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Requirement for an earth rod?

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Comments

  • #32
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭meercat


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Cheers, great to get a regulation number.

    Can you share a rule regarding required earth size for the wiring?
    Cheers

    544.1.3
    Main bonding conductors provided for the main bonding system according to 411.3.2 shall have a Conductivity of at least half that of the largest protective conductor in the installation but shall not be less than 10mm2 copper.


  • #33
    EHP
    Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭EHP


    If the electrician connected to the existing fuse spur then this is minor works and he is not required to do any testing unless asked to which of course would carry extra costs. If at any stage he removed the cover off the fusebox then he is legally required to be a REC and to issue a cert 3. Most boiler upgrades are wired into existing fuse spurs and the existing bonding wire that's there once it is 10sq is used for this there is no requirement for testing.


  • #34
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    EHP wrote: »
    If the electrician connected to the existing fuse spur then this is minor works and he is not required to do any testing unless asked to which of course would carry extra costs. If at any stage he removed the cover off the fusebox then he is legally required to be a REC and to issue a cert 3. Most boiler upgrades are wired into existing fuse spurs and the existing bonding wire that's there once it is 10sq is used for this there is no requirement for testing.
    He's not required to certify (unless requested), but still must comply with the Wiring Rules and should still be testing.


  • #35
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,007 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    meercat wrote: »
    544.1.3
    Main bonding conductors provided for the main bonding system according to 411.3.2 shall have a Conductivity of at least half that of the largest protective conductor in the installation but shall not be less than 10mm2 copper.

    Sorry, I meant for the boiler wiring rather than the main bonding.
    The house is old, so all the TWE will have undersized earths (and my understanding is that this is no longer compliant?)


  • #36
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,007 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Risteard81 wrote: »
    He's not required to certify (unless requested), but still must comply with the Wiring Rules and should still be testing.
    EHP wrote: »
    If the electrician connected to the existing fuse spur then this is minor works and he is not required to do any testing unless asked to which of course would carry extra costs. If at any stage he removed the cover off the fusebox then he is legally required to be a REC and to issue a cert 3. Most boiler upgrades are wired into existing fuse spurs and the existing bonding wire that's there once it is 10sq is used for this there is no requirement for testing.

    The fusebox has no cover :) , but he was in there when upgrading the main bonding and the earthing for the boiler/pipes.

    They ran a new earth to the DB but didn't run new wiring, I guess I'm asking is this covered in the regulations (based on the TWE earth size) and if so what reg is it?

    Thanks for all replies so far


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  • #37
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭meercat


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Sorry, I meant for the boiler wiring rather than the main bonding.
    The house is old, so all the TWE will have undersized earths (and my understanding is that this is no longer compliant?)

    Min csa of conductors is dealt with on table 52a
    All other regulations have already been quoted

    If your distribution board has no cover on it then you should know it is a potential hazard yourself and get it dealt with.
    The rec who installed the earth wiring should have issued you with a nph form though
    I’ve already stated it would have been prudent of him to run a new circuit for the boiler while he was there


  • #38
    kramer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭kramer1


    In his defence, he was there for a boiler change, sounds like your house needs to be rewired, he should ve given you hazard notices, a lot of them probably.


  • #39
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,007 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    meercat wrote: »
    Min csa of conductors is dealt with on table 52a
    All other regulations have already been quoted

    If your distribution board has no cover on it then you should know it is a potential hazard yourself and get it dealt with.
    The rec who installed the earth wiring should have issued you with a nph form though
    I’ve already stated it would have been prudent of him to run a new circuit for the boiler while he was there
    Understood, I'm trying to separate what would have been prudent/expected from what is required.
    These guys are dicking me around so I want to be able to go back to them with facts and not just opinions (as they can say opinions would have cost more)
    kramer1 wrote: »
    In his defence, he was there for a boiler change, sounds like your house needs to be rewired, he should ve given you hazard notices, a lot of them probably.

    Which is fair enough, but I want to ensure that the bit he did do, was done to regulations and certified if its supposed to be. I thought that any any work to a DB would require a cert from the RECI


  • #40
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,725 ✭✭✭meercat


    meercat wrote: »
    If a rec was present then he is responsible for the connection to the spur outlet and should have tested and certified this if requested.this test should check earth loop impedance and trip times of rcd. It would have been good practice to run a separate circuit for your boiler as he was also installing a bonding cable so it would be easy to pull both in together.

    If the rec installed and bonded the pipe work then a certificate should be issued

    If the rec had the cover off the distribution board and noticed there was no electrode present then a notice of potential hazard should be issued too.


    All your questions have been answered in this and other posts from contributors


  • #41
    listermint
    Registered Users Posts: 33,576 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Understood, I'm trying to separate what would have been prudent/expected from what is required.
    These guys are dicking me around so I want to be able to go back to them with facts and not just opinions (as they can say opinions would have cost more)



    Which is fair enough, but I want to ensure that the bit he did do, was done to regulations and certified if its supposed to be. I thought that any any work to a DB would require a cert from the RECI

    But your board still has no cover on it, adhering to some regulations and not other ones (potentially more important) is odd.

    If you are concerned about regs and certification then most appropriate thing would be to get a RECI to review your house for compliance and get a quote for bringing it to that.


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  • #42
    kramer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 305 ✭✭kramer1


    He should've told you the house needed to be tested, board, mains tails, earth rod, bonding needed to be upgraded, and any remedial work required to get the installation to pass the tests. After a price had been agreed on that, and the work completed he could connect your boiler.


  • #43
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    No potentially about it - a lack of cover on the distribution board creates a real and immediate danger of electric shock. I would have refused to carry out any work on your installation without this first being rectified.

    The RCD for the heating system is required by Rule 555.3.2 (not 555.3.1 as incorrectly quoted) - for "circuits supplying auxiliary equipment associated with water services and water systems (e.g. pumps)".


  • #44
    Risteard81
    Registered Users Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭Risteard81


    kramer1 wrote: »
    He should've told you the house needed to be tested, board, mains tails, earth rod, bonding needed to be upgraded, and any remedial work required to get the installation to pass the tests. After a price had been agreed on that, and the work completed he could connect your boiler.

    Precisely.


  • #45
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,531 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    OP, it sounds like the wiring in your home requires some urgent attention. The electrical work required to rectify is beyond what would be expected by someone connecting a new boiler. Based on what you have described so far I would expect that a proper survey would result in many other wiring issues being uncovered.

    The advice from multiple posters on this thread has been consistent, now it is just going around in circles. Do yourself a favor and get an experienced electrician in ASAP to carry out a proper assessment of the wiring and get it resolved.


This discussion has been closed.
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