Electrical

Earth bonding to an incoming gas supply - garage conversion issue

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 4.01 PM

Hello Electricians - I hope you are well. I am planning a garage conversion and have an issue to resolve. The gas supply pipework from the external meter box enters through the cavity wall into the garage and then disappears into kitchen/utility zone where boiler and appliances are. The length of pipe exposed in garage is approx 1.5m. An earth bonding clip is attached to the pipe at almost exactly 600mm from where the pipe enters the garage (cable taken back to CU). There is no branch or split of the gas pipe in the garage. I am looking to do a garage conversion and ideally this incoming gas pipe would be covered in part (plasterboard/stud), and part would be left exposed in a planned cupboard with the water storage heater (also currently located in garage zone and not planned to move). No builder or contractor appointed yet and I'm wanting to try and sort possible pitfalls before committing to the works. In doing the planned works the current 600mm earth bonding point would be hidden behind plasterboard which is not advised. From investigating a few forums - the earth bonding on the incoming gas pipe needs to be visible so that the Gas/plumber annual inspection can be properly certified. Question1: Can the earth bonding clip be moved further down the pipe to say a connection at 1m from incoming pipe? (this would put it in the planned cupboard and visible on inspection). OR does this cause a regulation failure? I have copied below the regulations and it can be interpreted in different ways. "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 the consumer's hard metal pipework and before any branch pipework. Where practicable the connection shall be made within 600mm of the meter outlet or at the union point of entry to the building if the meter is external" Question2: Does the "Where practicable" bit mean there is some flexibility for the earthing to be beyond 600mm distance? Question3: Given my circumstances would moving the earth bonding 400mm further along the pipework make any difference to the performance of the earthing? OR make things any less safe? I have had some advice from well meaning colleagues but they are not experts who do the work and understand the regulations. Any help and comments would be genuinely appreciated and it will be a proper qualified and certified electrician who does the works in the end anyway. Just wanting confidence that the issue I have is solvable. Thanks in advance. Mike