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Earthing

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  • 15-04-2017 8:37pm
    #1
    eadt14
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭


    Evening all,
    I was recently involved in a project where on a due diligence inspection, we had a consultant request the banister of a stairs be earthed. He wanted a 10 square from the main earth bar.

    Has anybody come across this before?

    I don't agree with this. I believe you are introducing a potential path.

    Opinions?


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    #2
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    I take it that this is an industrial installation?

    Equipotential bonding is the norm with anything large, conductive and accessible. Why do you not agree with this?

    Generally speaking a local earth bar would be used for this purpose, not the main earth bar.


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    #3
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    2011 wrote: »
    Equipotential bonding is the norm with anything large, conductive and accessible.

    And if it's extraneous or likely to be.

    If something metal is insulated from the met from meggar readings, should we always introduce an earth potential to it?


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    #4
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Bruthal wrote: »
    If something metal is insulated from the met from meggar readings, should we always introduce an earth potential to it?

    This is the standard approach for large extraneous conductive parts such as pipe work, RSJs, ductwork, meat tanks- why make an exception for a handrail?

    Edit: If it is completely insulated from earth and not close to sockets/ lights and the stairs are not metal / conductive then perphaps bonding would do more harm than good. I guess each installation has to be assessed.


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    #5
    eadt14
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭eadt14


    I'm a long time around industrial installations and have never come across this.

    With pipe work and duct work it is part of a system where it has the potential to become live with a live to earth fault. Ie it has 230v actuators 400v motors as part of it.

    Where's the major risk with a banister?


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    #6
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Did you carry out an insulation resistance test?


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    #7
    eadt14
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭eadt14


    2011 wrote: »
    Did you carry out an insulation resistance test?

    Not yet. Testing is in progress. I will. It's something that has me thinking now.


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    #8
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    2011 wrote: »
    This is the standard approach for large extraneous conductive parts such as pipe work, RSJs, ductwork, meat tanks- why make an exception for a handrail?.

    The handrail might not be extraneous.


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    #9
    eadt14
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭eadt14


    Bruthal wrote: »
    The handrail might not be extraneous.

    That's my opinion. The risk of it becoming live is extremely low.

    But if you take an abnormal fault such as no ESB neutral, earthing the handrail is a huge hazard.


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    #10
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,595 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    Bruthal wrote: »
    The handrail might not be extraneous.

    True, which is why I said: If it is completely insulated from earth and not close to sockets/ lights and the stairs are not metal / conductive then perphaps bonding would do more harm than good. I guess each installation has to be assessed.


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