11/14/2014

Potential equalization of the earth

Potential equalization of the earth

When the potential of the earth of each equipment is greatly different because of lightning etc.
, an electronic equipment might be destroyed by this potential difference. To prevent this, all the
potential of the earth in the building is made the same. This is called the potential equalization of
the earth, and it does by bonding and one point earth (integrated earth), etc. methods.

Method of past, individual earth and the problem

Usual industrial method in earth of telecommunications equipment and equipment in building
so far to ground alone respectivelyIt was usual that the earth resistance was also different
respectively according to each equipment.
For instance, telecommunications equipment is five ohms the lightning rod, 30 ohms the earth
of the switchboard, 50 ohms, has the washing machine like 80 ohms etc. in case of all asunder,
and there are several kinds when it is the same.
In this case, a large current (hundreds of-ampere or several thousand amperes etc.) might flow
under the soil when there is lightning in ,for instance, the lightning rod or another nearby
building, and the potential of each equipment of the earth become asunder high potential. As a
result, various equipment might be destroyed.
If the current of several thousand amperes flows between those when assuming that the
resistance between earths is one ohm as the example, the voltage of several thousand volts is
generated between earths. If resistance is large, it becomes a bigger voltage.

Potential equalization of recent grounding procedure and earth

When the potential of the earth of each equipment is different because of lightning etc. , each
equipment might be destroyed by this potential difference. For instance, the telephone drop of
the phone wire is an arrester for the telecommunications equipment such as the telephones It is
grounded by (arrestor). And, telecommunications equipment is assumed to be done another earth.
Then, a very big potential difference is generated when striking it and the equipment is damaged
between the phone wire, the housing interval, the phone wire, and AC100V.
To prevent this, all the potential of the earth in the building is made the same. This is called a
potential equalization in the building, and it does by bonding and one point earth (integrated
earth), etc. methods.

The potential bonding is like the method.

The potential bonding is the done one because of the stability of the prevention of a fire,
destruction, and the noise and operation as for each telecommunications equipment, an electric
equipment, and the electric installation. The potential bonding connects between earths of each
equipment with a direct conductor or is a method of the connection with the serge protection
device (arrestor and arrester).
The ground each other might be connected with a serge protection device (arrestor and
arrester) because there is a possibility that the occurrence of an unforeseen trouble and an
uncertain noise happens when the earth between different equipment is connected directly with
the conductor.

Method of connecting between earths directly with conductor

Because all earths become parallel as for the potential bonding as the earth of each equipment
connects between the earths directly with the conductor by separately setting it up, the ground
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11/14/2014

Potential equalization of the earth

resistance can be lowered further. In this case, the electric wire used for the bonding should use
the electric wire of the maximum thickness used with the earth system.
When some trouble (problem of the unforeseen trouble and the noise) happens, this method
cannot be used when the earth is connected mutually.

The method in an individual equipment with a thunder measures equipment

(arrestor,etc.).
The serge protection device (arrestor, arrester, surge protector, and SPD:Surge Protective
Device) is individually installed in each telecommunications equipment, an electric equipment,
and the electric installation, and those earths'(earth) methods of defending each equipment from a
fire and destruction together (integrated earth). In this case, common ..the earth.. is most
important. The earth of each equipment is not so effective separately.

Method of connecting between earths with serge protection device etc.

It is a method of connecting each telecommunications equipment, an electric equipment, and
the earth of the electric installation (earth) mutually with the serge protection device (arrestor and
arrester, etc.) of earth balancer. As for the ground resistance, each equipment comes not to
become a potential difference more than the operation voltage of the arrestor so far.
There is no possibility that the occurrence of an unforeseen trouble and an uncertain noise
happens because this method doesn't connect the earth directly mutually.
Author: Dai Ishikawa
I am a Business owner of as76.net, and a Engineer.

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