Unit 6 -Earthing

Earthing
• Earthing means connecting the neutral point of a supply system or
non current carrying metal parts used in electrical distribution
system to the general mass of earth by wire of negligible
resistance.
In such manner that at all times an immediate
discharge of electrical energy takes place without danger.

• This brings the body of the electrical equipment to zero potential

and thus will avoid electric shock to the operator.

• The neutral of the 3 phase four wire supply system is also solidly
earthed to ensure its potential to zero.
 Purpose of earthing
• To avoid electric shock to human body.

• To avoid risk of fire due to earth leakage current through

unwanted path.

• To ensure that no current carrying conductor rises potential

with respect to earth than its designed insulation.
 Let clear the confusion among
earhing, grounding and bonding?
• Earthing and Grounding is the same terms used for earthing.

• Grounding is the commonly word used for earthing in the North

American standards like IEEE, NEC and ANSI etc

while, Earthing is used in European, Common

wealth countries and Britain standards like IS and IEC etc.

• The word Bonding used for jointing two wires (as well as
conductors, pipes or appliances together. )
• Bonding is known as connecting the metallic parts of different
machines which is not considered to be carrying electric current
during normal operation of the machines to bring them at the same
level of electric potential.
 Why Earthing is Important?
• 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.

 Defination of few term related to
earthing.
• Earth electrode: Any wire or pipe or rod or metal plate
embedded in earth for the purpose of making an
effective electrical connections with general mass of
earth.

• Earthing lead or main earthing conductor : Wire which

connects overhead earth wire or any apparatus to be
earthed to the earth electrode.

• Sub main earthing conductor : The earth wire which runs

between the main switch board to the distribution board.
 Indian standard specifications regarding
earthing of electrical installation
• Distance of earth from building: An earthing electrode shall not be
situated within a distance of 1.5 meters form the building whose
installation system is being earthed.

• Size of earth continuity conductor : The conductor by means of

which the metal body of an equipment or appliance is connected
to the earth is known as earth continuity conductor.
The cross section of this conductor should not be
either less than 2.9 mm2 (14SWG) or half of the installation
conductor size.

• Resistance of earth: resistance should be low enough.

• Value of earth resistance changes with weather, depends
on moisture content of soil and maximum during dry
season.

• Earth continuity inside an installation from the earth plate

to any point in the installation is 1 ohm.

• The earth wire and earth electrode will be of same

material.

• The earth wire shall be taken through GI pipe of 12.7 mm

of diameter for at least 30.5cm length above and below
ground surface to the earth electrode to protect against
mechanical damage.
• The earthing electrode shall always be placed
in vertical position inside the earth or pit so
that it may be in contact with all different earth
layers
 What equipment is to be connected to
earth?
• Neutral conductor of 3 phase 4 wire electrical
distribution system and middle conductor of 2 phase 3
wire DC supply system should be earthed at
generating station and at the sub station by two
separate and distinct earth connections.

• Metal frame of generators, motors and other metallic

parts of the equipment used for regulating or
controlling energy and all medium voltage energy
consuming apparatus.
• All metal parts of electrical installation such as metal
conduits enclosing VIR or PVC cables, light fittings, iron
clad main switches, iron clad distribution boards etc

• 3pin lighting and power plug socket should be

permanently and efficiently earthed.

• Fabricated steel transmission towers , tubular poles, rail

poles, concrete poles used in overhead trx line should be
earthed.
• The metal casing of portable apparatus should be earthed.
This covers electrical drill, soldering iron,
hair driers, heaters refrigerators and electrically operated
equipment.

• Concentric cables :the external conductor of such cables should

be earthed by two separate and distinct connection with earth.

On what basis would you select the earthing conductor?

• High conductivity (copper).
• Sufficient diameter to carry fault current safely.
• Galvanized iron (GI) so that it does not get rusty in adverse
conditions and it has buried into earth.
 ISI Specifications
• The cross section of earthing lead should not be less than half
of section of main supply conductor feeding the installation.

• The cross section of earthing lead should in any case such that
it shall never fuse out even under worst fault conditions.

• The cross section of earthing lead should not be less than

161.3mm2 for main connection and 64.5mm2 for branch
connections in large installation .
• Copper strip usually employed as a ring main connecting all
apparatus to earth.
• Copper wire not less than 8 SWG not more than 7/0.0915mm
are used for earthing in smaller installations.
 Precautions taken while installing
earth conductor
• There is not any possibility of its being damaged or cut accidently.
• Earth conductor should be fixed to equipment with help of clamps.

• The joints shall be made by soldering , brazing welding but for forged
diameter earth wires, clamps may be used for obtaining joints.
• Every care should be taken that is electrically continuous.
• The paint , enamel, corrosion and other non conducting materials should
be removed from the surface of the equipment to which earthing is to be
connected.
 Earth resistance depends on
• Moisture of soil
• Temperature of soil
• Depth of electrode
• Size and spacing of earth plates
• Metal of earth plate
• Quality of coal dust and charcoal in the earth
electrode pit
How earth resistance can be reduced ?
• Using number of earth electrodes inter
connected in parallel.
• Using larger size of earth electrode.
• Increasing the depth of pit for earthing
system.
• The area around earthing pipe is increased
and charcoal soaked in salt solution is filled in
pit
 Earth pit should not be located
• Near pavements, roads and rail tracks.

• Should not be located near building and minimum

distance from the wall to pit should not be less than
1.5mt.

• Metal fence

• Distance between two earth electrodes where more than

one electrode is required the plates shall be separated
from each other by not less than 2.5mts and in case of
rod or pipe not less than 2 mts
 Different types of earthing
• Earthing through water mains
• Wire or strip earthing
• Rod earthing
• Pipe earthing
• Plate earthing
 Earthing through water mains
• Normally it is not advisable.
• It must ensure that water pipe is of iron and
electrically continuous.
• Care must be taken to limit the contact Resistance to
the minimum.
 Wire earthing or strip earthing
• The wire is buried in horizontal trenches of depth enough to
maintain earthing process.
• Copper wires of 5 swg or cross section not less than 25mm wide
and 1.6 mm thick used an earth wire.
• If round conductor are used, their cross sectional area should not
be smaller than 3.0 mm2.
 Rod earthing
• Soild rod of 12.5mm of copper , 19mm diameter of GI or hollow
GI pipe of diameter 25mm is driven vertically into earth up to
depth of 5 to 6 diameters depending on depth of moisture in earth.
 Pipe earthing
• The pipe must be place in permanently wet ground. The
depth depends on condition of soil and moisture(4.75 mt
again depending upon moisture.

• A pipe of diameter sufficient to carry the fault current is

selected.
• The size of pipe which serves as an earth electrode depends
on
A) Current to be carried B) Type of soil
• The GI pipe shall not be less than 38mm diameter and 2
meter long for ordinary soil (2.75mt for dry and rocky).
 Plate earthing
• The earthing is done by embedding GI or copper plate in the earth
sufficiently deep.
• The size of the plate used should not be less than
60cm*60cm*6.36mm in GI case and 60cm*60cm*3.18mm in
case of copper.
• A pit is dug about 4m deep and the earth electrode is placed in
such away that face is vertical .
• The space around the plate is filled with charcoal and salt for
minimum thickness of 15cm. The electrode or plate is connected
to GI pipe of 12.7mm diameter for carrying GI earth wire for
connection to earth electrode.