Earthing

Have you ever gotten a minor shock when touching certain gadgets that are still in use? These shocks can be harmful at times, posing serious risks. To avoid mishaps, it is generally a good idea to have the building properly earthed. Earthing is the process of sharing electrical charges with the earth. Earthing is a basic method for preventing current leakage and so protecting equipment from electrical damage. Grounding is another safety feature that protects the entire power system from failure and is mostly used to unbalance the load when the electric system is overloaded.

“The procedure of sending charges straight to the ground through low resistance wire to achieve immediate discharge of electrical energy is known as earthing”. To provide the least resistance path for fault current leakage, low resistance earthing cable is used.

Electric current

There was a time when no electronic devices, such as laptops and cellphones, were available; there was even a time when humans did not have a fan to keep them cool or a light in the house to see in the dark, but today, people have all of these at their fingertips, thanks to one invention — “Electricity.” When a potential difference exists at the wire’s ends, electricity is the passage of electric charges. It is fair to say that humans have come to rely on electricity not only for ease of living, but also as a way of life. Everything runs on electricity, from rockets to trains to factories to our home appliances.

Properties of electric current

• The flow of electrons in the circuit causes current.
• In nature, electric current is divided into two types: AC and DC. DC is the direct current that flows in just one direction and is utilized in low-voltage applications, aviation applications, and so on. Alternating current (AC) is a type of current that runs in both directions. AC, on the other hand, is the current that comes into our homes and the appliances that run on it.
• A circuit’s electric current can be controlled by adding resistance to the circuit.
• Amperes are the unit of electric current (A). The flow of 1 coulomb of charge in 1 second is defined as 1 ampere.
• The typical current flow direction is when electric current flows from a higher potential to a lower potential in a circuit (from positive terminal to negative terminal).

Leakage current

The electric current that flows from either an AC or DC circuit in equipment to the chassis or ground, and it can come from either the input or output. The current will flow through other routes, such as the human body, if the equipment is not correctly grounded. This can also occur if the ground is ineffective or is intentionally or unintentionally halted.

Earthing

Earthing can be done by connecting electrical appliances to earthing systems or electrodes located close or below ground level to assure safety. Under the ground level, an electrode or earthing mat with a flat iron riser is inserted. It aids in the connection of the equipment’s non-current-carrying metallic elements.

The fault current from the equipment travels via the earthing system when an overload current is sent through the equipment or when a fault arises in the system due to the current. The earth mat conductors assist in boosting the voltage value equal to the earth mat resistance increased by a ground fault, so protecting the equipment from overload current or fault current.

There will be three sorts of wiring in homes: live, neutral, and earth. The ground is connected to the buried metal plate, and live and neutral convey electric current from the power station. While in use, electric equipment such as refrigerators, iron boxes, and televisions are linked to the earth wire. As a result, these gadgets are safe from a power surge or a malfunctioning power source. Local earthing is done near the house’s electrical meter.

Different ways of earthing

There are three different forms of earthing:

• Pipe Earthing
• Plate Earthing
• Strip Earthing

Pipe earthing is the most effective and cost-effective method of earthing. Pipe earthing uses a 38mm diameter, 2-meter-long pipe that is vertically buried in the ground to act as an earth electrode.

An earthing plate consisting of copper or G.I is buried in the ground at a depth greater than 3 meters below ground level in plate earthing. An alternate layer of coke and salts is inserted in this earthing plate.

In transmission procedures, strip earthing is used. Strip electrodes with a cross section of not less than 25mm X 1.6mm copper or 25 mm X 4mm G.I. or steel are buried in horizontal trenches at a minimum depth of 0.5m.

Conclusion:

Earthing is the safest and most effective means of providing safety. The earth’s potential is zero, and it is classified as Neutral. Balancing is achieved because low-power equipment is connected to the ground through low-resistance wire.

Metal can be used in electrical installations without being tested for conductivity; nevertheless, adequate earthing guarantees that metal does not conduct current.

If suitable earthing safeguards are taken, a sudden surge in voltage or overload does not harm the equipment or the person.

It eliminates the risk of fire that might otherwise result from the current leak.