Earthing of Pipe supports
Earthing of Pipe supports
(OP)
I am working in an industrial plant, installing a new gas boiler.
At a number of locations we will install small vertical pipe supports, there pipe supports will be isolated and only connected to the Pipes.
the pipes ( Steam, air, Water ,Gas) will all be earthed as will the main Piperack structure.
The Irish Wiring Regulatison( similar to BS7671) require extraneous conductive parts od the main engineering services,to be connected to earth, they are.
Theses are extraneous metallic conductors, however the area is not hazardous.
Is there a need to earth the legs
My understanding is that the the pipe is not rigidely fixed to the pipe, there is an arrangement to allow for thermal expansion of the pipe so I cannot assume that the pipe will suppy a ground.
At a number of locations we will install small vertical pipe supports, there pipe supports will be isolated and only connected to the Pipes.
the pipes ( Steam, air, Water ,Gas) will all be earthed as will the main Piperack structure.
The Irish Wiring Regulatison( similar to BS7671) require extraneous conductive parts od the main engineering services,to be connected to earth, they are.
Theses are extraneous metallic conductors, however the area is not hazardous.
Is there a need to earth the legs
My understanding is that the the pipe is not rigidely fixed to the pipe, there is an arrangement to allow for thermal expansion of the pipe so I cannot assume that the pipe will suppy a ground.






RE: Earthing of Pipe supports
I think you are right a half only. All pipe length has to be rigidly fixed in one point-usually in the middle and loose on the other points.
But the grounding electrode has to be well executed at least, according to NEC art. 250.52.
RE: Earthing of Pipe supports
You are correct, i intended to say"the pipe is not rigidly fixed to the pipe support"
The Pipe will be fixed to the main piperack, The main piperack will be connected to the main burried earth using exothermic fusing.
There are other pipe supports, which are individual vertical pipe supports with vertical legs welded to plates cast into plates on top of concrete bases.
The pipe is free to move in a horizontal direction on these pipe supports.
It is the individual pipe supports I am querying