EARTH RESISTANCE METER

Basic Principle: Four point method

Ohm-meter can not be used in measuring earth resistance as resistance of earth is very small and meter lead resistance will effect the results. Four point method is used for earth resistance measurement . Two current leads, C1 and C2, comprise a two-wire current source that circulates current through the resistance under test. Two potential leads, P1 and P2, provide a two-wire voltage measurement circuit that measures the voltage drop across the resistance under test. The instrument computes the value of resistance from the measured values of current and voltage. V R= I

EARTH RESISTANCE METER

Four Point Measurement Diagram
C1 Resistance being measured P1 Current source instrument Voltmeter Reading Out in Ohms P2 A

C2

EARTH RESISTANCE METER

Three Point Method
The three-point method, a variation of the four-point method, is usually used when making ground (earth) resistance measurements. With the three-point method, the C1 and P1 terminals are tied together at the instrument and connected with a short lead to the ground system being tested. This simplifies the test in that only three leads are required instead of four. Because this common lead is kept short, when compared to the length of the C2 and P2 leads, its effect is negligible.

EARTH RESISTANCE METER

Instrument setup & operation
Test electrode
1) 2) C1/P1 P2

C2
3) 4) 5)

Digital Display Ground test instrument

Connect ( C1/P1 ) terminal Probe to ground system being tested. Connect ( C2 ) Probe at distance say 20 feet from ground system being tested. Connect ( P2 ) terminal probe at 62% of distance of C2 . Current flows from instrument to C1 , through test electrode , through earth to C2 . Potential is measured b/w P1 & P2 .