Hot tap on bathroom sink "fell apart" this morning. Cold tap is also
knackered. Need to replace now as sprog2 is due to make an appearance
in the next couple of days and DIY will be off for a bit :-)

Having investigated the plumbing under the sink the best plan is to
chop it out and replace (the previous owner obviously had a load of
compression elbows as the feed to the cold tap "zig zags" up behind
the sink!)

Quickest solution (I need quick - phonecall expected from wife in labour any
time :-)) appears to be those flexible pushfits with isolating valve one end
and tap fitting the other. Something like:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...14069&id=13964

For example. This would allow me to chop out the crap, fit new taps and just
"plug it together". I don't want lectures on the pros and cons of pushfit
(been there, done it) but I am wondering about the earthing.

Are Metal taps on the end of a pushfit fitting in a bathroom ok? The
tap feeds in there at the moment as all copper and (I assume!) are
earth bonded somewhere under the bath.

I know I ought to do it properly but...

Darren

You need to establish if your bathroom is earthed ( cross bonded pipework ) and
I would bridge out the plastic pipes and earth the taps. I assume your sink is
plastic or ceramic, not cast iron ( and bath ! ) otherwise they definetley need
earthing .

I would bridge out the plastic pipes and earth the taps.

Don't do this. The golden rule is that totally insulated from earth is best
(i.e. plastic supply). If it can't be insulated, bond it to make sure that
all (at least potentially) earthy things are exactly the same, so you can't
touch two conductors with different potentials.

Even metal baths and radiators should not be bonded if supplied via plastic
and not touching something potentially earthy, like metal building
structure.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
et...
I would bridge out the plastic pipes and earth the taps.

Don't do this. The golden rule is that totally insulated from earth is
best
(i.e. plastic supply). If it can't be insulated, bond it to make sure
that
all (at least potentially) earthy things are exactly the same, so you
can't
touch two conductors with different potentials.

Even metal baths and radiators should not be bonded if supplied via
plastic
and not touching something potentially earthy, like metal building
structure.

Christian.



The only thing in my bathroom which is supplied by copper is the towel
radiator - all the water supplies are in plastic. I'm looking to add an
illuminated mirror cabinet with an internal shaver socket - if the
cabinet has a metal body (I've seen some in aluminium) presumably I have
to bond it to the radiator?

Thanks

Neil

The only thing in my bathroom which is supplied by copper is the towel
radiator - all the water supplies are in plastic. I'm looking to add an
illuminated mirror cabinet with an internal shaver socket - if the
cabinet has a metal body (I've seen some in aluminium) presumably I have
to bond it to the radiator?

Yes. But you don't bond it to the taps or the bath, or window frames, even
if metal.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
et...
The only thing in my bathroom which is supplied by copper is the
towel
radiator - all the water supplies are in plastic. I'm looking to add
an
illuminated mirror cabinet with an internal shaver socket - if the
cabinet has a metal body (I've seen some in aluminium) presumably I
have
to bond it to the radiator?

Yes. But you don't bond it to the taps or the bath, or window frames,
even
if metal.

Christian.



No danger of that - far too much work!

Thanks

Neil

No danger of that - far too much work!

BTW, I meant the electrical supply to the shaver unit needs to be attached
to the radiator (but NOT the output from the transformer!!!!). However, the
metal cabinet parts would only need bonding if they are physically connected
to the shaver unit so have the possibility of becoming either live or
earthed through that. This could be quite likely, though, depending on the
design. If it is a wooden or plastic bodied cabinet with metal inserts on
the doors, I wouldn't bond them, as they should be well insulated.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
et...
No danger of that - far too much work!

BTW, I meant the electrical supply to the shaver unit needs to be
attached
to the radiator (but NOT the output from the transformer!!!!).
However, the
metal cabinet parts would only need bonding if they are physically
connected
to the shaver unit so have the possibility of becoming either live or
earthed through that. This could be quite likely, though, depending on
the
design. If it is a wooden or plastic bodied cabinet with metal inserts
on
the doors, I wouldn't bond them, as they should be well insulated.

Christian.


OK thanks. I need to have a good look at the design of these things
before buying, I think.

(dmc) wrote in message ...
Hot tap on bathroom sink "fell apart" this morning. Cold tap is also
knackered. Need to replace now as sprog2 is due to make an appearance
in the next couple of days and DIY will be off for a bit :-)


Why dont you just replace the tap as is instead of mucking about with
more work - you clearly got more pressing things to do

Regards, NT

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:

Why dont you just replace the tap as is instead of mucking about with
more work - you clearly got more pressing things to do

while attempting to remove the top of the tap this moring (half a sleep and
with a knackered spanner that nearly fitted ) I managed to twist the pipe
work and one of the many compression elbows started leaking...

Hence why chop it off and replace with nice simple flexible tap connector
sounded a good idea. Kinda mute point anyway as neither Wickes or B&Q had
anything other than the 22mm versions of pipes in stock and I haven't had
chance to get anywhere else

I'm about to head off to take a proper look now that I am more awake

Cheers,

Darren

In message ,
(dmc) wrote:

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:

Why dont you just replace the tap as is instead of mucking about with
more work - you clearly got more pressing things to do

while attempting to remove the top of the tap this moring (half a sleep and
with a knackered spanner that nearly fitted ) I managed to twist the pipe
work and one of the many compression elbows started leaking...

Hence why chop it off and replace with nice simple flexible tap connector
sounded a good idea. Kinda mute point anyway as neither Wickes or B&Q had
anything other than the 22mm versions of pipes in stock and I haven't had
chance to get anywhere else

I'm about to head off to take a proper look now that I am more awake


Just a thought having skimmed the thread. I think that both sides of the
argument are correct :-)

If the length of plastic in the copper-plastic-tap equation is short
then yes, you should bridge it out and bond the taps because there will
be some conductance through the water in said pipework, possibly enough
to make the tap "earthy" and capable of passing a current should you
grasp the tap with one hand and something "live" with the other.

If, however, you have a lot of plastic (didn't we discuss this before?)
- something of the order of 1m or more (can someone confirm that
figure?) - then you're better off *not* bonding the taps as they are
effectively isolated from earth and hence not a shock hazard. The
coppery bits should still be bonded though.

HTH.

Hwyl!

M.

--
Martin Angove: http://www.tridwr.demon.co.uk/
Two free issues: http://www.livtech.co.uk/ Living With Technology
.... Not genius, glory or love reflects the soul's greatness, it's kindness.

Hi

Flexible connector sounds like a quick solution to me. As far as the
philosophy of earth bonding a tap goes I'm sure the poor chap has more
pressing issues

Regards, NT

In article ,
N. Thornton wrote:
Hi

Flexible connector sounds like a quick solution to me. As far as the
philosophy of earth bonding a tap goes I'm sure the poor chap has more
pressing issues

Well, given the complete lack of flexible connectors in wickes, B&Q and homebase
I gave up on that idea and fitted new taps to the old manky plumbing.

Plenty of ptfe and doing leaking joint up to 1/4-turn-beyond-its-about-to-break
seems to have stopped the leak for now and at least the hot tap now works.

Wife can uncross legs now... ;-)

Darren