Electrical Installation

CHAPTER 3

Grounding System and Testing Electrical Installation

What is Earthing /Grounding?

Earthing means connection of the neutral point of a supply system or the noncurrent
carrying parts of electrical apparatus such as metallic frame work, metallic covering of
cables, metal covers of switches, metal casing of portable apparatus, frame of every
generator and motor etc. to the general mass of earth in such a manner that at all times an
immediate discharge of electrical energy takes place without danger.

SYSTEM AND CIRCUITS EARTHING

Direct Current Systems
1. A two -wire direct-current system supplying interior wiring and operating at not more
than 300.0V or not less than 50.0V between conductors shall be earthed, unless such
system is used for supplying industrial equipment in limited areas and the circuit is
equipped with an earth detector.

2. The neutral conductor of all 3-wire direct-current systems supplying interior wiring
shall be earthed.

Alternating Current Systems

1. Alternating-current systems shall be earthed if:

a. by so doing, their maximum voltage-to-earth does not exceed 230 V; or

b. The system incorporates a neutral conductor.

2. Wiring systems supplied by an unearthed supply shall be equipped with a suitable earth
detection device to indicate the presence of an earth fault.

3. Circuits of less than 50.0V shall be earthed under any of the following conditions:

a. Where supplied by transformers that are energized from:

i. systems of more than 230.0 V-to-earth; or

ii. Unearthed system.

b. Where installed as overhead outside of buildings.

4. Where primary windings of current and voltage instrument transformers are connected
to circuits of 230.0V-or-more-to-earth, the secondary circuits of the transformer shall
be earthed.

5. Where the transformers are on switchboards, the secondary circuits shall be earthed
irrespective of the voltage of the circuits.
By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 1
 Electrical Installation
Earth Electrodes Resistance

If we were to place an electrode in the earth and then measure the resistance between the
electrode and points at increasing larger distance from it, we would notice that the resistance
increased with distance until a point was reached (usually around 2.5m) beyond which no
increase in resistance was seen.

The value of this electrode resistance will depend on the length and cross sectional area of
the electrode and the type of the soil.

Earth-fault-loop path

Fig. 2 shows the path taken by an earth-fault current. This system has a direct connection of
the supply transformer to earth and a direct connection of the installation metalwork to
earth.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 2

 Electrical Installation

Fig. 2 The path taken by an earth-fault current

Earth-fault-loop path

The total sum impedance of the individual parts of the path is known as the loop
impedance, Zs. This is made up of: Ze which is the impedance external to the consumer’s
intake terminals and include the supply transformer secondary winding, the phase conductor
and the metallic return path (general mass of earth) back to the supply transformer earthing
arrangement.

The value of Ze depends on the type of supply system.

R1. Which is the resistance of the phase conductor from the supply intake position to the
final circuit load. R2. Which is the resistance of the circuit protective conductor (CPC).

The total earth-loop impedance is thus: Zs = Ze + (R1 + R2) Ohms and

If = Vs / ZS

Where If is the fault current and VS is the nominal voltage to earth (usually 220 V).

The loop impedance Ze external to the installation may be measured in existing installations
using a phase-to-earth loop impedance tester. However, when a building is only at the
drawing board stage, we have three methods available to assess the value of Ze:

i. determine it from details (if available) of the supply transformer, the main distribution
cable and the proposed service cable: or
ii. measure it from the supply intake position of an adjacent building having service cable
of similar size and length to that proposed; or
iii. use maximum likely values issued by the supply authority. Having established ZS, the
resistance of the phase conductor (R1) plus the resistance of the CPC (R2), i.e.
R1+R2 calculated for the type of conductor used (normally copper or aluminum).
By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 3
 Electrical Installation
Earth-leakage protection may be afforded by means of fuses or excess-current circuit
breakers provided that the earth fault current available to operate the protective device and
to make the faulty circuit dead exceeds;

(I) 3 times the current rating of any semi-enclosed fuse or cartridge fuse used to protect the
circuit or

(II) 1.5 times the tripping current of any excess current circuit breaker used to protect the
circuit.

EARTHING SYSTEMS

These have been designated in the IEE Regulations using the letters: T, N, C and S.

These letters stand for:

T - Terre (French for earth) and meaning a direct connection to earth.

N - Neutral

C - Combined

S - Separate.

When these letters are grouped, they form the classification of a type of system.

The first letter denotes how the supply source is earthed.

The second denotes how the metalwork of an installation is earthed.

The third and fourth indicate the functions of neutral and protective conductors.

TT SYSTEM

A TT system has a direct connection to the supply source to earth and a direct connection of
the installation metalwork to earth.

An example is an overhead line supply with earth electrodes, and the mass of earth as a
return path as shown below. Note that only single-phase systems have been shown for
simplicity.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 4

 Electrical Installation

TN-S SYSTEM

A TN-S system has the supply source directly connected to earth, the installation metalwork
connected to the neutral of the supply source via the lead sheath of the supply cable, and the
neutral and protective conductors throughout the whole system performing separate
functions.

The resistance around the loop P-B-N-E should be no more than 0.8 ohms.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 5

 Electrical Installation

TN-C-S SYSTEM

A TN-C-S system is as the TN-S but the supply cable sheath is also the neutral, i.e. it forms
a combined earth/neutral conductor known as a PEN (protective earthed neutral) conductor.
The installation earth and neutral are separate conductors.

This system is also known as PME (protective multiple earthing). The resistance around the
P-B-N-N loop should be less than 0.35 ohms.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 6

 Electrical Installation
SUMMARY OF EARTHING SYSTEMS

The TT method is used mostly in country areas with overhead transmission lines.

In contrast to the TN-S system there is no metallic path from the consumer's terminals back
to the sub-station transformer secondary windings. Because the earth path may be of high
resistance, a residual current circuit-breaker (R.C.C.B.) is often fitted so that if a fault
current flows in the earth path then a trip disconnects the phase supply.

For protection against indirect contact in domestic premises, every socket outlet requires an
RCCB with a maximum rated current of 30mA.

The TN-S system of wiring uses te incoming cable sheath as the earth return path and the
phase and neutral have separate conductors.

The neutral is then connected to earth back at the transformer sub-station.

Remember in TN-S, the T stands for earth (terre), N for neutral and S denotes that the
protective (earth) and neutral conductors are separate.

The TN-C-S system has only two conductors in the incoming cable, one phase and the other
neutral.

The earth is linked to the neutral at the consumer unit. The neutral therefore is really a
combined earth/neutral conductor hence the name PME.

In order to avoid the risk of serious electric shock, it is important to provide a path for earth
leakage currents to operate the circuit protection, and to endeavor to maintain all metalwork
at the same potential. This is achieved by bonding together all metalwork of electrical and
non-electrical systems to earth.

The path for leakage currents would then be via the earth itself in TT systems or by a
metallic return path in TN-S or TN-C-S systems.

NOTES

Older houses in towns use TNS (solid) i.e. separate earth say cable sheath.

Around Towns new houses use (PME) TNCS i.e. neutral and earth shared.

Single House in country with own transformer uses TT i.e. own buried earth electrode.
Petrol stations, Swimming pools, changing rooms etc. are not allowed to be PME.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 7

 Electrical Installation
Testing of Installation

The tests to be performed before a new installation or an addition to an existing installation

is connected to the supply mains are as follows:

1. Insulation Resistance

2. Testing of polarity of non-linked single pole switches.

3. Testing of earth continuity path.

4. Testing of earth-electrode resistance.

1. Insulation Resistance

The aim of this test is to know whether the wires or cables used in the wiring are sufficiently
insulated to avoid leakage current. Test is performed by a DC source not less than twice of
working voltage but not exceeding 500 V.

A 500 V tester, known as ‘Megger’is used for this purpose.

Since installation circuits are wired in parallel, one can see that for a very large Installations
an insulation resistance test at the intake position may show a low value, which isn’t
actually due to bad insulation. In order to overcome this problem, EELPA regulation
permits such installation to be broken down into smaller units of not less than 50 outlets.

Testing of Insulation Resistance between the Wiring and the Earth.

The resistance offered to leakage from conductors to earth is known as insulation resistance
test between the wiring and earth. Before making an insulation test ensure that:

a. Supply is isolated, i.e. the main switch, breaker or fuse is in OFF position.

b. All protective devices are in place.

c. All the switches are in ON position.

d. All the lamps are in their positions or the holders are short-circuited.

e. Link all the poles of the supply together i.e. line and neutral terminals are shorted on
the installation side.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 8

 Electrical Installation

Fig. 1. Insulation Resistance to Earth

The line terminal of the megger (marked as L) is connected to the point where the
conductors have been shorted at the main switch and the E terminal is connected to the
earth.

Now the handle of the tester is turned so that it begins to slip and the reading on the dial
gives the insulation resistance between the wiring and earth.

The insulation resistance to earth measured should not be less than 1 Mega ohm.

Testing of Insulation Resistance between Conductors

The objective of this test is to ensure that the insulation is sound between the conductors so
that there may not be an appreciable leakage between them.

In this test the circuit diagram remains the same as in Fig.1 except that all the lamps and all
metallic connections between the two wires of the installation are removed from the holders.

Fig. 2 Between Poles Test.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 9
 Electrical Installation
With the supply isolated, all protective devices in place, and all single pole switches in ‘ON’
position; the terminals of the megger are connected between poles (i.e. R to S, R to T, S to
T, and each pole in turn to N). The reading should not be less than 1 Mega ohm.

Testing of polarity of Single Pole Switches

EELPA’s regulation states that “A verification of polarity shall be made and it shall be
ensured that all fuses and all single pole control devices are connected in the live conductor
only, that the outer contacts of center-contact bayonet and Edison-type lamp holders are
connected to the neutral or earthed conductor, and that wiring has been correctly connected
to plugs and socket outlets”. A convenient and quicker method of performing this test is by
means of a small neon tube tester.

Fig. 3

An alternative method is by means of a test lamp. In this method one end of the test lamp is
connected to earth and the other end is tapped to each contact of the switch in turn. If the
test lamp is in the live wire i.e. gives light, otherwise the installation is wrong (see fig 3)

Testing of Earth Continuity Path

For safely all metal pieces or covering such as conduits, metal covers of switches, metal
casing of portable apparatus, frame of every generator and motor, etc, must be solidly
connected to earth otherwise on the damage of insulation, the leakage current will start
giving severe shock to the person touching it.

In case of conduit wiring there is a possibility of the conduit joints to become loose to be
separated resulting in high resistance in the earth path.

The test shall be made when the normal supply is disconnected from the final sub-circuit
under test.

One end of the earth-continuity conductor shall be connected to a cable of known resistance.

An AC voltage not exceeding 40 V at approximately the frequency of supply shall then be

applied between the other end of the earth conductor and the other end of the cable.
By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 10
 Electrical Installation
Subject to the requirement for the total earth loop impedance, it is satisfactory if, after
allowance has been made for the return conductor, value not exceeding 0.5 ohm for the ratio
voltage/current is obtained where steel conduit or pipe form part or whole of the earth-
continuity conductor, or a value of 1 ohm where the earth-continuity conductor is composed
entirely of copper, copper alloy or aluminum.

By Mathewos Hadero (MSc) pg. 11