“MYTHS” and MIS (CONCEPTS) on

EARTHING in ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

By
P.K.Pattanaik
OPTCL-ODISHA

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MYTH: Story that embodies a BELIEF regarding some
FACT or Phenomenon of EXPERIENCE.

MIS(CONCEPTS): Wrong understandings that

retained in mind regarding some or Phenomenon of
EXPERIENCE.

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MIS-CONCEPT: GROUNDING and ERATHING both
are same in ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sl Grounding
1. Connection of Electrical System as
the FOURTH WIRE for 3 Phase
network has predominant role during
fault condition
2. Safety to Electrical System from
abnormal condition of electrical
parameter change
3. End termination for safety of the
equipment.
4 Design depends as per the action of
fault current calculation ,
compromising the use of impedance
on its path for limitation.
Earthing
Connection of Non-electrical
conducting system as STRAIT
PASS during charging condition.
Safety to Working personnel to
avoid the unwanted current flow
through them
End termination for safety of
Human life and Live stocks
Specific design of direct Earth
Lead to the MOTHER EARTH mat
for quick discharge of fault
current.
 MIS-CONCEPT: EARTH is a POOR Conductor
 Earth constituents mainly sand (silicon dioxide) with
other metallic oxides and surface layer of Clay mixed
sands and decayed matters.
 Hence this can be treated as ELECTROLYTIC natured
material.
 Electrically earth could be considered as circuit
containing variable resistance and capacitance.

 The presence of moisture, conducting material changes

the earth resistance.
Behaviour of Earth on Fault current?

 Fault current is of Power frequency type has negligible

charging current, for which Earth behaves as pure
resistance and accordingly current takes its path.

 The other abnormal high frequency (Lightning current)

needs dielectric path and earth accordingly acts to
accommodate.

 The design constituents of earthing system ( metal link,

electrodes, spreading of earth flats for earth mat) play
the role of developing lesser earth impedance
(resistance) and quick flow of fault current.

 This also helps for maintaining of earth potential within

limit of safer handling system.
MIS-CONCEPT: We do not need fault current
to come to our system.

 We should need to have quick action of the fault current

to reach to our system so that we can record it and
cause isolation by protection system.
 In case we do not need to have this or to reach us in
late then due to GPR or neutral shift my equipment may
fail with its insulation..
MIS-CONCEPT: VOLTAGE is MORE dangerous for
HUMAN BODY.

Q:- Which parameters is dangerous and WHY?

----------------. CURRENT
Q. Define OHM’s Law?
Voltage is directly proportional to current,
-----------------.
temperature and physical condition being
constant
 ELECTRIC SHOCK
The effect of electric current passing through vital
organs of the body depends on:-
1. magnitude,
2. duration and (Ib)2 t = SB
3. frequency of current.
The most dangerous consequence is a heart condition
known as ventricular fibrillation, which results in
stoppage of blood circulation.
Electric Shock Data
MIS-CONCEPT: Current (AC) is dangerous than
Current (DC)

Current (AC) has frequency factor and effect of

current on living being depends upon the quality of
current. Frequency of the current plays an important
role for electrocution.
Higher the frequency has less effect.
So Current( DC ) has more effect and dangerous to
the living being.
Effects Of Current on Human Body
MYTH : Soil Earth Resistance of Copper Electrode is
better than Steel Electrode.
Calculation of Resistance for rod / pipe electrode

100 4L
R loge ohms
2L d
where ρ  resistivity of soil in ohmmeter
L  length of rod in cm
d  dia of rod in cm
R  resistance in ohms

The Earth resistance depends upon the resistivity of the soil with its
constituents and dimension of the electrodes used. So the material
that used for the electrode has no role.
MYTH : Very Long rod/ pipe electrode shall reduce the
resistance substantially.

The resistance to earth of a pipe or

rod Electrode diminishes rapidly
within the first few meters of driving
but less so at depths greater than 2 to
3m in soil of uniform resistivity. As can
be seen from the graph, after about
3m depth, there is no appreciable
change in resistance to earth of the
electrode. So the length of electrode is
usually of approximately of 3.3 mtrs
( 10 ft).
MISCONCEPT : Plate electrode is efficient than strip
electrode.

Consider a Plate electrode (1m x 1m x 8 mm) and

Strip electrode (28 mm dia. L= 13 m) with same
volume(0.008m3). Soil with ρ = 100 Ώ-m and electrode buried
at 1 m below ground.

For plate electrode R =  [ / 2A)] / 4 = 31.3 Ώ

For strip electrode R = {[ln(2L/dh)] – 1}/L = 14.3 Ώ

Plate electrode is not efficient than the strip electrode
MISCONCEPT : Using more electrodes result reduction
of Earth resistance.

Statement is not wrong, but the inter-electrode distance plays

the role of equivalent resistance consideration. At least we
should have distance as twice the length of electrode to avoid
overlapping of dissipation zone.
Some utilities take the distance being the single length of
electrode.
Then if proper distance could be maintained, then the value
decreases as shown in the figure.
So simply using more electrodes may not reduce the ER.
MISCONCEPT : Using more electrodes result reduction
of Earth resistance.
MISCONCEPT : Increase of Diameter compared to
length results the decrease of Resistance.

In both the case resistance value decreases, but decrease becomes more
for the case of increase of length as compared to diameter.
Note: For double of Length, Resistance decreases by 40%, but for the
double of the diameter, the resistance decreases by 10 to 12 %.

100 4L
R loge ohms
2L d
where ρ  resistivity of soil in ohmmeter
L  length of rod in cm
d  dia of rod in cm
R  resistance in ohms
MISCONCEPT : Adding More electrodes decreases the
resistance of earth mat substantially.
This perception is not correct in all cases. Adding more numbers of
electrodes may not cause that decrease of ER of the earth mat.
 Using Laurent & Niemann method, Rg is calculated as below
    
Rg     
4r lT 4 A lT
100  100
 
4 81X 41 244
 0.76891884 0.40983606
 1.178

 With 24 nos of 3 mtr long 40 mm dia electrodes are connected

to above mat at suitable places. The Ground resistance is
= 0.76891884 +100/(244+72)
= 0.768918845 + 0.316455696
= 1.085374541
MYTH: Addition of more water in the earth pit shall
reduce the earth resistance value.

The resistance to earth of a

given earth electrode depends
upon the electrical resistivity of
the soil in which it is installed.
Moisture content is one of the
controlling factors that reduces
the earth resistivity and
consequence upon which
resistance also decreases. But
this has the limit as shown in
the curve. It is upto 20%
moisture.
MYTH : Earth Pit filled with sufficient quantity of salt
and charcoal can reduce the Earth Resistance
Reduction of Earth resistance
depends upon the resistivity of soil
due to the mixture of salt or any
conductive materials in dissolved
condition. Charcoal is added to
cause swampy for retention of
moisture. So simply addition in dry
condition has no effect.
It is seen that maximum voltage
remains at the center and drastically
reduces within 150mm. After that it
remains constant. Any amount
addition beyond 150mm has no
effect.
Effect of Salt on Soil resistivity
Salt percentage, by
weight of moisture Resistivity
(moisture in the Ohm-m
soil is 15%)
0 107
0.1 18.0
1.00 4.6
5.00 1.9
10.00 1.30
20.00 1.0
MYTH : Soil with less temperature has less resistance.

In practice temperature plays

the role of resistivity control
of the soil resistance. It is
seen that with of low
temperature, resistivity
becomes more, but value
reduces drastically for the
rise of temperature up to 30
degree centigrade. After that
the change of resistance
remains almost constant.
MISCONCEPT : During 3 point Earth Resistance
measurement , the distance of Potential probe to be chosen
nearer to the Test Electrode.

The principle is simple of the value obtained by application of voltage

and measurement of current. On change of Potential probe the
voltage appearance is recorded and on the condition of flow of
current the resistance is measured. If we take the probe closer, the
value such obtained to be lesser than actual. Similarly for the case
of probe being taken towards current probe then, the value may
come more than expected. So at 60- 65% from the test electrode,
the value becomes flat and this distance is considered as the
correct point.
 PRINCIPAL OF EARTH TESTING

V (a)
Rod 3 Rod 2(c)
Rod 1 (p)
EARTH
Electrode
Being tested

62 feet

50
(b)
40
Principles of an
30 earth resistance test
20
10
62 % line
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Distance (from Rod1 to Rod3), Feet
MISCONCEPT : Sub-Station Gantry Tower Earthing
should be isolated.
Sub-station gantry tower helps to cause easy flow of fault current from the
source, resulting quick action of protection scheme. Incase this point does
not have direct link, then GPR may cause in the system resulting damage
to the system.
MISCONCEPT : Better Earth resistance reduces fault
current

NO, Earth resistance comes in series path of the fault current and if
its value is being chosen low, then fault current shall be more and
cause quicker flow from the source. So the protection scheme
shall actuate for quick time of isolation in the system. conductor.
MISCONCEPT : Earthing of LA, CVT should be of
separate system and not connected to earth mat in the
system.
The inductance of the grounding conductor may
introduce a high impedance to lightening current. As a result, the
potential drop per unit length of grounding conductor may be
high which may cause flashover with adjacent earthed structure /
conductor.

Hence Lightning Arrestor earthing conductor should be short and

direct. It should not be enclosed in metallic conduit.
Exclusive earth electrode should be provided along with
interconnection with earthing grid.

CVT offers relatively low value of impedance to steep fronted

surges. Low impedance earth connection should be provided.
To avoid high transient potential earthing connections.
Each CVT shall be earthed through a independent earth electrode
and it should be connected to earthmat
MISCONCEPT : For 3 and half core cable, the neutral
conductor is half of the cross section of the phase
conductor.
The role of Neutral conductor in this arrangement is to accommodate
un-balance current. So considering the economical design of the
system this size is chosen as half of the cross section of the phase
conductor.
But in present practice use of inverters, electronics gadgets and
other passive devices result with harmonics current and its
unbalance and unwanted flow results through neutral conductor.
The current becomes more and results with heating of the
conductor. So in present practice the concept of double cross
section to be considered or minimum of equal size to that of phase
conductor.
MISCONCEPT : Multi-point CABLE SHEATH Earthing is
better.
For the case of sheath earthing, if the cable length is short preferably
within 1Kms, then both end earthing is done. But for the case of un-equal
earth resistance and due to un-equal current flow, there happens to be the
flow of circulating current and cause reduction of the amprer rating of the
cable. So multi point is not better.
 TAKE AWAY----

be Earthed
by Grounding.

“To create RELATION is as simple as to write SAND with

SAND ON SAND
While to maintain the relation is as difficult as to write
WATER with WATER on WATER

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