Unit 3 _ Concept of Electrical Earthing or Grounding

Concept of Electrical Earthing or Grounding
The Earthing or grounding of an electrical system plays a very important role for the
stability and safety operation of the system. Though the Earthing or grounding in electrical
system is always invisible by physically & by its function but we can feel its importance
only with the problems in electrical system with poor or no Earthing system.
Electrical Earthing or grounding:

Earthing or grounding system is an electrical circuit which connects a part of electrical
system to the earth or ground.
Or in other words, To connect the metallic (conductive) Parts of an Electric appliance or
installations to the earth (ground) is called Earthing or Grounding.
Difference between Earthing, and Grounding

Earthing and Grounding are the same terms used for Earthing.
Grounding is the commonly word used for Earthing in the North American standards
like IEEE, NEC, ANSI and UL etc while,
Earthing is used in European, Common wealth countries and Britain standards like IS
and IEC etc.
As per IEEE standard 80:2000-“Ground– A conducting connection, whether intentional

or accidental, by which an electric circuit or equipment is connected to the earth or to
some conducting body of relatively large extent that serves in place of the earth.”
As per IEC 60364- Earth: The conductive mass of the Earth, whose electric potential at
any point is Conventionally taken as zero
Need of earthing or grounding:

The primary purpose of earthing is to avoid or minimize the danger of
electrocution, fire due to earth leakage of current through undesired path and to ensure
that the potential of a current carrying conductor does not rise with respect to the earth
than its designed insulation.
When the metallic part of electrical appliances (parts that can conduct or allow
passage of electric current) comes in contact with a live wire, maybe due to failure of
installations or failure in cable insulation, the metal become charged and static charge
accumulates on it. If a person touches such a charged metal, the result is a severe
shock. (as shown in the diagrams below:
To avoid such instances, the power supply systems and parts of appliances have
to be earthed so as to transfer the charge directly to the earth. This is why we need
Electrical Earthing or Grounding in electrical installation systems.
Below are the basic needs of Earthing.
 To protect human lives as well as provide safety to electrical devices and appliances
from leakage current.
 To keep voltage as constant in the healthy phase (If fault occurs on any one phase).
 To Protect Electric system and buildings form lighting.
 To serve as a return conductor in electric traction system and communication.
 To avoid the risk of fire in electrical installation systems.
Components of Earthing System

A complete electrical earthing system consists on the following basic components.
 Earth Continuity Conductor
 Earthing Lead
 Earth Electrode
Earth Continuity Conductor or Earth Wire
That part of the Earthing system which interconnects the overall metallic parts of electrical
installation e.g. conduit, ducts, boxes, metallic shells of the switches, distribution
boards, Switches, fuses, Regulating and controlling devices, metallic parts of electrical
machines such as, motors, generators, transformers and the metallic framework where
electrical devices and components are installed is known as earth wire or earth continuity
conductor as shown in the above fig.
The resistance of the earth continuity conductor is very low. According to IEEE rules, resistance
between consumer earth terminal and earth Continuity conductor (at the end) should not be
increased than 1Ω. In simple words, resistance of earth wire should be less than 1Ω.
Earthing Lead or Earthing Joint

The conductor wire connected between earth continuity conductor and earth electrode or
earth plate is called Earthing joint or “Earthing lead”.
Earthing Electrode or Earth Plate

A metallic electrode or plate which is buried in the earth (underground) and it is the last
part of the electrical Earthing system. In simple words, the final underground metallic
(plate) part of the Earthing system which is connected with Earthing lead is called earth
plate or earth electrode.
Types of Electrical Earthing

Earthing can be done in many ways. The various methods employed in Earthing (in house wiring
or factory and other connected electrical equipment and machines) are listed as follows.
a. Plate Earthing
b. Pipe Earthing
c. Rod Earthing
d. Earthing through the Waterman
e. Strip or Wire Earthing

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Unit 3 _ Concept of Electrical Earthing or Grounding

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Concept of Electrical Earthing or Grounding

Electrical Earthing or grounding:

Difference between Earthing, and Grounding

As per IEEE standard 80:2000-“Ground– A conducting connection, whether intentional

Need of earthing or grounding:

Components of Earthing System

Earthing Lead or Earthing Joint

Earthing Electrode or Earth Plate

Types of Electrical Earthing

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