The Medway Handyman wrote:
Lobster wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

Boxed in a bath with T&G yesterday. Fitted the side panel & was
measuring for the end panel when I saw this
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l2...s/earth002.jpg

An earth wire screwed into the wall.

Whilst boxing in the side I noticed earth bonding cables connected
to the bath feed pipes, but didn't pay much attention to them. What
would be the purpose of an earth cable fixed to a brick wall?

Is it definitely just screwed to the wall - ie, any chance that it's
connecting to some wire or other buried in the wall?

Could have been, but no sign of any making good & the house is Victorian.

When did bonding regs originally start? Not that long ago AFAIK, and
interesting that this one is obviously a modern cable.

Clutching at straws, but could it originally have been a just wiring
point for multiple bonding wires to connect to?

I suppose it could, but the bath, basin & toilet feed pipes are at the other
end of the bathroom.

Weird innit?

The wall's green, the right colour for earth - surely thats
enough?
I don't suppose its an earth wall? Someone really didn't know what
they were doing.

Equipotential bonding is not meant to connect to earth, its meant
to create an equipotential zone, meaning that whether things are
eartherd or not (and normally something is), whatever happens to
the metalwork it will all be at the same voltage.

In terms of safety benefit per cost it might save one or 2 lives per
century, making it not much more use than earthing the aspidistra
plant, but 16th requires it on new installs. I gather the 17th will
cease to.


NT