O.k. Everyone. Stop writing! hand in your papers now!!!
Oh no I think Theory is asleep at the back of the class:z:z
He didn't even get round to writing his answers!
never mind...
:x
So lets just recap...
two questions...
1] How many errors/omissions/non-compliances can you note with this arrangement?
I shall list out the observations I found in no particular order of importance..
1} The earth wire at the gas meter went back to the earth clamp on the cold water pipe:O
2} The earth wire at the hot water pipe went back to the earth bar in the CU
3} So in the strict sense Neither cold water NOR gas are directly bonded back to CU...but the Gas & cold water were supplementary bonded!!
4} The earth clamp at the gas pipe had NO warning label fitted.
5} The earth clamp at the cold water pipe had NO warning label fitted.
6} The warning label on the hot water pipe is just tucked around the loose bit of the strap.. likely to fall off (which is what probably happened to the other label!) {although hot bond is not any requirement!!!}
7} The cold water bond should be made after the stop tap.. but before and branches or tee's in the pipework.
8} all of the bonding conductors C.S.A. are too small with regard to current regs.
9} Main Earth from CU to PME head should be 10mm in relation to 16mm supply tails
Think that was most of them! phtt!
Next question was...
2] How would you leave the installation after completing PIR?
Now the general concept of Inspection & Testing is that you do ONLY that.. Not remedial or alteration work!
Unless a serious danger to persons, property or livestock requires urgent work to make safe!
BUT Real world kicks in again..
In order to test & identify these bonding wires... I had to disconnect them from the conductive copper pipes...
whilst all of the cables were disconnected I checked for continuity across the pipework... Hot - Cold -Gas highest reading <15ohms
So there was a continuity between all of the bonding points and if I had put them back as I found them it could be argued that there is no significant danger as long as the pipework isn't modified!
If I had left it as it was.. then spoke to customer.. they would say..
how much to fix it.. I would say approx half hour & a couple of clamps!
So may as well do improvement rather than leaving it unaltered.
Modified Gas
Crimp lug onto Gas wire, Fit new clamp.. & warning sign
wrap a bit of pvc ins tape Grn/Yell to ensue correct identification of conductors.
The pipe going down the wall from the meter is the outgoing side on sold pipework.
New water
One of the earth wires under the sink had a load of spare wire stuffed down the back of the sink unit.
Cut them both back to same length.
Strip ends and crimp both wires into same lug.
wrap a bit of pvc ins tape Grn/Yell to ensue correct identification of conductors.
Fit new earth clamp after Tap but before TEE Ensure correct warning sign is fixed to clamp!
With the off-cut make a small bonding strap between the hot & cold pipes..
Unnecessary but there is now a spare clamp sitting there unused. and it ain't going to make any problems.
So now on the PIR cert I can just observe that CSA bonding too small upgrade at earliest convenience
Think thats about it!
Well done everyone who had a go at input! :z :z:z:z:z:z:z:z:z
