EARTHING

To save human life from danger of

electrical shock or death

To protect buildings, machinery &
appliances under fault conditions.
To ensure that all exposed conductive
parts do not reach a dangerous potential.
To provide safe path to dissipate lightning
and short circuit currents.
To maintain the line voltage constant to
prevent over current or excessive voltage on
the appliances or equipment .

Earth Resistance Value

Major power station= 0.5 Ohm.

Major Sub-stations= 1.0 Ohm
Minor Sub-station = 2 Ohm
Neutral Bushing. =2 Ohm
Service connection = 4 Ohm
Medium Voltage Network =2 Ohm
L.T.Lightening Arrestor= 4 Ohm
L.T.Pole= 5 Ohm
H.T.Pole =10 Ohm
Tower =20-30 Ohm

Nos. of Earthing

Single phase 1 HP motor 01 earth

Socket/geyser/heater/fan/1phase appliance

01 earth
Three phase
motor/generator/transformer/gadgets 02
earth
Metallic support of O/H line after every 03
poles 02 earth
Stay wire for overhead line -01 earth
Neutral and frame earthing-separately

While doing Earthing

Distance from the equipment not more

than 1.5 meter

Cross section of earth continuity conductornot less than 14 SWG copper wire
Cross section of earth wire-not less than
half of the main wire
Voltage between Earth Pit conductors to
Neutral of Mains Supply 220V AC 50 Hz it
should be less than 2.0 Volts.

Factors Affecting Earth Resistance

Soil resistivity
Soil condition
Moisture
Dissolved salts
Climate conditions
Physical composition
Location of earth pit
Effect of grain size
Effect of current magnitude
Area available

Type Of Earthing

Plate earthing :where digging is easy

Pipe earthing :very common, used for

domestic, small substations

Strip earthing :where earth bed have
rocky soil
Rod earthing: done is sandy area/small
lamp post

Pipe Earthing

GI pipe [C-class] of 75

mm diameter
10 feet long welded
with welded flat having
4 numbers of holes for
connections
Earth pits are generally
filled with alternate
layer of charcoal & salt
or earth reactivation
compound.

Strip Earthing

Strip earthing :where

earth bed have rocky soil

Copper strip size 5 SWG
or 25mmX1.6mm is
buried in horizontal
trenches
Earth resistance remains
high i.e. 5 ohm

Plate Earthing

Cast iron plate of size 600 mm

x600 mm x12 mm. OR

Galvanized iron plate of size
600 mm x600 mm x6 mm.
OR
Copper plate of size 600 mm *
600 mm * 3.15 mm
Plate burred at the depth of 8
feet in the vertical position
and GI strip of size 50 mmx6
mm bolted with the plate is
brought up to the ground
level.
Earth pit are generally filled
with alternate layer of
charcoal & salt up to 4 feet
from the bottom of the pit.

Insulation Resistance and Megger

Earth resistance test

Three

point

method
The
distance of
Current
Spike
from
Earth
Electrode D = 60
ft, Then, distance
of Potential Spike
would be 62 % of
D = 0.62D i.e.
0.62 x 60 ft = 37
ft.

Difference between Insulation Resistance and Earth resistance

Insulation

Resistance :measured
between earth and conductor, value in
tens/thousand/mega ohm, in built DC
generator
Earth resistance: measured for a
earthed body or neutral point by earth
resistance tester, value less than 10 ohm

Specification Of Earthing as per ISI

Sr. Capacity

Size of earth wire

Size Of Earth Electrode

Cu

GI

Cu

GI

01- 10 HP

8 SWG

8 SWG

60cmX60cmX3.18mm

60cmX60cmX6.35mm

10 15 HP

8 SWG

6 SWG

60cmX60cmX3.18mm

60cmX60cmX6.35mm

15 30 HP

6 SWG

4SWG

60cmX60cmX3.18mm

90cmX90cmX6.35mm

30 50 HP

4SWG

25mmX3 mm

90cmX90cmX6.35mm

90cmX90cmX6.35mm

Method used to reduce earth resistance

Soldering/welding nuts and bolts

By pouring water
Increase in plate area
By pouring salt and charcoal ,ratio 1:5
Depth of plate
Installation of parallel electrode

Preventive Maintenance Of Earthing System

Check half yearly in dry season

Check for earth pit no
Repair of damage/broken pit cover
Tighten the earth connections
Replace broken earth leads
Corroded part change immediately
Pass earth conductor through GI pipe
Mandatory : bi-yearly and recorded

Typical Earthing In House Wiring

THANK YOU