QUICKY question to resolve a dispute, haha! (a clue would be... a DSO / other near a sink)...

Too right, thats so "yesterday"! What are those little tags with a 2BA hole in the middle anyway? 



Years ago, I understood the BS that sinks were made to, required the provision of said tag................... I haven't checked what BS number it is nor if it is still a requirement,


Regards


BOD

Although it has to be said, that if you have say a commercial kitchen, and you re establish a zone of protection by bonding extraneous conductive parts back to the earth terminal on the kitchen DB (which is local to the kitchen) you will substantially reduce touch voltages  - the basis physics says so.


That doesn't mean bonding the legs of moveable tables and the like, I agree - but as a principle re establishing that zone of protection is no bad thing


Regards


OMS

You are a bit behind the times UKPN, the "bond everything" 15th edition was found to increase danger (particularly in commercial kitchens), as they became conductive environments. Why would you want to bond an otherwise unconnected conductive part anyway, why not bond the saucepans?

"have to be away from a kitchen sink "


Depends on all circumstances in the situation installed Tomm, not a fixed dimension in the regs (all of guidances are worth considering.)

"ensure the sink is not bonded to earth" 

Too right, thats so "yesterday"! What are those little tags with a 2BA hole in the middle anyway? 


Regards, UKPN

Minimum 300mm horizontal distance from the nearest edge of the socket to the nearest edge of the sink

NHBC agree with the 300mm guidance https://www.procertssoftware.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NHBC-Electrical-Fittings-Near-Cookers-Sinks-and-Wash-Basins.pdf

They measure from the basin, so their diagram has a DSO above the draining board.

They recommend 100mm from a hob, but most manufacturers of gas hobs recommend 50mm from the edge of a hob to a combustible surface, which does seem a bit close to me.

I am not a follower of the "I need a rule (guide, advice, magic wand etc)", in this kind of case. These "rules of thumb" are all very well, but as all appliances have a cable longer than 300mm, just what is this number supposed to represent? If it is a kettle, then earth cable failure and then a fault to case is equally dangerous if the socket is 2m away, given accidental contact. Splashing with water is not really very dangerous, you may get corrosion inside the socket pins but not much else. The safest thing in a kitchen is to use plastic plumbing, to ensure the sink is not bonded to Earth, hide all the appliances behind wood doors, and having a non-conductive floor covering. Under these conditions, it is very difficult to get a shock whatever happens, and if everything is RCD protected is unlikely to cause injury even if a shock could be obtained.

"Far enough" is my answer.