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Why is it necessary to ground the bath?

As you know, ordinary water is an excellent conductor of electricity. In this regard, the bathroom is potentially the most dangerous place in the house.

Due to the fact that electrical appliances and metal devices are used in bathrooms, it is necessary to make an earth connection for your safety.

Until recently, no one thought about why grounding the bath, because there was no urgent need for this. Over time, this issue has become more relevant, since now in almost every bathroom there are numerous metal objects and household electrical devices.

Moreover, today many people want to install a boiler, a washing machine, a heated bathtub or a jacuzzi in the bathroom, and in such an environment there is a great opportunity for moisture to occur, which is highly undesirable with an ungrounded electric current. In this regard, there was such a problem as the grounding of the bath. Why is this necessary?

How is the grounding of the bath

Grounding is a special protection that, when an electric charge occurs on a certain case, takes the current and leads it to the ground. Modern electrical equipment, as a rule, has special metal grooves for ground wires. And if certain security measures are not taken, a person can be electrocuted, in some cases this can have a rather bad end.

As noted above, the bathroom in this regard is the most dangerous place. Since it is there that a large percentage of humidity accumulates in the presence of a variety of metal equipment and electrical appliances. A threat to human life arises because quite often electrical wiring is designed without appropriate safety measures.

It is very important to make the bath grounding and to prevent the appearance of voltage on objects in the bathroom.

Other bathroom items that have absolutely nothing to do with electricity, such as plumbing and drain pipes, central water pipes, radiators, bathtubs and sinks, can also lead to a tragic ending if a fuse blows. In this regard, today many are interested in: why is it necessary to ground the bath and how to prevent the occurrence of dangerous voltage on objects located in the bathroom.

Previously, this problem was solved in this way: the bath body was connected to a water pipe or sewer riser.

But today this method considered irrelevant, because neighbors living below the floor can at any time within their apartment change a metal water pipe or sewer riser to plastic equipment.

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Bath grounding rules

Proper grounding of the bath consists in a certain device, which can, if necessary, take away electricity into the ground, and the person will remain completely safe. In this case, it is advisable to invite a specialist to advise on the correct and most appropriate ways to ground the bath.

According to the wiring regulations, the bath must be connected by means of a special connection to the ground bar, which is usually located on the input switchboard. This electrical connection is called the "ground jumper". This procedure, regardless of the installed electrical equipment, must be carried out in each bathroom.

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Grounding bathtubs of different types

How to ground baths of old models:

To ground the old-style bath, make a hole in the leg and pass the wires through.

If the bath is an old model, then to ground it, you should drill a hole in any leg through which you can pass stranded wire. Use a nut, washer and bolt to fasten a grounding jumper or, alternatively, a stranded wire to the foot of the tub.

On the other hand, the grounding jumper is attached to a special distributor. Wires from other metal and electrical appliances in the apartment should also be connected to the same distributor. The electrical distributor can be mounted on any convenient wall, but preferably not in the bathroom. The distributor is required to make a mandatory output to a common grounding shield, which is most often located in the entrance.

How to ground a cast iron bath:

Cast iron bathtubs from the factory already come with a grounding device - a petal.

Cast iron bathtubs, like bathtubs made from other metals, already come with a special grounding device called a petal. To this tab, using a nut, washer and bolt, you need to connect a bare section of a stranded ground wire.

If the bathroom is equipped with a shower with an instant water heater or an electric water heater, which have a sufficiently large capacity, then reliable grounding is definitely required in this case. The ground jumper is carried out in the form of a connection of all metal parts with grounded pipes.

How to ground an acrylic bath:

Bathtubs made of acrylic are especially popular among consumers because they are relatively inexpensive, lightweight and easy to use. Although acrylic is not a metal, and therefore is not a conductor of electric current, grounding an acrylic bath during its installation is simply necessary. Why, then, ground the acrylic bath?

The grounding device is attached to the metal base of the acrylic bath.

First of all, acrylic bathtubs are available both cast and extruded. It is extruded acrylic bathtubs that do not hold their shape well and therefore are always equipped with a metal base, which requires mandatory grounding.

Also, acrylic, as a dielectric, is able to create some kind of static electricity. And if you draw water into a bath of this material, then, depending on the area of \u200b\u200bthe container itself, an appropriate electric charge will accumulate. Therefore, the grounding device is attached directly to the metal base of the acrylic bath.

How to ground a hot tub:

Recently, hot tubs have become popular, the work of which is based on the use of electric current. The hydromassage system of such a bath is connected to a network with a normal voltage of 220V and a frequency of 50 Hz.

Due to the fact that the hot tub is powered by electricity, grounding is a particularly relevant issue.

For such equipment, before grounding, it is necessary to equip a separate grounded socket, which is equipped with a separate plug and wire with two insulating layers. This plug is a direct grounding device. Due to this, water does not get on the surface of the outlet and short circuit cannot happen, which is why the socket is often called waterproof.

It is best to install a moisture-proof socket on the wall before grounding. At the same time, the height of its location from the floor level must be at least 30 cm and from the outer side of the hot tub - at least 50 cm. Such safety measures are observed to prevent possible water from entering the socket. The connection is made with a separate wire with a double insulating layer.

When, as well as a washing machine and an electric water heater, a special 16A machine is required that regulates the voltage of electricity. Such a machine is recommended to be installed in the hallway or in another room, but not in the bathroom.

It is strictly forbidden to use a hot tub in everyday life, the socket of which does not have a special grounding contact. The bath must not be grounded by plumbing, sewer or heating equipment. It is forbidden to carry out Maintenance while the hot tub is running, and use it if the grounding is faulty or the power cord is damaged.

Do I need to ground the bathroom, heated towel rail and other plumbing? There are currently two diametrically opposed versions of the answer to this question. Many consumers claim that plumbing grounding is not necessary. Others insist on the need to perform such a procedure, arguing that human safety is paramount. To answer the question of who is right and who is not is quite simple. Experts give an unequivocal answer: to protect a person from accidental electric shock, it is necessary to properly ground the bathroom, jacuzzi or any other plumbing product.

In the recent past, when installing water supply and sanitation systems, metal pipes were used, so there were no problems with grounding plumbing. Grounding a bath in an apartment, a heated towel rail or any other product was carried out by simply connecting to a common riser, which had reliable contact with the ground. At present, with the advent plastic pipes, the situation has completely changed and it has become more difficult to create protection against electric shock in the bathroom. In this article, we will look at why grounding is necessary in the bathroom and how to do it correctly for various plumbing products made of metal and polymer materials.

How to ground plumbing and why it needs to be done

Modern apartments in most cases are full of various household appliances and metal products. The bathroom is no exception. In small toilet rooms, you can see a large set of electrical appliances and plumbing items that are potentially dangerous for humans. Even an acrylic bathtub is included in this list, although it is made of a dielectric material. This product is capable of accumulating a powerful charge of static electricity that can cause significant damage to a person. In addition, the acrylic container is installed on metal carcass and is an excellent conductor of electricity.

All this suggests that grounding in the bathroom must be created, although there are no special requirements in the regulatory documents in this regard. For a private house or country house, creating a ground loop in the bathroom is not difficult, but in apartments in multi-storey buildings, you will have to bring the ground wire to the floor switchboard and connect it to a special bus. How to protect various plumbing items from the appearance of dangerous electric current on them and how to ground the bath in the apartment, we will consider below.

Important! The grounding conductor has a green-yellow insulation and is marked on the wiring diagrams with the letters PE. This is necessary in order not to confuse the ground cable with lines of force power supply of the facility.

Grounding old bathtubs

In Soviet times, most baths were made of cast iron or steel. These products did not provide special structural elements that are necessary for connecting the ground wire. But this problem is solved quite simply! To perform the work, you will need the following tools and materials: an electric drill, a drill with a pobedite tip, a jumper for connecting a ground wire, a set of fasteners (bolt, washers and nuts), as well as a stranded copper cable and distributor of all grounding leads.

A hole of the required diameter is drilled in the bathtub leg and the ground jumper is mounted on the threaded connection. A grounding conductor is attached to the jumper and output to Switchgear. The device itself must be fixed in a convenient place, since all ground wires from metal products in the bathroom will be connected to it. From the distributor, the common ground wire must be led to the switchboard on the floor area and connected to the bus protective earth. All these works are quite simple and can be done with your own hands.

Grounding modern cast iron and steel bathtubs

Grounding cast-iron bathtubs made in the last decade will not cause problems even for an inexperienced consumer. All of them are equipped with special lugs with a mounting kit for connecting a grounding conductor. It is enough just to tighten the bare end of the wire between the washers and bring it to the distributor. If for some reason the jumper is missing, then it will be necessary to drill a hole. It is best to perform this operation on special thickenings of the bath body, which are designed to wedged the bearing legs of the product. This option will create a reliable contact between the ground wire and the bath.

With steel bathrooms, there will also be no special problems. They usually have a petal and do not need to drill a hole. It is enough to clean the enamel coating around the hole on the petal to the metal itself and fix the grounding conductor with a crimp screw. All other operations must be performed by analogy with cast iron baths. Next, we will consider the question of whether it is necessary to ground an acrylic bath and how to do this work correctly.

Attention! It is forbidden to connect the ground to the removable legs of steel and cast iron bathtubs. This is due to the fact that there is no normal electrical contact between the supporting elements and the bath itself!

Grounding acrylic bathtubs

Acrylic bathtubs are becoming very popular sanitary products. It is they who are gradually replacing steel and cast iron products from the market. The main advantage of acrylic bathtubs is their light weight, but at the same time, this is a certain disadvantage. There are two types of such products: cast and extruded. The second type of acrylic sanitary ware is installed on steel frames, and as we know, metal is an excellent conductor of electricity. Therefore, acrylic bath frames must be grounded. Grounding an acrylic bath is carried out by analogy with steel products.

Important! Water ingress between the body of the acrylic bathtub and the supporting metal frame can lead to the formation of a conductive layer, so this structure must be grounded!

Hot tub grounding

If you can argue about the need to ground various models of baths, then for jacuzzis (hot tubs) this procedure is mandatory! This plumbing product is a complex household appliance that consumes electricity, and any electrical appliance in the bathroom must be protected from the appearance of mains voltage on its body. Whirlpool bathtubs are connected to the ground bus through special sockets designed for installation in rooms with high humidity. They have special shutters in their design that protect the contacts from water ingress.

Jacuzzi outlets are installed at a distance of 30 cm from the bathroom floor and 50 cm from the edge of the hot tub. The cable for the power supply and the ground conductor must be double insulated and must be placed in a corrugated pipe. For the jacuzzi switchboard it is necessary to install a separate RCD and an automatic device, in addition to grounding, this will provide reliable protection of a person from electric shock. It is forbidden by the rules of the PUE to ground hot tubs through the water supply system. It is advisable to involve an experienced electrician in the installation of a hot tub, as this will avoid errors when connecting.

Attention! When installing electrical wiring and protective earthing cable, it is not allowed to use twists and other unreliable connections that can lead to contact break and electric shock to a person!

Grounding the heated towel rail

How to ground a stainless steel towel warmer and is it necessary? The answer to this question can be found in physics textbooks and reference books! There are such concepts as galvanic corrosion and stray currents. These two unpleasant phenomena can reduce the life of the heated towel rail to a minimum! Stray currents occur during leakage electrical energy into the heating system from damaged wiring, household appliances and for some other reasons. Galvanic corrosion occurs when two dissimilar metals interact with water, which is to some extent an electrolyte.

These two factors can damage a stainless steel heated towel rail, so it should be grounded. Heating systems consisting of metal pipes are initially grounded and additional grounding is not required to equalize the potentials on the heated towel rail. But if the heating pipes are plastic, then it is better to connect it to a common ground bus on the switchboard. Such an operation will not cause difficulties, it is enough to fix the grounding conductor on the heated towel rail with a metal clamp and bring out its zero bus.

Selection of accessories for grounding the bath

Usually, in apartments and private houses, a stranded wire with a cross-sectional area of at least 6 square meters is used for grounding and grounding. mm. Such a cross-sectional area of the grounding conductor is quite enough to provide protection against electric shock to a person in a residential area. It is better to choose a copper cable, but in extreme cases you can use aluminum wire or steel in a copper sheath. The ground conductor must be masked. This is necessary not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also to protect the ground from accidental damage. Typically, the cable is hidden in bathroom interior items, behind screens and plastic panels. A special distributor is used to connect the grounding of all items in the bathroom to a common bus.

Conclusion

Whatever the debate around the need to ground plumbing products, experts say that in rooms with a lot of moisture, the risk of electric shock increases dramatically. Availability of electrical appliances toilet rooms doubles that risk. Therefore, it should be concluded: grounding a bath in an apartment and other metal products located next to it is not a whim of a reinsurer, but a real necessity.

Do not put your health at risk and ground certain items in the bathroom. If on your own you are not able to perform these works, then invite an experienced electrician! We hope that in this article we have fully answered the question: why is it necessary to ground the bathtub and how to make grounding in the bathroom!

DIY grounding instructions

When everything fell into place with the theory, it's time to start practicing. The issue of grounding in an apartment can become a serious problem if the house does not have a ground loop. But this is easily fixable if there is a desire and opportunities. Choose the right materials and tools, and then start installing the wire.

Step 1 - choose materials before starting work

First you need to decide what materials to purchase for electrical work. After all, it is imperative to choose the right cross-sectional area of \u200b\u200bthe wire, its type, not to be mistaken with the amount of consumable material.

It is important to choose correct wire. As a rule, it is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. Ready-made copper grounding cables with a cross-sectional area of 6 mm. sq. in yellow-green insulation are sold at any hardware store in the electrical department

In addition to this main element, you will need:

potential equalization box;
RCD for the required number of amperes;
terminals;
pipe clamps.

The potential equalization box is a plastic compartment in which all the branches of the ground wire are connected.

Since it is forbidden to ground objects in series, a separate cable must go from each device or pipe to the potential equalization box (PEC).

Device protective shutdown completely cuts off the power supply to the circuit. Usually each room is connected to a separate machine. In the event of an accident in the bathroom, only the corresponding section will be knocked out, and not the entire apartment

RCD (residual current device) is not installed in the bathroom. Its place is in the corridor or in another dry, safe place. It is advisable to familiarize yourself with the possible schemes and in advance.

For apartments, RCDs of 10 or 16 A are most often chosen, but if you have high-consumption electrical appliances, such as an electric oven or a high-performance instantaneous water heater, such protection may not be enough. We advise you to look at good recommendations on.

It is convenient to connect pipelines, heating radiators, heated towel rails to the ground loop using conventional clamps. The metal ring tightly wraps around the pipe and ensures good contact

Step 4 - Grounding all fixtures in the bathroom

Once you have made sure that your home has a ground connection and found how to connect to it, the further process will not cause difficulties.

Choose a place for the potential equalization box. It should be located on a dry wall, at a distance from the bath.
If the bathtub is new, it should be turned over for convenience. Often, grounding is remembered when the bath is not just mounted, but also laid with facing tiles, hidden behind a screen or decorative panel. Then it will be a little more difficult to do the job.
Decide where exactly the cable will be connected. Find the location provided by the manufacturer. As a rule, this is a plate with a hole, welded or screwed to the body.
If a special point there is no grounding, you need to use a drill. Drill a small hole in the metal part. If it is cast iron, most likely there are sagging at the bottom of the bowl, which should ensure the stability of the structure on the legs. These influxes can be used for grounding.
Run the wire along the wall from the connection point to the PMC.
Using a terminal, connect one end of it to the plate in the potential equalization box, and the other to the bath body through drilled hole.
Connect the PMC to the ground bus in the switchboard with a copper wire of sufficient thickness.
Then you need to check the connection and hide the wire. This is done not only for aesthetic purposes, but also in order not to accidentally damage the cable.

After the installation is completed, you need to check the operation of the grounding using a tester. To do this, connect the phase and the grounded bath. If the tester light is on brightly, then the current will flow through this circuit in the event of an accident and will not touch a person.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Videos with answers to most popular questions will help you finally close the question of the need for grounding in the bathroom. If you find it easier to perceive information in video format, this collection will surely help you.

Thinking about whether to ground the bath? Or are you already going to ground, but you have questions that we have not covered in this article? Ask them in the block under this article.

Disputes about the need for grounding baths do not subside. Some argue that it is not necessary. Others rationally explain why grounding is important for the safety of apartment residents. Experts believe that protective circuit is still needed. While there was no alternative to metal pipes, grounding the bath in the apartment was done simply - the plumbing was connected to a metal riser.

But now the situation has changed: if the neighbors below replace some sections of pipes with plastic, the grounding disappears. Therefore, now you have to connect the bath to the ground bus on the switchboard.

Every year more and more electrical appliances and metal objects appear in apartments. The bathroom is no exception general rule. The bath itself also became a source heightened danger. This applies not only to steel and cast iron models, but also to acrylic ones.

Although acrylic does not conduct electricity, any container made from it is capable of accumulating a powerful static charge. It does not improve the situation and the fact that acrylic bathtubs are often installed on a metal frame, which is a good conductor of electricity.

The relevance of grounding the bath in the apartment is explained by the specialist:

Old Soviet-style bathtubs are usually made of cast iron and steel. They do not provide special devices for grounding. But it's not a problem. It is enough to drill one of the legs and install a grounding jumper.

Fasten such jumpers with ordinary bolts and nuts. Modern models are already more convenient.

If in apartments of high-rise buildings the risers and pipes did not change to plastic, grounding the bath is very simple. Electric current is led away through a metal wire attached to the riser. This option is not suitable for modern apartments where the risers have already been replaced with plastic

Manufacturers install the so-called petal - a metal device in the form of an eyelet, to which a ground wire can be attached. It is connected in series to metal objects, water heating equipment, electrical appliances and brought to the switchboard.

If in old baths you have to make holes for the ground wire yourself, then there are no such problems with modern models. Manufacturers have provided a petal at the bottom of the design in advance in accordance with all electrical safety rules

Special requirements apply to the grounding of hot tubs. Such plumbing equipment is connected only to a separate outlet with grounding. According to the rules of electrical safety, the socket is placed 30-50 cm from the floor and 50-70 cm from the edge of the bath. So that the plumbing equipment does not break down and pose a danger in cases of power surges, an RCD is installed outside the room.

Although the procedure for installing grounding devices is not difficult in itself, it should be entrusted to qualified electricians. Without the necessary skills, it is undesirable to experiment on your own.

Hot tubs must be grounded by professionals. They will competently connect the equipment of the bath itself, the ground wires. When the work is completed, all unaesthetic elements can be hidden behind a decorative screen

Option #1: Grounding an old style bath

To ground the bath without a special eye, you will need the following materials and tools:

electric drill;
victorious drill;
ground jumper;
fasteners: bolt, washer, nut;
stranded cable.

Drill a hole in the foot of the bathtub, then screw the grounding jumper to it, securing it with a bolt, washer and nut. Attach a multi-core cable to the jumper and connect it to the distributor. The distributor itself must be fixed on any convenient wall and brought to the shield, to the ground bus. The remaining cables from all metal objects in the bathroom are connected to the same distributor.

Electrical safety rules provide for the connection of all metal bathroom appliances to one common ground bus. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid negative impact stray currents, which often cause rapid pitting of metal pipes in water supply and sewerage systems

Option #2: How to ground cast iron plumbing?

If the cast-iron bath has been made in recent years, it should not be difficult to ground it. A jumper with an eyelet for connecting a cable is pre-installed in the design - a petal. The part of the wire intended for connection to the bath is bared, clamped between washers using a bolt and nut.

The water heater or other electrical appliances also have parts that serve as grounding. They are connected in the same way. However, it is often difficult to ground the heated towel rail. Do-it-yourself solution to such a problem:

If for some reason there is no grounding tab on the bath, you need to attach it yourself. It is best to connect it not to the legs themselves, because. there is not enough contact between the legs and the bath tub, but to other parts. For example, for drilling a hole for grounding, a structural element designed for wedging the legs of a plumbing fixture is well suited. In appearance, these parts look like processes from the body.

Here you can make a hole up to 1 cm deep without the risk of damaging the bath tank. If you fix the ground wire to the case, a reliable contact will be ensured. You can also install it on the "wings" of the bath.

You can make a hole for grounding both on the bathtub leg itself and in the part of the body to which it is attached. The second option is preferable, since in this case contact with a metal container is ensured. If you choose “wings” as an alternative, then you need to consider that the depth of the hole here will be no more than 5 mm. It may be difficult to choose the length of the screw

Option #3: What to do with the steel model?

There are no problems with steel bathtubs at all. The ground wire is attached in the same way as for cast iron models. The petal is most often already there, and you don’t have to drill anything. However, when fixing the crimp screw, it is worth clearing the hole of enamel. Clean the enamel coating down to the metal. This will ensure proper grounding.

Grounding of any metal bath is carried out according to one scheme. The only difference is that when attaching the wire to the steel model, it is desirable to clean the enamel

Option #4: Acrylic Bath Grounding Features

Acrylic bathtubs are becoming more and more popular. They are the choice of many apartment owners. One of the main advantages of acrylic models is lightness. At the same time, this property is also a disadvantage. Light weight products are not stable, and light baths are no exception. To install them, use frames.

Many manufacturers complete their products with metal frames, and buyers consider this installation option to be optimal. If for a bath on a brick or wooden frame grounding is not so important, it is mandatory for steel.

Depending on the method of manufacture, cast and extruded acrylic bathtubs are distinguished. Models of the second type "rely" metal frames. It is advisable to organize grounding for bathtubs with less "dangerous" frames. This is due to the fact that water is a conductor of electricity, and although acrylic itself is a dielectric, the container can accumulate a considerable charge of static electricity.

There is usually a special jumper for grounding. If you come across a model without it, you should drill a hole in the same way as in metal bathtubs. The outer coating must be peeled off, as when grounding steel baths because paint is a dielectric.

Acrylic models also need grounding, especially if metal is used as a mounting frame. After completion of work, the connection to all communications will be masked, appearance baths will not be affected

Option #5: How to ground a hot tub?

Hot tubs must be grounded. If there are still disputes regarding other types, then for plumbing, powered by a 220 V mains supply, the issue was initially resolved. A separate outlet is installed for the hot tub. Choose a model with a "curtain" that protects the device from splashing water, which may be during bathing with hydromassage. This "curtain" looks like a small door on the outlet.

These sockets can be purchased at any hardware or hardware store. You need to choose a model with a third (grounding) plug. Double-layer insulated wires are used to connect to the hot tub outlet.

Ideally, the device should be installed by an electrician. If you do not have the relevant experience, electrical work can be dangerous to life and health. There is a high probability of error when installing or connecting devices.

The minimum distance from the socket to the floor is 30 cm, to the edge of the jacuzzi - 50 cm. Outside the room, an RCD and a 16 A machine should be installed. The electrical cable is placed in a corrugated tube. Grounding a hot tub through any plumbing equipment is prohibited by safety regulations. If there are grounding problems, the instrument must not be used until all problems have been rectified.

To ensure that the equipment of the hot tub is not affected by power surges, it is best to install a voltage stabilizer. This will ensure maximum safety of people during the operation of plumbing.

Hot tubs that are not properly connected to the power supply can be a potential hazard to human life. The connection must be made in accordance with the standard rules for electrical installations.

The choice of materials for grounding

Typically, a 6 mm multi-core cable is used for the home. The cross section of such a wire is sufficient to ensure the electrical safety of residents. This cable is suitable for connecting plumbing fixtures with running water heating function. As for the material of the wire, nothing is better than copper.

In extreme cases, you can use a steel cable sheathed in copper. For grounding, it is better to choose a piece with a length of 2 m or more. At the same time, too large segments should not be used, since the likelihood of a breakthrough increases.

The ground cable must be masked. This is done for aesthetic reasons, since the wire spoils the interior and can interfere with the normal operation of the bathroom. It is worth hiding the electrical cable in order to protect it from accidental damage. Usually, ground wires are hidden behind decorative screens, in pieces of furniture, behind plastic panels.

It makes sense to install a residual current device. In this case, you can be calm: if the insulation suffers, the current will be automatically turned off.

To ground the bath in the apartment, it is best to choose a copper multi-core cable with a cross section of 6 sq. Mm. Well suited wire in yellow-green insulation

Bathroom current protection device

For the bathroom, it is desirable to install an electric current protection device. Wet environments make it especially dangerous electrical devices and even ordinary metal objects. In accordance with the rules of electrical safety, they must all be grounded, and so that the water heater, jacuzzi or washing machine does not become a source of electric shock, an RCD is installed.

This device cuts off the electric current during strong power surges. The principle of its operation is to control the incoming and outgoing electrical impulses. If the output voltage is higher than the input, the current is turned off.

If the electrical wiring is installed with a ground wire, a 30 mA RCD can be installed. Devices with a higher current rating are undesirable. Most often, an RCD of 10 mA is chosen for a bath. This guarantees a high current interruption rate in the event of a fault.

More information about the principle of operation and the features of connecting an RCD is described in the video:

No matter how much they argue about the need to ground the baths, the fact remains: in rooms with high humidity, it is easiest to get an electric shock. Modern bathrooms are equipped with electrical appliances, they use metal objects, and this is unsafe.

You should not risk your health because of banal laziness or unwillingness to spend money. Install high-quality grounding, if necessary - a current protection device. If you find it difficult to figure this out on your own, contact an electrician. He will do all the work quickly and efficiently, and your bathroom will be safe.

Are you planning to make repairs in the bathroom and do not know how to ground the bath or shower? I will give several options for connecting plumbing fixtures to a protective ground loop in a residential apartment.

What is grounding in the bathroom for?

All electrical appliances and household appliances that are installed and used in the bathroom must be connected using a three-core cable to a separate differentiated machine with a connected protective earth conductor.

Cable clamps and accessories for electrical work, I recommend buying here: www.rskcorp.ru/katalog-produktsii/electroustanovochnij-krepezh/kabelnye-homuty-i-aksessuary

The installation of a bathtub or shower cabin is regulated by the relevant regulatory and technical document. According to the requirements of paragraph 7.1.55. of the Electrical Installation Rules (PUE), metal cases of bathtubs and shower trays in bathrooms of residential and public buildings must be electrically connected to metal pipes plumbing using thick steel wire or copper electrical cable with a cross section of at least 6 mm².

This will minimize electrical resistance and equalize the potential difference on all plumbing fixtures and household appliances.

To make it easier for you in the future connect the grounding of other devices, I advise you to immediately install a separate potential equalization junction box (PEC) in the bathroom;
This is a normal plastic junction box with a neutral bus installed inside with threaded terminal clamps for wires;
Single core copper cable with a cross section of at least 6 mm² in single insulation, lay in the plinth cable channel, from the input electrical panel in the hallway, to the potential equalization box in the bathroom;
Free cable end clean from insulation and fasten through two galvanized wide washers to a threaded bolt on the protective earth neutral bus in the switchboard;
The other end of this cable also remove the insulation, and fix the potential equalization boxes on the neutral bus in the threaded clamp with the largest hole;

In order not to confuse the ground conductor with the current-carrying cores of other electric cables, its outer insulation is marked with yellow-green markings, and on circuit diagrams denoted by two letters RE.

Option 1: grounding an old cast iron bath

Despite the fact that heavy cast-iron baths are obsolete, they are still in demand, so they can still often be found in many apartments in residential buildings. When asked whether it is necessary to ground a cast iron bath, I can say that of course it is necessary, since cast iron, like all metals, conducts electricity well.

Cast iron bath connection to the PMC is carried out with the same single-core copper cable. Its total length should be no more than 2-3 meters;

Modern models of cast iron bathtubs have a special tide with a hole on the bottom of the body, which is designed to connect a grounding conductor;
The cable connects to the bath using steel zinc-plated bolt M6;
Copper core clamped between two galvanized washers, and tightened with an M6 nut;

The second end of the copper cable lead into the potential equalization junction box, and fix it in any free threaded clamp of the zero bus.

Advice! To exclude the possibility of damage to the grounding cable, I advise you to lay it inside the plinth cable channel.

Option 2: earth connection to enamelled steel bath

Modern steel baths made by stamping from thin sheet metal and then covered with a layer of decorative and protective enamel. Their main advantage is their low price. A steel plate is welded on the bottom of the case to connect the ground loop.

For the safety of the occupants, the enamel bath must also be securely grounded:

Enamelled steel bath earth connections performed with exactly the same cable, however, some distinctive points must be taken into account;
contact pad the steel plate around the mounting hole must be completely cleaned from both sides of the enamel coating until a metallic sheen appears;
It can be done with the help of a large file, however, it is best to use a grinder with a cleaning petal disk for this purpose;
After that paste into the hole with the clamp bolt, and connect the earth cable in exactly the same way as described above;
If an enamel bath there is no welded plate, you can drill a hole for a fixing bolt in the lower inner part of the side apron flange along the perimeter of the bathtub edge.

The feet must not be grounded.

The factory instruction prohibits the connection of a ground loop to the removable legs of an enamelled bath. This is because there are two layers of enamel between the bath body and the leg mounting bracket, which does not provide proper electrical contact at the point of contact with each other.

Option 3: Grounding the Plastic Acrylic Bathtub

Many people doubt whether it is necessary to ground a bath made of acrylic plastic, which in itself is a good dielectric. Below I will tell you how to ground an acrylic bath, and what it is for:

Firstly, the plastic body of the acrylic bathtub is a dielectric, so over time it accumulates a charge of static electricity. Connecting the case to the neutral bus will allow free flow of static charge into the ground.

Secondly, plastic shells of acrylic baths, by themselves do not have sufficient rigidity, therefore they are always installed on a metal frame structure made of steel profile pipe. If moisture gets between the metal frame and the body of the bath, a conductive layer may form on it, so the frame structure must also be grounded.

Acrylic bath grounding:

Prefabricated frame they usually have a ready-made terminal block for connecting a neutral wire. It is a welded nut with a screw, and is indicated by the letters "PE" or the sign "Earth";
Before connecting ground, you need to strip the welded nut, and then on the screw, under the washer, wind two turns of the stripped core of the copper cable clockwise;
After that, the screw must be screwed back, and tighten with a wrench or screwdriver with maximum force;
If the frame does not have a terminal pad, you can do it yourself. To do this, you need to drill a hole with a diameter of 7-8 mm in any convenient place in the pipe, and clean the metal around it to a shine.
In a drilled hole install a galvanized M6 bolt, and then use a nut and two wide washers to fix the ground cable to it.

It is better to place the contact pad at the bottom of the frame, closer to the corner or to the wall. The hole must be drilled in such a place that it does not affect the strength and does not weaken the load-bearing capacity of the frame structure.

Option 4: grounding the shower and jacuzzi bath

Shower cabins and bathtubs with hydromassage are equipped with built-in heaters, circulation pumps and compressors, so they require connection to the household power supply. I think that no one will have any questions why to ground the hot tub.

How to ground a hot tub:

For connecting all electrical appliances in the bathroom, a three-core copper cable with double vinyl insulation should be used.

Two cores in blue and brown insulation are current-carrying. In the junction box of the electrical appliance, they must be connected to the screw terminals marked "N" and "L", respectively.
The third core with yellow-green insulation is used as a protective earth conductor. It must be connected to a screw terminal with the designation "PE" or the sign "Earth", which is located on the metal case or frame of the electrical appliance.
Other end of the three-core cable must go directly to the switchboard, and be connected to a differential circuit breaker or to a residual current device, according to the given circuit diagram.

When laying power cable and a protective earth loop, cold strands or other non-soldered wire connections are not allowed. Otherwise, there may be a risk of fire or electric shock.

Conclusion

Now you yourself know how to ground a bathtub in an apartment of a multi-storey residential building. I recommend watching the attached video in this article, and if you are interested, I am ready to discuss this issue in the comments.