.
Water main supply is via blue plastic pipe (MDPE) which then connects to plastic pipes and also some copper pipes (pipes under boiler are copper pipes, central heating pipes (flow and return pipes) are combination - somewhere copper somewhere plastic).
The consumer unit is metal box with RCD protection, the are 2x RCDs 30mAh, each with 5 MCBs.

Do I need water pipes earthen - the copper pipes under boiler and the some copper pipe sections under the kitchen sink with stopcock?

Thank you.

 

[westward10]

No.

 

[Hemant007]

Thank you for quick response, with my limited knowledge my understanding is also same as the main water pipe is not metal, I am not sure why an electrician will suggest to get the earth bonding to water done,
It makes me think that just adding some work to generate some income ! Sorry not sure, the electrician who suggested to do the earth bonding to water pipe as he can see some copper pipes under the boiler and under the sink.

 

[littlespark]

The whole bonding thing is for extraneous metalwork. Ie, meaning outside the building.
If it’s a plastic pipe supplying water, then it is not metalwork… whereas a copper gas pipe is, and does need bonded.

 

[Hemant007]

Yes, thank you, Gas pipe is already bonded

 

[Hemant007]

An electrician suggested that - the copper pipes under boiler and the some copper pipe sections under the kitchen sink with stopcock need to be bonded.
If copper pipe goes under the wood flooring to reach radiators (not under earth ground) does that needs to be earth bonded ?

 

[davesparks]

Did they carry out any testing of the pipework?

 

[MDJ]

Greetings, I am homeowner and looking to confirm if I will need earth boding to water pipes.
There is already earth boding near Gas meter and the gas copper pipe enters the house.
Water main supply is via blue plastic pipe (MDPE) which then connects to plastic pipes and also some copper pipes (pipes under boiler are copper pipes, central heating pipes (flow and return pipes) are combination - somewhere copper somewhere plastic).
The consumer unit is metal box with RCD protection, the are 2x RCDs 30mAh, each with 5 MCBs.

Do I need water pipes earthen - the copper pipes under boiler and the some copper pipe sections under the kitchen sink with stopcock?

Thank you.

Out of interest only, why did you suddenly decide you needed to know if bonding was required to the plastic piping? just intrigued

 

[Hemant007]

no he did not test any pipe work, he could see some copper pipe, he could see copper pipe under boiler, I mentioned the main water supply is via blue plastic pipe, but he said the metal pipe inside the property needs to be bonded, so I feel he may just be making up some work to make money !

 

[mainline]

no he did not test any pipe work, he could see some copper pipe, he could see copper pipe under boiler, I mentioned the main water supply is via blue plastic pipe, but he said the metal pipe inside the property needs to be bonded, so I feel he may just be making up some work to make money !

The only really way to know is to test it.

 

[littlespark]

He wants to bond copper pipe that may or may not be joined together with plastic fittings?

 

[Hemant007]

Out of interest only, why did you suddenly decide you needed to know if bonding was required to the plastic piping? just intrigued

I am looking to confirm if bonding is required to the copper pipes even when main supply is via blue plastic pipe, I feel the electrician who I met may just be making up some work to earn money !

 

[nicebutdim]

I am looking to confirm if bonding is required to the copper pipes even when main supply is via blue plastic pipe, I feel the electrician who I met may just be making up some work to earn money !

More likely they don't understand the principles of bonding.

 

[Hemant007]

He wants to bond copper pipe that may or may not be joined together with plastic fittings?

He wants to bond copper pipe that may or may not be joined together with plastic fittings?

He wants to join the copper pipe regardless that the main supply is via plastic pipe, he says metal pipe inside property needs to be bonded regardless

 

[grumpyjohn01]

It is common practice to bond copper pipe installs even though the supply is plastic , not a requirement but often worth running the cable as plans may change etc or there may be a cable there from a previous install and hey ho if its there just smash a clamp on anyway. Newer installs with plastic supply and only isolated sections of copper with most runs in plastic are another matter and you just wouldn't consider they needed a bond . Doubt the guy is trying to stiff you probably just being a bit 'rule of thumb' about it.

 

[Hemant007]

It is common practice to bond copper pipe installs even though the supply is plastic , not a requirement but often worth running the cable as plans may change etc or there may be a cable there from a previous install and hey ho if its there just smash a clamp on anyway. Newer installs with plastic supply and only isolated sections of copper with most runs in plastic are another matter and you just wouldn't consider they needed a bond . Doubt the guy is trying to stiff you probably just being a bit 'rule of thumb' about it.

Yes, it may be just following the rule of thumb, but I was wondering if its really required, I don't see a nearby earth only connection that is coming from earth block, however I do see there is nearby socket with earth connection, I think the earth from the socket shouldn't be used for bonding ?

 

[davesparks]

He wants to join the copper pipe regardless that the main supply is via plastic pipe, he says metal pipe inside property needs to be bonded regardless

That sounds like the very common problem of an electrician who hasn't kept up to date with changes to the regulations.

 

[Hemant007]

the electrician quoted £150 to do the EICR test and minor fixes as it will take around 4-5 hours,
however he finished the test in less than 1 hour (he checked CU, some sockets and switches) and now asking me to pay 150, he also quoted 200 plus material to fix the errors including earth bonding to water pipes.
I do not feel good and while I respect all professionals, I feel I am being ripped off !

 

[davesparks]

the electrician quoted £150 to do the EICR test and minor fixes as it will take around 4-5 hours,
however he finished the test in less than 1 hour (he checked CU, some sockets and switches) and now asking me to pay 150

If you received a quote for £150 and agreed to proceed based on that quote then yes of course he is asking for £150 because that is the agreed price.
If you feel the work has not been completed to your satisfaction then you need to discuss that with him and get it resolved before paying the bill, but it won't change the price.


1 hour seems very fast for doing an EICR but without actually seeing the installation we couldn't comment definitively.

, he also quoted 200 plus material to fix the errors including earth bonding to water pipes.
I do not feel good and while I respect all professionals, I feel I am being ripped off !

Have you had any other quotes for the remedial work to compare it to?

 

[Hemant007]

If you received a quote for £150 and agreed to proceed based on that quote then yes of course he is asking for £150 because that is the agreed price.
If you feel the work has not been completed to your satisfaction then you need to discuss that with him and get it resolved before paying the bill, but it won't change the price.


1 hour seems very fast for doing an EICR but without actually seeing the installation we couldn't comment definitively.


Have you had any other quotes for the remedial work to compare it to?

i agreed to pay 150 for 4-5 hours work, but he did some tests for less than 1 hour, he is expecting me to first pay 150 and then asking for another 200 to do fix some errors.
It is 3 bedroom house with 2x RCD each with 5 MCBs.
if earth bonding to water should not be required as discussed above, seems like he is just creating work to charge more.