"EricP" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 20:54:16 -0000, "andrewpreece"
babbled like a waterfall and said:

I've read conflicting stuff about this - some say the size of service
bonding depends on the earthing type in question. 16mm2 is out of the
question - the CU won't take 16mm2 nor will the brass earth terminal on
the
service head: you're going to say now I should get the 'lectric company
in
to replace my service head........ :-(

This is ****ing me off. It sounds like we have roughly the same system
that was legal when the house was built in 1979.

Having done some replumbing, I thought I would bring it up to some
decent safety level, thinking it would simply be extending the 6mm
earth and clamping it to the pipes. I now have to consider a
completely new run of 10mm (Something like a small pipe) from the CU
to the gas main and on to the plumbing. problem is the old one is in
the wall for a lot of its travel, behind the staircase and impossible
to get at. I will probably not bother, the danger risk is minute as no
electric stuff is anywhere near the pipes.

I am informed there are good reasons for it but to have to replace an
annoying, but tolerable copper cable with something that could serve
as a lightening conductor is not on for a small house.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who struggles with 'doing the right
thing' but finds it
nearly impossible without tearing half the house to bits, when the
improvememt in safety is
largely unquantifiable anyway! And still I struggle on......

Andy.