AT RISK WATER MAIN EARTH BONDING THROUGH METER BOX BACK PLATE

[chris123]

Could someone take a look at this for me please?
Just had a boiler put in our property on a grant scheme. The boiler is great other than him not cleaning the pipework including gas joints before leaving .
I've cleaned it up and it seems alright.

My other main worry though was what the follow up electrician has done in the meter box;

He's put the water mains bonding from the stop tap inside the kitchen to the main gas bonding clamp on the outlet of the meter which I think is ok (the main gas bonding is in right place),

but he's also drilled through the back plate and through the building fabric into the kitchen under the units and I'm also pretty sure it's narrow cavity wall. Can someone confirm this is "at risk" please? There's not even any sealing compound either on the hole in the box.

Does this come under?
:
The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998
PART C
Reg 13.—(1) Where a meter is housed in a meter box or meter compound attached to or built into the external face of the outside wall of any premises, the meter box or meter compound shall be so constructed and installed that any gas escaping within the box or compound cannot enter the premises or any cavity in the wall but must disperse to the external air.

I just don't feel comfortable with it and thought I should give the company the chance to put it right. A new alternative hole could be drilled perhaps somewhere to the right side of the box on the same motar line and this one repaired I would have thought with a slightly longer length of earth cable to replace this one.
appreciate it thanks.
Chris.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

I wouldn’t want them to as they wouldn’t be able to guarantee it also you might have a service later on and someone flags it up

 

[chris123]

I wouldn’t want them to as they wouldn’t be able to guarantee it also you might have a service later on and someone flags it up

yes thanks that's what I thought too, about follow up problems

 

[Michael Groves]

Yep also it’s modifying the meter box technically as it’s not an approved hole so needs a new meter box and the earth moving externally or via an approved entry

I found this thread on the Electricians forum, I was not aware us sparks could not drill a hole in the meter box, but now I know, it makes sense. Maybe I'm the only spark that does not know this, but I doubt it. There is nothing in our regs, and we are the ones fitting the bonding, so the IET should include this in our regs so we don't continue to do this. But as commented previously, there must be loads of boxes that do not comply. Replacing the whole box seems over the top if this is the only non compliance.
Looking at the regs snip, it seems to me that the requirement is to make the rear part of the box air tight. I'm thinking a Wylex Membrane Cable Entry gland should be sufficient. I know the Wiska membrane glands are IP66, I assume Wylex will be the same. So this could be an easy fix ?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Problem is it has to be tested to be air tight tbh these days I don’t know why there isn’t a m20 threaded hole so you could put a gland in it etc

 

[Michael Groves]

Problem is it has to be tested to be air tight tbh these days I don’t know why there isn’t a m20 threaded hole so you could put a gland in it etc

Yeah I agree, it’s all about proof.

M20 thread Sounds like the perfect solution.

I was just thinking we could just drill and use compression gland, but often the spark arrives after all done, so we could not get a nut on.

Although most import thing is education.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Yeah I agree, it’s all about proof.

M20 thread Sounds like the perfect solution.

I was just thinking we could just drill and use compression gland, but often the spark arrives after all done, so we could not get a nut on.

Although most import thing is education.

Hence why they drill a hole where they can get too it’s one of them needs more communication on new builds

 

[Murdoch]

Problem is it has to be tested to be air tight tbh these days I don’t know why there isn’t a m20 threaded hole so you could put a gland in it etc

External box tested air tight? Is this real? Our gas meter cupboard door doesn’t even seal properly

 

[ShaunCorbs]

External box tested air tight? Is this real? Our gas meter cupboard door doesn’t even seal properly

Yes in regards to leakage into the cavity

 

[Murdoch]

Yes in regards to leakage into the cavity

every day is a learning day.

shame the gas regs people and the electrical regs people cant agree on consistency of wording of regs

 

[ShaunCorbs]

every day is a learning day.

shame the gas regs people and the electrical regs people cant agree on consistency of wording of regs

Classic one is the new ones 18th am3 I think, if poly / plastic incoming yours doesn’t require to have sup bonding where as ours stat you must

This day and age you would think they would get together and have a meeting

 

[Murdoch]

Classic one is the new ones 18th am3 I think, if poly / plastic incoming yours doesn’t require to have sup bonding where as ours stat you must

This day and age you would think they would get together and have a meeting

AMD 2

Yes, hopeless isn’t it

The muppets come up with electrical changes to justify new books, exams etc and they can’t even check they are understandable or logical. And they rarely correct earlier mistakes or errors.

With the 18th edition, the printed version was slightly different to the electronic version

 

[ShaunCorbs]

same as the gas lot then changing regs to justify there job

 

[Pssst]

The only opening in a built in gas meter box should be the outlet pipework spigot which must be fitted with the spigot adaptor to form a conduit through the cavity. Earthing should preferably be attached to the gas pipe immediately inside the property and the spigot sealed with non setting compound. No other holes are permitted in the box. The reason why of course is that such holes would permit gas leakage from within the box to enter the wall cavity.