Earthing to a gas meter

[dublin plumber]

anyone know can an earth wire be attached to the customer side of a gas meter is this legal ? as we are locked in a battle with a sparks over it , he thinks he has a good earth , but according to the gas company his earth is bad and not legal, any comments ?

 

[quality]

The earth connection should be connected to the consumers side no more than 600mm from the meter outlet that is what the 17th edition states

 

[dublin plumber]

its attached on the hockey stick bend or 50mm from the gas outlet , this is a house that jack built , the owner got electrocuted last week from touching the gas boiler even the taps in kitchen , all pipes in hot press were reading 230!there were no earths since then a sparks sorted it out , but anything could be wrong.

 

[radswilldo]

With regards to equipotential bonding, Quality has given the answer. I am worried, is the fella trying to use the gas metre for an earth for the premises?

 

[dublin plumber]

he already said he had an earth rod in the ground and he was earthing off the gas meter as well and this was normal , i was airing on the cautious side as the boiler had been fitted with out the earth wire connected ,and was asked to carry out a safety check on the system and then expected to sign off on it !

 

[radswilldo]

Then I wouldn't sign off either, you are not allowed to main bond like that. Are the regs different in Ireland.Ask the spark mod on here for his view

 

[dublin plumber]

just looked up the regs as far as bonding is concerned , it states no bonding or any type of wires can be attached withing the meter box ! so im in the clear , he has not come back to me since either. the states are the same , in the uk ok within the box ?

 

[midge]

I'm not sure how Irish regulations compare to British ones, but there seems to confusion here whether this is equipotential bonding, or whether the gas pipework is being used as the main earth.

More a question for an electrician to answer.

 

[migoplumber]

within 600mm of gas meter, before any joints. 10mm direct back to electric consumer box.

 

[Bernie2]

Migo is right about the UK. It's also to help gas meter installers put in a temporary earth bond if they remove the meter.

I've seen sparks coming off a gas line when I removed a meter and forgot to temporary cross bond it. A lesson learnt. Same applies if teeing in.

 

[abbeygas]

the earthing must be before the 1st tee and within 600mm of the meter, I think the 17th edition for electricians states where "practicable" easy get out

 

[dublin plumber]

our gas board here does not allow it , it states no wire no bonding within the meter box as for earthing a house .