Earth leakage clamp applications

Application note

Earth leakage clamp applications

Causes of leakage currents

Since there is no such thing as perfect insulation, if any being or animal is also small, these currents must be limited
conductor is raised to a potential above that of earth some by circuit design to safe values.
current is bound to flow to earth from that conductor. If this is not possible then an RCD (residual current device)
The amount of current that flows is dependant on is fitted for personal protection.

Voltage on the conductor An earth leakage clamp is generally a lightweight pocket size

The capacitive reactance between the conductor and clamp meter designed to measure a.c. earth leakage currents.
earth They enable earth leakage faults to be detected and located
without having to isolate and disconnect circuit wiring.

Resistance between conductor and earth In addition, most of these clamps are capable of performing
a.c. current tests like any normal clamp meter.
Currents that flow to earth are called leakage currents and
are usually very small values. However the amount of The measurement of earth leakage can be conducted on
current that is required to cause distress or harm to a human single or three phase systems.
.
The following applications show positions of conductors in respect to the jaws of the clamp.

Single Phase / Two Wire Circuits

This diagram illustrates the method of leakage The phase and neutral currents should ideally cancel each
measurement utilising the live and neutral. other out, showing zero leakage..

3 Phase circuits

3 phase circuit leakage can be conducted using a similar For 3 wire circuits, clamp all 3 phases. For 4 wire circuits,
test to the single phase application. include the neutral in the jaws.
.
 Earth leakage clamp applications
Application note

Earth Conductors

The diagram above illustrates earth leakage measurement by It should be mentioned that this method will only measure
utilising the earth conductor only. The same principle can the leakage current in the earth conductor, not the total
be used for 3 phase circuits. leakage on the system.

A.C. Current

As previously mentioned some earth leakage clamps can be

used as a standard current clamp meter by simply clamping
the phase in the jaws.

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