Principles of

Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1

Grounding
Methods and
Requirements
Grounding • Grounding Systems
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

#1 Safety

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 2

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

#1 Safety

10 mA
to 20 mA
for muscular
contraction and
100 mA
for ventricular
fibrillation

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 3

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

#2 Uptime

25 million
lightning strikes
each year in the
United States

Is your equipment
properly grounded?

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 4

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Ground system tests are

performed during and
after system installation
using earth (ground)
testers and ground clamp
meters.

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 5

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Grounding an electrical
system to earth is
accomplished by
connecting the grounding
circuit to a metal
underground electrode,
the metal frame of a
building, a concrete-
encased electrode, a
grounding ring, or other
approved grounding
method.
Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 6
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The three categories of

grounding are electronic
equipment grounding,
equipment grounding, and
building grounding.

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 7

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The grounding electrode

is the grounding system
that provides the direct
physical connection to
earth and provides the
zero reference to the
electrical system.

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 8

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 2

Testing Grounded
Equipment and
Systems
When to Test • Earth Ground Tests • Soil
Resistivity • Grounding System Testing Methods
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The resistivity test is

performed for the design
or expansion of a
grounding system. The
resistance to ground test
is performed to verify
compliance with code and
industry standards.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The resistivity of the soil

varies with soil type,
moisture content,
temperature, and other
factors.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

When measuring ground

resistance, a four-terminal
ground resistance tester
does not use the
grounding electrode as
one of the probes. The
tester is used to measure
the resistance of soil only,
not the resistance of the
soil and grounding
electrode.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Test rods must be rotated 90° for the second set of

readings and can be rotated at 45° to get a third set of
readings as required.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Resistance
measurements are taken
to verify that the
resistance to ground of a
grounding system is within
required maximum
resistance values set by
the NEC® and can be
verified by the application
of Ohm’s law.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The area of measured

resistance that remains
relatively constant can be
referred to as the plateau
area.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Before taking any earth

and electrode resistance
measurements,
electricians must ensure
that the grounding
electrode is not connected
to the service equipment.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

A three and four-pole

earth resistance meter
include an additional jack
in which another test lead
is connected from the
meter to the ground
electrode under test to
eliminate the resistance of
the test leads from the
displayed resistance
measurement.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

To determine the
resistance of the tower to
ground, each ground point
must be measured
individually and the laws
of parallel-connected
resistance applied.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Stakeless earth ground

resistance tests can be
performed without
removing the ground from
the power supply.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Ground resistance
measurements are taken
on conductors, grounding
electrodes, and
connections that include
multiple grounds, such as
service entrances,
transformers, utility
grounds, transmission
tower grounds, and
communication ground
systems.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 3

Grounding
Problems and
Solutions
Troubleshooting • Soil Resistance Problems •
Grounding Electrode Installation Problems •
Operational Problems
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

When buildings, towers,

and structures are built on
poor conductive soil, such
as bare stone or rocky
areas, grounding
electrodes can be
encased in low-
resistance, noncorrosive
concrete to reduce the
resistance between the
grounding system and the
earth.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

A grounding rod electrode

with a minimum diameter
of 5/8″ and length of 8′ is
placed into noncorrosive
soil with the top of the
electrode at or below
ground level. There must
be at least 8′ of the
electrode in contact with
the soil.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

If one electrode exceeds

the 25  limit of
resistance to ground,
additional electrodes can
be added to the system to
lower the total resistance.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The neutral to ground

connection is made by
connecting the neutral bus
to the ground bus with an
MBJ and to a grounding
electrode.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

A ground loop is a circuit

that has more than one
grounding point
connected to earth
ground, with a voltage
potential difference
between the grounding
points high enough to
produce a circulating
current in the grounding
system.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Ground-fault current can

be tested with test
instruments such as
ammeters and ground
resistance/current meters.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Electrical current flows to

a difference potential
between two points.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 4

System Troubleshooting and

Preventive Maintenance
Loose Connections • Improper Ground Connections •
Multiple Neutral-to-Ground Connections • High
Ground Current–Insulation Breakdown • Measuring
Ground System Current
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Loose connection
problems within a
grounding system can be
located and measured
with clamp-on ground
testers and thermal
imagers.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

The grounding electrode

is connected at the
service equipment and at
an SDS.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

A voltmeter or similar test

instrument is used to
verify that the SDS output
is grounded as required.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

With multiple neutral-to-

ground connections, all
grounding points must be
connected back to the
main earth ground
electrode.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Electrical test instruments

are used to test variables
in electrical systems,
loads, insulation, and
grounds.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

A set of wireless meters,

such as wireless Digital
Multi Meters and Clamp
Meters, can be used to
measure and monitor
multiple readings from
one central location.
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 36

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

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Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 38

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 39

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 40

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 41

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 42

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 43

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Module 1: Grounding Methods and Requirements 44

Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Ketetapan SPLN 26:1980 mengenai besar tahanan

pentanahan sebagai berikut :
• Tahanan rendah 12 ohm dan arus gangguan tanah maksimum
1000 ampere dipakai pada jaringan kabel tanah

• Tahanan rendah 40 ohm dan arus gangguan maksimum 300

ampere dipakai pada jaringan saluran udara dan campuran
saluran udara dengan kabel tanah

• Tahanan tinggi 500 ohm dan arus gangguan maksimum 25

ampere dipakai pada saluran udara
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Nilai pentanahan makin kecil makin baik. Untuk

perlindungan personil dan peralatan perlu diusahakan
tahanan pentanahan lebih kecil dari 1 Ohm.
Untuk memahami mengapa tahanan pentanahan
harus rendah, dapat digunakan hukum Ohm yaitu:

E = I x R volt
dimana :
E = tegangan (volt)
I = Arus (ampere)
R = Tahanan (ohm)
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Pengaruh Tahanan Pentanahan yang Besar

Terhadap Sistem Tenaga Listrik

1. Makin besar tahanan pentanahan, tegangan sentuh makin

besar
2. Makin besar tahanan pentanahan pada tiang transmisi,
makin besar tegangan puncak tiang
3. Makin besar tahanan pentanahan pada tiang tranmisi,
makin banyak jumlah Isolator yang harus dipasang
(jumlah isolator makin panjang).
4. Tahanan pentanahan mempengaruhi penampilan saluran
(line Performance).
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

Pengaruh Tahanan Pentanahan Yang Kecil Pada

Sistem Tenaga Listrik

1. Mengurangi tegangan pada puncak tiang

2. Mengurangi tegangan pada kawat penghantar
3. Mengurangi tegangan pada isolator
4. Mengurangi gangguan sampai beberapa gawang
5. Mengurangi waktu berlangsungnya tegangan
merusak (Break Down voltage).
Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

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Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

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Principles of
Earth Grounding Resistance

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