SYSTEM AND CIRCUIT

GROUNDING
BEA LEIGH LORIA LAJO
BCE324 (7651)
GROUNDING
Grounding is required to protect building occupants and electrical
equipment.
Grounding an electrical system begins with a ground, an electrode in direct
contact with the earth itself.

GROUNDING CONDUCTOR
The grounding conductor is a continuous conductor that connects the
ground to the neutral bus bar and the grounding conductor bus bar in the
service equipment/main panelboard.
The grounding conductor does not normally carry current. Instead, it links
ground to the metal frames or housings of appliances and motors and the
metal boxes containing outlets and switches. If needed, the grounding
conductor can safely carry current to ground in the event of a lightning
strike or in cases of damage or defect in the circuiting, appliances, devices,
or equipment
GROUNDING
Grounding of an electrical branch circuit enables current to take an
alternate path back to the overcurrent protection device if an electrical
device or appliance short-circuits. It requires an additional, supplemental
wire, called the grounding conductor, which is connected to the appliance
cabinet or housing and provides an additional grounding path, in addition to
the grounded conductor.
GROUNDING REQUIREMENTS
In building electrical systems, there are two
types of grounding:

System Grounding
Equipment Grounding
SYSTEM GROUNDING
System grounding is that part of a building electrical
system that provides protection against electrical
shock, lightning, and fires.

A lightning strike near the building or a highvoltage

transmission line contacting the service entrance
conductors can introduce high voltage to a building
electrical system.

A properly grounded electrical system reduces danger

and minimizes damage to the wiring and appliances
from such an occurrence.
SYSTEM GROUNDING

SYSTEM GROUNDING RELATES TO BONDING (CONNECTING) ALL

BUILDING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS AT THE SERVICE
ENTRANCE EQUIPMENT AT THE NEUTRAL BUS OF THE MAIN
PANELBOARD OR SWITCHBOARD.
SYSTEM GROUNDING
A GROUNDING SYSTEM MUST BE CONNECTED TO SOME OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS IF AVAILABLE
ON THE BUILDING PREMISES:

• An underground metal water (not gas) pipe in direct contact with the earth for no less than 10 ft (3 m);
the metal building frame where it is effectively grounded.

• An electrode made of at least 20 ft (6 m) of electrically conductive steel reinforcing bars (No. 4 AWG or
greater) or bare copper wire no smaller than No. 2 AWG that is encased in at least 2 in of concrete that is
part of a foundation or footing in direct contact with the earth.

• An electrode made of a steel or iron plate that is at least 1⁄4 in thick or copper plate that is at least 0.06 in
thick with at least 2 ft2 (0.2 m2) of the plate surface in contact with exterior soil .

• An electrode made of a grounding ring of bare copper wire no smaller than No. 2 AWG that encircles the
building at a depth no less than 2.5 ft (0.75 m) below grade.

• The structural metal frame of the building where the frame is effectively grounded.

In systems where only a connection to an underground metal water pipe in direct contact with the earth
is the only means of grounding, a supplemental electrode is required. A metal pipe, rod, or plate driven or
placed into the earth are acceptable as a supplemental electrode.

EQUIPMENT GROUNDING
Equipment grounding refers to a grounding conductor or grounding path that
connects the noncurrent-carrying metal components of equipment. This may be
accomplished by installing an additional grounding conductor in all circuits or by
permanently bonding (joining) metal components such as metallic conduit in a
circuit to form a good conductive path. Equipment grounding extends from the
outlets to the neutral bus bar at the service entrance equipment.

The equipment-grounding conductor is a bare conductor or a green-colored,

insulated conductor that connects (bonds)the outlet boxes, metallic raceways, other
enclosures and frames on motors, appliances, and other electrical equipment. All
receptacles must be of the grounding type (with supplementary grounding slot) and
must be connected to the equipment grounding conductor. If properly bonded, a
metal raceway (conduit) or armored cable system can serve as a means of
equipment grounding so an equipment-grounding conductor is not actually needed.

Equipment-grounding and system-grounding electrodes must be bonded. Bonding is

accomplished by installing an additional grounding conductor or by permanently
joining metal components in a circuit. When joining components to form a good
bond, special connections called bonding jumpers may be required to ensure a good
connection between the metal components. Bonding jumpers are required in
instances when flexible conduit is used.
EQUIPMENT GROUNDING
Tables available in Code indicate the minimum size equipment-
grounding conductors for grounding raceways and equipment. They are
used to size the equipment-grounding conductor. Equipment-grounding
conductors should be routed in the same raceway, cable, or cord as the
circuit conductors. Where more than one circuit is installed in a single
raceway, one equipmentgrounding conductor can be installed in the
raceway, but it must be sized for the largest overcurrent protection
device serving conductors in that raceway. The equipment grounding
conductor is never required to be larger than the circuit conductors.
When conductors are run in parallel in more than one raceway, the
equipment-grounding conductor should also be run in parallel.
DOUBLE INSULATION
Double insulation of an appliance or power tool protects the user from
electric shock by creating a nonconducting barrier between the user and
the electric components inside the appliance or tool. An appliance or tool
that is double insulated has two levels of insulating materials between the
electrical parts of the appliance and any parts on the outside that can be
touched by the user. If the first layer of insulation fails, the second layer
provides protection. Small appliances and power tools with double
insulation are not required to have a grounding conductor— that is, they
are allowed to have a two-prong plug.

The primary difference between an appliance with a three-prong plug and

an appliance with a two-prong plug is the appliance casing. If an appliance
casing is a good conductor (e.g., made of metal), then it must have a
grounding conductor and three-prong plug. Many of newer household
electrical appliances and tools are double insulated. Examples include
coffee makers, blow dryers, electric drills, and other similar small power
tools and appliances.