Earthing SUnit- V Earthing System
Concept of Earthing System:
All the people living or working in residential, commercial and industrial installations,
particularly the operators and personnel who are in close operation and contact with electrical
systems and machineries, should essentially be protected against possible electrification. To
achieve this protection, earthing system of an installation is defined, designed and installed
according to the standard requirements.
Definition of Earthing:
Earthing is the process of connecting the non-current carrying parts of electrical equipment to
the general mass of earth, through a conductor of very low resistance, to ensure safety of persons
and protection of equipment against electric shocks and fault currents.
State the need of earthing.
Need of Earthing:
1. Toprovide an alternative path for the leakage current to flow towards earth.
2. To save human life from danger of electrical shock due to leakage current.
3. To protect high rise buildings structure against lightening stroke.
4. To provide safe path to dissipate lightning and short circuit currents.
5. To provide stable platform for operation of sensitive electronic equipment’s.
Types of earthing systems OR Installation of earthing systems.
The types of earthing systems most commonly used in electrical installations:
1. Rod Earthing
Description: A solid or hollow GI (Galvanized Iron) or copper rod is driven vertically
into the ground.
Depth: 2–3 meters (or more depending on soil condition).
Applications: Domestic and commercial electrical installations.
Advantages: Simple, economical, requires less space.
Disadvantages: Resistance may be high in rocky or sandy soil.
2. Pipe Earthing
Description: A perforated GI pipe (usually 2–3 meters long, 38–75 mm diameter) is
buried vertically in a permanently moist soil pit. Charcoal and salt are placed around it to
retain moisture.
Applications: Residential houses, industries, substations.
Advantages: Most widely used, long-lasting, good conductivity.
Disadvantages: Requires water pouring at intervals to maintain low resistance.
3. Plate Earthing
Description: A copper or GI plate (600 mm × 600 mm × 3–6 mm thick) is buried
vertically at a depth of 3–4 meters in the ground. Surrounded by layers of charcoal and
salt for better conductivity.
Applications: Industrial installations, substations, and places requiring large fault current
dissipation.
Advantages: Provides large contact area with soil → better current dissipation.
Disadvantages: Costly compared to pipe earthing, requires deep excavation.
4. Chemical Earthing (Maintenance-Free Earthing)
Description: Instead of charcoal and salt, a chemical compound (bentonite clay, graphite,
or other conductive backfills) is used around the electrode to retain moisture and reduce
resistance. Uses copper-bonded steel rods or GI electrodes.
Applications: Sensitive equipment, data centers, industries, telecom towers.
Advantages: Stable resistance, long life (up to 15–20 years), no need for regular
watering.
Disadvantages: Higher initial cost compared to conventional methods.
Draw diagram of Plate earthing
Draw diagram of pipe earthing
Earth Tester for earth resistance measurement: Introduction
Definition: The resistance tester is used to measure the resistance of the earth is called
Earth Resistance Tester.
The pressure and current coils have two-two terminals each. These pairs are placed across a
permanent magnet. One synchronized pair of current and pressure coils are short-circuited, and
connected to the ancillary electrodes.
The other pressure coil is connected to the rectifier at one end and an earthing electrode at
another end. The current coil is too connected in a similar manner.
The potential coil is undeviatingly united to the DC generator. The potential coil is placed amidst
the permanent magnet. This coil is connected to the pointer and the pointer is calibrated to the
scale. This resistance pointer indicates the measurement of the earth’s resistance.
Note: The deflection of the pointer depends on the quotient of the voltage of the pressure coil to
the current of the current coil.
The short-circuit passes the current to the soil. And hence the resistance is measured using
Ohm’s Law which states,
V=IR;
Where V=voltage, I=current, and R=resistance.
Earth resistance values for various installations as per IEEE standards
Acceptable Values of Earth Resistance:
Power stations & substations: < 1 Ω
Industrial & large installations: < 2 Ω
Residential/commercial buildings: < 5 Ω
General safe limit (as per IS): < 10 Ω
Adverse effects of improper earthing system, methods to reduce the
earth resistance:
If earthing is not done properly or has high resistance, it can cause:
1. Electric Shock Hazard – Fault current may not find a safe path to ground → risk of
severe shock to people.
2. Fire Hazard – Leakage or fault current may heat conductors → possibility of fire.
3. Equipment Damage – Sensitive devices (computers, PLCs, relays, electronics) can fail
due to surges or leakage currents.
4. Malfunction of Protection Devices – Circuit breakers, RCCBs, fuses may not trip
properly if earth resistance is high.
5. Overvoltage Issues – Lightning or switching surges may damage insulation and
equipment.
6. Voltage Fluctuations / Noise – Poor earthing leads to unstable reference voltage,
affecting communication and control systems.
7. Corrosion of Metal Parts – Stray currents may cause electrochemical corrosion in
pipelines, cables, and structures.
Methods to Reduce Earth Resistance
To achieve a low and stable resistance:
1. Increase Contact Area with Soil
Use larger size electrodes (plates/pipes/rods).
Bury electrodes deeper to reach moist soil layers.
2. Improve Soil Conductivity
Surround the electrode with charcoal and salt (traditional method).
Use chemical backfill compounds (bentonite clay, graphite, etc.) for long-term
conductivity.
3. Keep Soil Moist
Provide a watering arrangement (pipe with funnel) to keep soil around the electrode
damp (not needed for chemical earthing).
4. Use Multiple Electrodes
Interconnect two or more earthing electrodes in parallel → reduces overall resistance.
5. Choose Suitable Location
Avoid rocky/sandy/dry areas.
Prefer locations with naturally moist soil.
6. Regular Maintenance
Periodically check earth resistance using Earth Tester.
Refill charcoal/salt or chemicals if needed.