hello i have been reading posts on earthing wires to gas meters. my question is do I need a earth wire on my gas meter? the meter used to be in the house and was moved outside then CH installed, but the old pipe is still there and is earthed. if I do need an earth wire on gas pipes , what is the purpose of it? thank you
Equipotential bonding aka earth bonding, yes you need it to earth the metal pipes in case they should become live by accident. Whoever moved the meter should have seen to it. You can Google it now that you know what it's called
Ignoring what Ricky said...which was FA.........metallic Gas services need to be 'bonded' to the Main Earth Terminal...one way or another. The purpose of it is safety. Get it looked at. RS
Not only was the incorrect term used. Also a completely incorrect reasoning for it being done was offered.
"An earthed equipotential zone is one within which exposed conductive parts and extraneous conductive parts are maintained at substantially the same potential by bonding, such as that, under fault conditions, the difference in potential between simultaneously accessible exposed and extraneous conductive parts will not cause electric shock. Same term, same reason, to the layperson.
It’s not so much that the meter needs an Earth wire. It’s the metal pipework which enters the building which needs the earth wire. The old gas pipe is bonded, as it should be. The pipework from the moved meter should also be bonded, the earth wire attached preferably within 600mm of where the pipework enters the building. Where the earth wire attaches to the pipework, has to be accessible, not hidden under floorboards and fitted carpets or laminate flooring. This may mean attaching the earth wire near to the boiler where pipework comes out of the floor or outside in the meter cupboard, if the cupboard is next to or on the wall.
Most helpful so let me recap all your info I do need a yellowgreen earth wire as on gas pipe in cupboard inside house on the outside meter? Which has a gas pipe coming in hall going up under floor boards over to boiler. Just a couple more questions so I understand. Does the earth wire need to come from the fuse box in cupboard and go to a pipe just inside gas meter box visible to see? I know I'm female and if I had a gas leak not to use anyelectrics. what stops this live wire no blowing up gas leak.. I have had people in house blinding me science which is scary so to know a little knowledge will help me thank you kindly for all your help to me
The earth wire is normally connected to the met - sometimes it can be 6mm and other times it must be 10mm - it all depends on supply type at intake position luv.
If it helps, this is my setup. You can see the earth bonding cables (yellow/green)...one is attached to the gas pipe right near the gas meter (top left), other end connects to an earth terminal block right where the electricity supply enters the house (bottom right). There is another cable that connects to the water pipes on the other side of the right hand wall where the water enters the house. Any gas safe person should know about this and put it right (if they didn't do so in the first place)
I understand picture... I have fuse box with the yellow/green wire going to gas pipe under solid slab concrete shelf to fat gas pipe coming up out of floor. But, the pipe stands 8" tall with wire connected, as there were tow gas fires on walls running of that pipe. I have found (ex council house) the floor was channeled out and gas pipe laid to put meter outside on wall ( a big huge box housing) as i said the pipe then comes in and runs off upstairs for boiler in kitchen and gas oven. I don't know who did work or when. boiler was installed 1997 circa.... You mentioned water pipes. The water comes in in the middle of the house in a corner in the kitchen there is a wire fixed hard to pipe 2" above floor I think the original fitting and there is another fitted at the top of pipe can't say colour it was painted over I think. then the pipe continues up to airing cupboard with tanks.. hope I have explained it clearly? I could get pictures and try and post them on here if I have instructions. LOL I will look more closely at the meter and just on top but there are lots of spider, snails and dirts etc.. will do my best and see if there is a wire anywhere. Thanks very much
Well they should but may be they don't You raise a good point actually, as the gas person who connected up my meter didn't touch it - although the meter was being replaced so I wasn't bothered at the time. It was my spark/cousin who did the earth bonding thing when he replaced the CU.
A gas plumber will never bother installing bonding themselves. They just stick a notice on the meter or boiler and fill out a form. From the 'The Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure':