GROUNDING SYSTEMS

Educational Series: Why Test?

Grounding of electrical equipment serves With these types of standards and

several purposes. The first is to protect specifications, the testing of the grounding
personnel and equipment from electrode, water pipe, Ufer system, ground
overvoltages, faults and lightning. ring, ground rods, or ground grid, is one of
Grounding also ensures stability of system the most common tests performed. The
voltages by providing a solid reference to applicable standards used for testing are
earth, and establishes a reference to IEEE 81 and IEEE 81.2 with the Three Point
control electrical noise that might Fall-of Potential procedure being the most
interfere with the proper operation of common. IEEE 81 and the Fall-of-Potential
electronic equipment. method are adequate for systems that are
relatively small and have a required earth
The term grounding has a wide range of resistance of greater than 1 ohm. For large
meaning in the electrical industry. The grids and systems requiring a ground
term is used for three broad areas: (1) to resistance of less than 1 ohm, the IEEE 81.2
establish the grounding electrode system standard should be considered.
(earth reference); Another important aspect of bonding is
(2) to bond metallic parts to form a Future maintenance test results are
compared to previous results and provide establishing a signal reference ground, such
continuous circuit that is at earth as in a computer room with a raised floor. In
potential; and (3) to provide a low valuable information on existing conditions
and future trends. It should be noted that this case, testing should include the testing
impedance equipment grounding of all the components that the raised floor
conductor to conduct adequate current the Mine Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) requires annual testing of mine is comprised of. This includes the frames,
during a fault to ground and allow pedestals and floor tiles.
overcurrent devices to operate. When power system grounding electrodes or
grounding electrode systems. (See Why Equipment Grounding Conductors
discussing testing of grounding, one must
Mines Test Grounding Systems.)
differentiate among these areas so the The equipment grounding conductor is
proper tests and analysis can be Bonding required by the NEC to provide a low
completed. impedance path for ground fault current to
Bonding ensures electrical continuity of all
Grounding Electrode System metallic parts in the circuit, from the service return to the source. This low impedance
or source to the end utilization equipment. ensures adequate current flow to allow
The National Electrical Code (NEC) section overcurrent protection to operate. The
The main purpose is to ensure that these
250-56 establishes a requirement for a equipment ground is normally a current
components remain at the same potential,
single ground rod or ground plate to have carrying conductor that is smaller than the
relative to earth or the ground reference.
an earth resistance of 25 ohms or less. phase wires. The size is not based on
By keeping these metallic parts at this level,
IEEE 142, IEEE Recommended Practice for continuous amperage capacity (ampacity),
the potential for shock hazard is reduced.
Grounding of Industrial and Commercial but on withstand rating or the ability to
Power Systems recommends an earth Testing of bonding is generally performed carry a very large current for a short time,
resistance in the range of 1/2 to 5 ohms. by a simple continuity test using a typically in cycles.
IEEE 80 for substation grounding has multimeter or by measuring the voltage
drop across a resistor that is connected in Testing of equipment grounds is critical
values of 1/2 to 1 ohm for generating plants
series with the bonded equipment. Health in special installations, especially those
and large substations. Manufacturers of
care facilities are the most common location with sensitive electronic equipment.
sensitive electronic equipment and medical
for this testing, as very low stray potentials Testing is performed using a low resistance
diagnostic equipment have specifications of
can be fatal to patients. typeohmmeter to verify each metal
less than 1 and up to 5 ohms.
equipment enclosure with reference to
the main grounding system.

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