Unknown Wire in Airing Cupboard - help please

A

Aire

• May 6, 2019

• #2

It's an earth cable. Don't cut it.

Can you trace where it goes? If it goes in the wall it may go to the loft somewhere. It may be an earth feed for the lights as years ago they wasn't required but new regs etc require lighting feeds to have an earth so it's probably been retrofitted.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Riley

Plumbers Arms member

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,833

• May 6, 2019

• #3

Yep earth leave it there

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

C

chris watkins

Esteemed

Plumber

Messages

5,067

• May 6, 2019

• #4

From the size of it (6 or 10mm2 CSA) it is likely to be equipotential bonding rather than earthing but still don't remove it. If you can carefully lift the boards & see if there is any slack on it you might be able to re-route it under them.
You may still wish to consult an electrician who could investigate & remove if dead, or replace the twin & earth running up the door stop in an exposed position. They may also need to apply supplementary bonding across that Speedfit plastic fitting on the 15mm copper pipe.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

townfanjon

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

8,627

• May 6, 2019

• #5

while you are at it , increase the life of the copper pipe by cleaning off all the green ***** .
Soapy water and a worn out pan scrub will do it .

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

Harvest Fields

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,441

• May 6, 2019

• #6

Without seeing it and testing for voltage. Can you say 100% that is definitely an Earth? It looks like and earth. But looks like and is are completely separate things.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

J

Jerry

Gas Engineer

Messages

346

• May 6, 2019

• #7

Harvest Fields said:

Without seeing it and testing for voltage. Can you say 100% that is definitely an Earth? It looks like and earth. But looks like and is are completely separate things.

Click to expand...

This is why I always recommend the 'lick' test.....
it always clearly shows a live cable and tidies up the gene pool.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

J

Justin Bell

Messages

3

• May 7, 2019

• #8

I just wanted to thank all the positive responses I've received..

I think I will end up getting someone in to check it now and see if there is any slack so I can secure it to the wall if it's required.

Thanks again thank you

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

J

Justin Bell

Messages

3

• May 7, 2019

• #9

chris watkins said:

From the size of it (6 or 10mm2 CSA) it is likely to be equipotential bonding rather than earthing but still don't remove it. If you can carefully lift the boards & see if there is any slack on it you might be able to re-route it under them.
You may still wish to consult an electrician who could investigate & remove if dead, or replace the twin & earth running up the door stop in an exposed position. They may also need to apply supplementary bonding across that Speedfit plastic fitting on the 15mm copper pipe.

Click to expand...

Excuse my ignorance Chris but what is Supplementary bonding...

Thanks

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

C

chris watkins

Esteemed

Plumber

Messages

5,067

• May 7, 2019

• #10

Metallic pipework (copper in this case) are connected together at a suitable point with a 10mm2 cable & this is in turn connected to the MET (main earth terminal). This is called equipotential bonding and is intended to ensure all the pipework is at the same potential under fault conditions.
It is taken that these metallic pipes will run right through the property uninterrupted thereby providing full protection. If some bright person cuts these pipes & installs a plastic fitting such as the coupling in your photo then the continuity along the pipe is lost, presenting a possible danger.
What should have happened is a supplementary bond should have installed using earth bond clamps, one to each of the pieces of copper with a bit of 10mm2 to bridge the gap.
Supplementary Bonding is sometimes required if after testing the resistance of the Metallic systems is classed as too high.

 

Upvote 0 Downvote

C

chris watkins

Esteemed

Plumber

Messages

5,067

• May 7, 2019

• #11

 

Upvote 0 Downvote