External meter bonding.

[jjmmcc]

Hi People,

Sorry if I have misses other posts.

Have done some landlords checks with clients.
Have had two occasions where concerns for electrical bonding have come up.

External meter boxes with no bonding to the pipework in the meter box, but the gas supply pipe, as it enters the property is bonded to the main earth point at the consumer box.
The properties are 4 houses in a block. Two down & Two up upstairs.

I have / feel this is alright.

Can I have your guidance?

And I hear the NTCS is possibly being phased out

 

[lame plumber]

within 300mm fm meter fm memory although sparkies tell me they can do it where it enters property, just wish the various organisations
could agree!

 

[mountainman]

The sparkies are correct in their world Lame, but according to our regs it's 600mm and before any tees.

 

[lame plumber]

couldnt remember 300 or 600 as long as its in the box I'm happy

 

[jjmmcc]

I Know the gas regs state 600mm after the meter before any "T" or fittings.

Will the bonding just be NTCS, Better have bonding than none. ?

 

[IddeaTerry]

Yes it would be NTCS, Make sure the gas pipe is sealed as it enters also, had so many that aren't sealed and that's a big fat ID.:smiley2:

 

[snowhead]

From the Electrical regs 17th edition 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 that 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 consumer's hard metal pipework and before any branch pipework.
Where practicable the connection shall be made within 6oomm of the meter outlet union or at the point of entry to the building if the meter is external.

 

[Linkyplumb]

I always bond at point of entry, rather than having tempting free cable outside and label accordingly in meter box

 

[kirkgas]

Yes it would be NTCS, Make sure the gas pipe is sealed as it enters also, had so many that aren't sealed and that's a big fat ID.:smiley2:

So if you stand beside a gas pipe that isn't sealed to the wall or sleeve you are in imminent danger of being injured or killed?

 

[kirkgas]

within 300mm fm meter fm memory although sparkies tell me they can do it where it enters property, just wish the various organisations
could agree!

It's 600mm from outlet of meter, they won't agree on this one as they are coming from two different perspectives on it,
The spark says it's acceptable if the ze reading is within range and can be bonded anywhere, the gas reg is looking for bonding within 600mm of outlet to fall in line with pipework BS 6891, which tells us the first 600mm of pipework after the meter should be rigid, before it goes to trac pipe etc, so by asking for bonding to be kept within the 600mm zone it should always be on a rigid section of pipe and saves it being moved, but how many of us cut a tee into the section after the meter and before the bond then get the bond moved to before the new tee? I don't care about the difference in the regs, if I see bonding that isn't before the tee or within 600 I report it, and if I can't see the bond because it's an external meter I simply report "no bonding visible"