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Earthing and the radio amateur

Stewart Mason
I've recently joined the IET forums. I replied to a  topic regarding amateur radio and PME on the old forum. Unfortunately I cant access the old forum anymore so I thought it would be best to start a new topic.


So. On the bench there is a transceiver with a metal case. Next to the transceiver there is a antenna tuning unit which is connected to a antenna system which is using an earth rod. Am I right in saying there is a chance of a potential difference between the two metal cases of the equipment regardless if it is a TT, TNS or TNCS?


What would be the ideal solution?  Put the shack on it's own TT supply and bond all the radio equipment back to the MET of the TT and if a earth rod is used for the antennas connect that back to the MET also?


If the TT system was not an option what would be best if the supply was a PME and you didn't want to use balanced antennas removing the use of an earth rod? 


To be honest I've never really given PME's and amateur radio much thought which in hindsight was probably a mistake. I do remember when I did my training an earth rod was recommended for the radios.


Apologies for being so random.


Stewart M0SDM
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    A frfiend of mine did some earth bonding a few years ago and he was told on inspection that you were allowed to count copper pipes as an earth connection as long as the joints were soldered or compression fittings.


    If that is still the case, could I bond my earth rod to an outdoor central heating drain tap just two metres away?



    The advent of plastic (push fit) plumbing fittings used for alterations and repairs makes such assumptions a lot less safe than they used to be - so generally now we expect bonding (as distinct from earthing) connections to at the boundary of the equipotential zone (or as close as practical) - that way such plumbing changes can't undermine the effectiveness of the bonding. The regs so of do permit metallic pipework etc to be used as part of a protective conductor - but require precautions to be taken against its removal - which is going to be tricky in an uncontrolled environment like a domestic. If you had to expose and label every separately visible section of the pipe with a suitable warning, you'd probably find that dragging though a bit of G/Y wasn't so daunting after all.


    I'm not sure like the idea of a central heating drain cock being outside anyway - how do you stop it freezing in winter and splitting the pipework/fittings?


      - Andy.
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  • 0

    A frfiend of mine did some earth bonding a few years ago and he was told on inspection that you were allowed to count copper pipes as an earth connection as long as the joints were soldered or compression fittings.


    If that is still the case, could I bond my earth rod to an outdoor central heating drain tap just two metres away?



    The advent of plastic (push fit) plumbing fittings used for alterations and repairs makes such assumptions a lot less safe than they used to be - so generally now we expect bonding (as distinct from earthing) connections to at the boundary of the equipotential zone (or as close as practical) - that way such plumbing changes can't undermine the effectiveness of the bonding. The regs so of do permit metallic pipework etc to be used as part of a protective conductor - but require precautions to be taken against its removal - which is going to be tricky in an uncontrolled environment like a domestic. If you had to expose and label every separately visible section of the pipe with a suitable warning, you'd probably find that dragging though a bit of G/Y wasn't so daunting after all.


    I'm not sure like the idea of a central heating drain cock being outside anyway - how do you stop it freezing in winter and splitting the pipework/fittings?


      - Andy.
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