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Running Earth Wire from Fuseboard to Boilerhouse.

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  • 11-07-2014 10:43pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭


    2 story end terraced house.

    Fuseboard up at ceiling at Hall door.
    Boilerhouse in back garden.

    Getting an electrician in to do this,

    1. Roughly how much should it cost.
    2. Does cable need any protection.
    3. Suggestions on best routing.


    I'm thinking of getting it routed along the eves of the house.

    Alternative would be up to attic and diagionally accross to back of house, over existing installation, sounds messy and not neat.


«1

Comments

  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    What is the purpose of the earth, is there power in the shed already and no CPC (circuit protective conductor) ?
    If there is power out there already, what size MCB is it fed from?
    What size earth cable?
    Is it for equipotential bonding?


    to answer your questions:
    1) Hourly rate + materials. Not a great answer, but hard to say more without seeing it. Almost days work?
    2) Yes it needs mechanical protection at any point that it is buried in a wall, in the ground or at any point that it is likely to get a knock.
    3) Would have to see it, but cable runs in a attic should not go " as the crow flies".


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭danjo-xx


    Sorry should have explained better.

    I'm sure its for equipotential bonding all right as I'm getting a new boiler in.

    Cable is 10sq and must not be taken from any tails, has to run direct from fuseboard to boilerhouse.

    Just wondering can the cable be run along the eves without any protection or does it need protection along its entire length when run outside of a house.

    Want to make sure its done right and know what I should expect before I get a quote.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    What is your setup op? is it gas or oil, if its not copper what is the name of the pipework that joins the boiler house to the house?


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭danjo-xx


    What is your setup op? is it gas or oil, if its not copper what is the name of the pipework that joins the boiler house to the house?

    Setup is oil and changing to gas hopefully.

    Pipework at boiler is copper then changes to qualplex before going under the concrete path and into house, then back to copper.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    danjo-xx wrote: »
    Just wondering can the cable be run along the eves without any protection or does it need protection along its entire length when run outside of a house.

    I can't see an issue with this.
    However it won't look very appealing.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    i was trying to figure this out

    what's the rationale behind this

    presumably this is to bring a bond out to the shed?

    they do it in the UK when bringing 3-core to outbuildings with extraneous metal..no mention of it here in et 101?



    it doesn't cover the house though


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    I should add that there is a school of thought that states that you should install a local earth rod at the boiler house if it is not that close to the house.
    Why?
    Because the ground potential will be different there.
    You are connecting conductive parts in the shed to the MET. This would bring these parts to the same potential to the MET.
    However this could be at a different potential to the ground at the shed.
    If the potential difference is great enough touching conductive parts in the shed could result in electrocution (only in the most extreme circumstances).
    A topic for another day perhaps.....


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    2011 wrote: »
    I should add that there is a school of thought that states that you should install a local earth rod at the boiler house if it is not that close to the house.
    Why?
    Because the ground potential will be different there.
    A topic for another day perhaps.....

    not sure about that

    i believe you either convert to TT and fit a rod

    or else you bring a 'main bond' out to bond extraneous metal in the outbuilding


    this doesn't provide main bonding for the house though


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    Could it possibly be for the gas pipe to meet gas regs? Gas pipe running from meter to shed which would require a 10mm separate independent 10mm earth cable.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    not sure about that

    About what?
    That this school of thought exists?
    A quick Google search will confirm that it does.
    this doesn't provide main bonding for the house though

    Agreed, bonding in a shed could not provide bonding in a house.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    2011 wrote: »
    About what?
    That this school of thought exists?
    A quick Google search will confirm that it does.



    Agreed, bonding in a shed could not provide bonding in a house.

    is there a need for a main bond in the outbuilding?


    i think so, if the outbuilding contains extraneous metalwork


    et101 doesn't have much to say on this in comparison to the UK where the practices are well established
    http://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/electrical-installations-outdoors-supply-detached-outbuilding


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    Quoting psalms from the UK regs will only be lead to confusion.


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Mod warning:
    Stay on topic.
    No more insults.
    Thank you.

    :)


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    Quoting psalms from the UK regs will only be lead to confusion.

    my point was that the bond will provide equipotential bonding in the outbuilding
    if there is extraneous metalwork present

    this is a separate matter to the main equipotential bonding in the maim building

    it is a simple concept explained in the document


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    The op said he is installing a gas boiler, gas mains will need bonding. The other pipe work will need bonding if they are conductive. If they are not I would not bond them.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    yes i've only just seen that now

    i'm not familiar with gas but i was making the point about outbuildings and bonding


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley



    i'm not familiar with gas but i was making the point about outbuildings and bonding

    With reference to uk work pratices and regs, would it be appropiate for me to start on about german electrical pratices or any other country for that matter?


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Last warning


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    Either way, if the OP is changing from oil to gas & the gas boiler is remaining where the existing oil boiler pipework is, there must be an independent 10mm earth brought from the consumer unit to the gas pipe.

    This is most likely what the OP is asking about & does it need to be in a conduit externally, etc.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    shane 007 wrote: »
    Either way, if the OP is changing from oil to gas & the gas boiler is remaining where the existing oil boiler pipework is, there must be an independent 10mm earth brought from the consumer unit to the gas pipe.

    This is most likely what the OP is asking about & does it need to be in a conduit externally, etc.

    what regulation is this, presumably a gas reg?

    what does it say exactly?


    i'm curious about this main bonding of gas pipe in a outside location


    i don't think et101 covers it but i'm not familiar with gas


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    I'm not sure what is states in ET101 but I am sure it would be covered there.

    Either way, ET101 will supersede IS813 for electrical guidance/regs.

    Here's what IS813 says...


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    are gas pipes normally metallic and extraneous(in contact with the ground outside) then?

    this main bond protects persons in the boiler house location only and doesn't serve any purpose as far as the main dwelling is concerned


    i don't know of any requirement for main bonding in a boiler house location in et101


    it would be important to bond all extraneous items together if doing this


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    OP said the boiler pipework is qualpex. But all boilers will have minimum first meter in copper.
    Gas will be copper or galvanised GB. It maybe PE from the meter to the boiler house.

    For gas regs, the issue is not the boiler house. It's the gas pipe that requires bonding to satisfy IS813 as the RGI must be satisfied that all aspects of IS813 are met.
    Gas pipe must have an independent 10mm earth to the consumer unit but the boiler heating pipes can be equipotentially bonded from the gas pipe. This is as per gas regs.
    If the gas pipe is not bonded, the gas system cannot be commissioned & put into service.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,884 ✭✭✭Robbie.G


    If the gas main enters the house at any point (cooker/gas fire)tag it there and there's no need to run the 10sq to the boiler house.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 914 ✭✭✭shane 007


    Robbie.G wrote: »
    If the gas main enters the house at any point (cooker/gas fire)tag it there and there's no need to run the 10sq to the boiler house.

    No mention of other appliances, just a new boiler in the boiler house so if the gas was being brought into the house, that would be the easiest place to bond it.

    If we assume it's not, what would best aesthetic method of getting the 10mm bond from the consumer unit to the boiler house if it has to run externally?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    if the gas main also enters the house

    then a tag on the pipe at the boiler house location wouldn't comply with et101


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,393 ✭✭✭danjo-xx


    I reckon fitting an earth rod at boilerhouse would cost a lot more than running a cable around the house or would it. Someone said running a cable could take a days work :(


    There will be no gas mains entering the house.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,884 ✭✭✭Robbie.G


    shane 007 wrote: »
    No mention of other appliances, just a new boiler in the boiler house so if the gas was being brought into the house, that would be the easiest place to bond it.

    If we assume it's not, what would best aesthetic method of getting the 10mm bond from the consumer unit to the boiler house if it has to run externally?

    If the gas supply is going to be brought to the boiler house the earth could always be brought in the same run.
    Unless it's going to be moled then I would probably run it to attic down rear of house and then to boiler house in 30mm round wavin


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,720 ✭✭✭Sir Arthur Daley


    Robbie.G wrote: »
    If the gas main enters the house at any point (cooker/gas fire)tag it there and there's no need to run the 10sq to the boiler house.

    The gas service line would have to be metallic for this to work, wouldnt the gas line be going underground from house to boiler house and is it only pe pipe permitted for this? open to correction.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 700 ✭✭✭mikeyjames9


    danjo-xx wrote: »
    I reckon fitting an earth rod at boilerhouse would cost a lot more than running a cable around the house or would it. Someone said running a cable could take a days work :(


    There will be no gas mains entering the house.

    forget the rod it's not relevant

    just try and stick to a short direct route
    if you have to run a 10sq out


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