Conduct Preliminary Layout Design o

Earthing Electrode Configuration & Size & Earthing

Conductor Size

Determine Maximum Fault Current flowing through the Earthing Sys

Modify Design
No
Proposed Design Procedure of Earthing Systems for Low-voltage Installations

Start

Conduct Soil Resistivity Test on Accessible Field in Installation

Site

Review Client Design Specification if available

Review National Requirements Documentation

Conduct Preliminary Layout Design of

Earthing Electrode Configuration & Size & Earthing
Conductor Size

Calculate Earthing Resistance using this Template

Determine Maximum Fault Current flowing through the Earthing System

Analyse Step & Touch Voltages

Are the Values of Step &

Touch Voltages &
Resistance Acceptable?
No Are the Values of Step &
Touch Voltages &
Resistance Acceptable?

Yes

Proceed for Final Detailed Design

End
Earthing Resistance Calculations based on BS 7430

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:
Three rods at the vertices of an equilateral triangle

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:
ρ the resistivity the soil (assumed uniform), in ohm metres (Ωm)

L the rod length, in metres (m)

d the rod diameter, in metres (m)

s the length of one side of the equilateral triangle, in metres(m)
 Remarks

input values Output Value: Resistance

30.00
2.3265
Satisfactory for R<5
20.00 ohm, continue with
initial design

1.5

0.016

2.00

1.80

3
Value: Resistance

ohm (Ω)
BS-7430 Conductor Selection
Select the
maximum
Temperature
value
Enter for
thethevalue
(fixed value)
conductor
of average RMS
Size of the Earthing Conductor This
It table
should
value is only
be
of fault
applicable
Select
currentthe
verified that
in forthe
(A)
the case of
material 1the
is likely
second
conductor
to be in the
The average fa 1000 This
Is theislocation
same a fixed as
initial
Fault current 1 value
temperature
the conductorof
Metal MateriaCopper the
will conductor
not be =
Maximum Tempe 350 30°C
damaged ? or
R.M.S Current density for201
1 second duration,
present a fire
initial conduc NO risk at the
T1 the initia 38 temperature
T2 the final 69 Ensure
selected. that you
select the nearst
new k value 71.78783223
standard value
which is higher
than this
Type of joint sWelded or Brazed calculated value
Corresponding 13.92993727

Select the
Select
material thetype of
Select
duration the(in
The average value of fault currentthe
in strip
(kA)
maximum
seconds) of the
temperature
fault current (in
Select the
°C) of the
Material of theCopper conductor
Duration of fau 1 conductor size
Maximum cond 200
Size of conduc38 x 6

36.3
The average val

Enter the
Enter thevalue
duration valueof
of the soil
Current density at the surface of earth
earth faults
electrode
resistivity in
in s
ohm-m
t the durat 10
p the resi 50

The current den339.705755

Select the
material
Select theof the
earthing
configuration of
Selection of the material for an earthing conductor with respect to
conductor
the earthing
conductor
Allowable
Material Copper tolerance: −3%

Page 10
 Select the
configuration of
the earthing
BS-7430 Conductor Selection conductor
Allowable
tolerance: −3%
Configuration Solid round

minimum size 5o0 mm², 8 mm diameter

Remarks
50 mm² (8 mm diameter) may be reduced to 28 mm²
Applicable for air termination rods only. For applicati

Page 11
 BS-7430 Conductor Selection
Select the
maximum
Temperature
value
Enter for
thethevalue
(fixed value)
conductor
of average RMS
This
It table
should
value is only
be
of fault
applicable
Select
currentthe
verified that
in forthe
(A)
the case of
material 1the
is likely
second
conductor
to be in the
This
Is theislocation
same a fixed as
initial
value
temperature
the conductorof
the
will conductor
not be =
30°C
damaged ? or
present a fire
risk at the
temperature
Ensure
selected. that you
select the nearst
standard value
which is higher
than this
calculated value

Select the
Select
materialthetype of
Select
durationthe
the strip (in
maximum
seconds) of the
temperature
fault current (in
Select the
°C) of the
conductor
conductor size

Enter the
Enter thevalue
duration valueof
of the soil
of earth
earth faults
electrode
resistivity in
in s
ohm-m

Select the
material
Select theof the
earthing
configuration of
n earthing conductor with respect to corrosion and mechanical strength
conductor
the earthing
conductor
Allowable
tolerance: −3%

Page 12
 Select the
configuration of
the earthing
conductor
Allowable BS-7430 Conductor Selection
tolerance: −3%

diameter) may be reduced to 28 mm² (6 mm diameter) in certain applications where mechanical strength is not an essential requirement.
ir termination rods only. For applications where mechanical stress such as wind loading is not critical, a 10 mm diameter, 1 m long maximu

Page 13
 BS-7430 Conductor Selection

ength is not an essential requirement. Consideration should in this case, be given to reducing the spacing of the fasteners.
l, a 10 mm diameter, 1 m long maximum air termination rod may be used. Applicable for earth lead-in rods only.

Page 14
 BS-7430 Conductor Selection

cing of the fasteners.

Page 15
39.3999
Earthing Resistance Calculations based on IEEE Green Book

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:

Three-point star

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells: input values
p the soil resistivity, in ohm metres (Ωm) 1000
a the radius of the rod, in metres (m) 0.025
L the rod length, in metres (m) 1.5
d the depth of burial, in metres (m) 0.5
0.0001
3

Case where a typical electrode of 3 m long is used

Diameter in (mm) 12.7

Soil Resistivity in (ohm-cm) 1000

Number of rods 3

Resistance value in ohm (Ω) 4.4792

Satisfactor, continue with initial de
 Remarks

length of arm L, depth s/2

Output Value: Resistance

244.4932 ohm (Ω)
Does not comply for 5 ohms. Review and modify design

or, continue with initial design

IEC 60364 Conductor Selection
Earthing Electrode
Material
Surface
Shape

Minimum Size

Remarks

Earthing Conductor (buried in the soil)

Corrosion Protection
Material
Mechanical Protection

Minimum cross-sectional area:

Supplementary Equipotential Bonding Conductor

Connection
Protection Preference

Minimum cross-sectional area

Protective conductors

A) Method 1

Cross-sectional area of line conductor (mm²)

Is the protective conductor is of the same material
as the line conductor?
Material of Line Conductor
Factor "k" value of the line conductor
Material of Protective Conductor
Protective Conductor Type

PVC insulated conductors of cross-sectional area >

300 mm² ?
Cable Covering

Factor k value of the protective conductor

Minimum cross-sectional area of the corresponding

protective conductor (mm²)

B) Method 2

Value of fault current (r.m.s) in A

Operating time of the protective device for
automatic disconnection in s
Conductor Material

Minimum cross-sectional area of the corresponding

protective conductor (mm²)
 Copper.
Bare
Round wire for surface electrode with depth not exceeding 0.5m

Cross-sectional area = (25 mm²)

In case where the risk of corrosion and mechanical damage is extremely low, 16-mm² can be used. An earth electrode is consi
electrode when installed at a depth not exceeding 0.5m

Not protected against corrosion

Copper
Mechanically unprotected

25 mm²

g Conductor
Two (2) Exposed– conductive– parts
Sheathed or Mechanically Protected

≥ ½ of the smaller protective conductor connecting to the exposed–conductive

25
 NO

Copper
226
Copper
bare protective conductors in contact with cable covering but not bunched with other cables
70 °C PVC

NO

PVC
Normal conditions
70 °C PVC
143
115
159
141

22.7421

1000

Copper

7.6639
Common Earthing Practices in Malaysia

Step 1. Select the type of earthing from the drop-down list below:

Single Rod Electrode

Step 2. Select the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:

R the target earthing resistance, in ohm (Ω) 5

ρ the soil resistivity, in ohm metres (Ωm) 30
d the diameter of each rod, (mm) 25

Output Data:
Total length of rod required in metres (m)

Total length of rod required in metres (m)

6.313
Total length of rod required in metres (m)

2m - 4m
1.5
*

*
*

*
The Use of Concrete Enclosed Reinforcing Rods as Grounding Electrodes

Step1. Select the type of concrete-encased grounding

Multiple concrete-encased rebar grounding electrodes in Hollow rectangular configuration

Step 2. Enter the values of the parameters below in the highlighted cells:
ρₒ the resistivity of surrounding medium (Ω-m)
L the length of rod in (m)
r the radius of the rod (m)
r1 the outer radius of rod (m)
ρ1 the higher resistivity of (earth) in (Ω-m)
r the radius of equivalent hemisphere
d the spacing of electrodes
N the total number of rods
k given in graph
M multiplier to obtain array resistance from single electrode reistance

Grounding resistance in ohms (Ω)

EQUIVALENT EQUATION OF EARTH RESISTANCE FOR RING ELECTRODE OF WIND TURBINE

Propose novel equivalent equation by author

p the soil resistivity in (Ω-m)

a the radius of a cross-section of the ring in (mm²)
d the burying depth of the ring in (m)
re equivalent radius in (m)
α improvement constant (fixed value)
β improvement constant (fixed value)

Earth Resistance (Ω)

Earthing System’s Design in Presence of Non-uniform Soil

proposed a practical method for earthing systems’ design in presence of two-layer soil

pk the uniform soil with resistivity (Ω-m)

h the depth of the earth electrode (m)
LT the total buried length of conductors (m)
A the area occupied by the earth electrode (mm²)
Earthig Resistance (Ω)

A SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE IMPULSE RESISTANCE OF VERTICAL GROUNDING R

due to the low current resistance of the grounding rod

p the soil resistivity (Ω-m)

re effective radius varying with the current crest value impulse current (m)
l the length of rod (m)

Impulse Resistance (Ω)

A Systematic Approach to Safe and Effective Earthing System Design

Resistance of a single vertical earth electrode to achieve R<=5 ohms

p the soil resistivity (Ω-m)

a the nominal diameter of earthing electrode (m)
N the number of joint electrodes (vertically installed) for individual point P
Ln the nominal length of earthing electrode (m)
Lr the total length of vertical earthing electrode (m)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

DESIGN AND CALCULATION OF AN EARTH ELECTRODE

Buried straight rod or wire

r resistivity (Ω-cm)
h depth of burial (cm)
L total length (cm)
d diameter of the rod (cm)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

Case where a vertical rod is driven through a high-resistivity superficial layer into a lower resistivity subsoil

r1 the resistivity of the upper layer (Ω-cm)

r2 the resistivity of the subsoil (Ω-cm)
h depth of burial (cm)
L total length of the rod (cm)
d diameter of the rod (cm)
L' effective length of the ground rod (cm)

Earthing Resistance (Ω)

 200
1.5
0.016
0.2
150
2.5
3
10
6
0.6000

70.3748

D TURBINE

300
0.4
4
0.1
1.85
3.82

43.99515

60
5
4.5
0.5
 94.14621

CAL GROUNDING RODS

42.3
0.025
1

25.00071

100
0.016
10
1.5
15

3.8353748
Satisfactory, continue with initial design

1000
180
150
0.016

19.31793
 3000
2000
80
60
0.5
33.33333

174.5266
Three Parallel aligned rods
Copper Plate

Copper Strip

Two Parallel aligned rods

Reinforced Concrete Foundation