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Old 15th Sep 2019, 10:29 pm   #87
Skywave
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK.
Posts: 7,457
Arrow Re: Antenna recommendation for 40 and 80M bands

Quote:
Originally Posted by budkor22 View Post
I am still not understanding your comment "at least one Mains socket 'E' pin should be connected to the water pipe," when none of them is connected.
O.K.: let me try to bring out the significant points.

First: the 'E' pin of every 230-v.a.c. socket in your house must eventually make a good electrical contact with the real earth - i.e. ground. That is an essential safety requirement. That could be achieved by all the 'E' wires from every socket being connected to the metal pipe that brings water into your house, the electrical connection being as close to the point as possible where the pipe enters your house.

Second: current electrical safety standards require that all permanently exposed / permanently fixed metalwork in your house must also be connected to ground. This is also a safety requirement; it is termed 'electrical bonding'. Also refer to post #87 above.
[Note: That is my understanding of this part of current electrical regulations but you should not rely exclusively on my wording, since I am not a qualified electrician.]

Third: the reason for the above is that should an electrical fault develop whereby the 'live' conductor of the mains wiring comes into contact with any such unearthed metalwork - e.g. a copper pipe (which could, for example, be for water or gas) - and should a person touch that item with any other part of his / her body which is also in contact with earth, the person could receive an electrical shock - which, under some circumstances, could be fatal; if not fatal, still likely to cause 'consequent injury'.

Fourth: The above is especially relevant where copper piping has non-conductive unions in its run. Such a union will separate the (hopefully) earthed part of that pipe from the insulated other part of that pipe. In such cases, both parts of that pipe should be earthed, possibly by means of a jumper wire between the two parts.
Modern-built properties make extensive use of plastic pipe; older ones tend to use copper and a mix of copper and lead. It is a bad idea to have a mix of metal and plastic.

Hopefully, matters are clearer now.

Al.
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