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EARTHING.

Earthing and it’s types.

It is very important to earth the line and electrical equipment. It will be
electrically unsafe without earthing. The pole/ body of equipment connected solidly to
earth is called earthing.

1) For Electrical supports and equipments.

It case of short circuit or leakage, current will pass with minimum resistance to
earth so that maximum current will flow through effected circuit so that fuse will blow or
circuit breaker to trip. This will isolate the faulty line or equipment from live circuit.

2) Transformer neutral earthing.

a. The leakage or unbalanced current will have path with minimum
resistance.
b. Sensitive protecting equipment works properly. (Earth Fault Relay.)
c. It prevents the lines being charged to excessive high voltage due to
lightening or switching surges.
d. By connecting resistance in the neutral earthing, fault current is
controlled.
e. It helps for keeping neutral voltage always zero.

3) For Lightening Arrestor: -

The lightening arrestor earthing discharges the lightening charge with very
low resistance, which prevents possible damages. For this, very low earth resistance is
necessary. This quality can be achieved by piercing earth electrode deep in the ground up
to wet soil. Earth resistance depends on-
1) Types of soil, (2) Temperature of soil, (3) Wetness of soil, (4) Minerals in soil,
(5) Size of Electrode, (6) Cross section of electrode, (7) Deepness of electrode in
ground, (8) Distance between two electrodes.
Earth tester measures Earth resistance and its unit is ohm.

LINE AND POLE EARTHING.

1) Every fifth metallic pole of L.T. line should be earthed.

2) Cross arms, top clip, insulator pins of P.S.C. pole should be earthed along with
the pole.
3) Guarding at Railway crossing, Telephone crossing, Road crossings should be
earthed along with pole on both side. If earth electrode is not available 8 S.W.G. G.I.
wire coil of 25 mm dia and 120 to 150 mm long should be used and placed in a pit at
a distance of 90 cms. from pole at a depth of 150 cms. It is very necessary to earth the
guarding. All the metal fittings of L.T. pole and stay should be earthed and connected
firmly to neutral because neutral is multiple earthed neutral.
4) A separate earth electrode to be used for L.A. earthing and the earth wire
should be through an Alkathine pipe without touching the pole.

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Methods of Earthing.
1)Plate Earthing :
A) In major power stations and major sub-stations 12 mm thick, 1200 m long, 1200 mm
wide Cast Iron plates are used.
B) For minor sub-stations 18 mm broad, 50 x 50 cm. G.I. plates are used. These plates
are dug vertically in the pit. Coal, sand and salt are filled in the pit each of 150 mm layer.
The plate should be dug deep so that soil will be wet from all sides. The plate should be
placed at a distance of 1200 cm. from each other.
2) Pipe Earthing.
A) For Power Stations, and major sub-stations 12 mm thick, 150 mm dia, 300 cms. Long
G.I. pipes are used. A minimum distance of 1200 cm. should be kept between earth
electrodes in major sub-stations and 180 cms in case of minor sub-stations. At least one
electrodes to be used at every corner in sub-stations. Each electrical equipment structure
and the entire metal fitting should be earthed. Three earth electrodes are used for pole-
mounted transformer. The transformer neutral and body should be double earthed. A
minimum 8 S.W.G. G.I. wire should be used for earthing. Separate earthing should be
done for distribution box. 7/10 SWG G.I. wire should be used for tower earthing, and for
S/s. gantries 3mm thick, 50 mm x 50 mm M.S. plate is used. G.I. pipe of 25 mm thick,
1910 mm long is used for H.T. line, and 20 mm thick, 1720 mm long for L.T. lines.

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The purpose of coal and salt is to keep wet the soil permanently. The salt percolates and
coal absorbs water keeping the soil wet. Care should always be taken by watering the
earth pits in summer so that the pit soil will be wet. Coal is made of carbon which is
good conductor minimizing the earth resistant. For sub-station earthing the provisions in
I.S.I. 3043 (1966) Section 1,2 & 3 should be utilized.

Joints: - Rivets are used for joining the earth system, nut bolts or welding also used
depending on the temperature rise of the system.
The joint to earth conductor in switchgear unit or cable sheaths required to be
separated frequently, hence nut bolts are used at joint. In case of steel system they should
inconsistently be by welding. Only the places where earth testing is carried, should be
nut bolted.
All joints should be properly painted. Channel, supporting control boards and
panels are used as earth electrodes (This is possible only when they are connected to earth
system at both ends.)

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EARTH TESTER & EARTH RESISTANCE.

Use of Earth Tester - Earth tester is used for measurement of Earth resistance. If earth
resistance is more, proper treatments to be given.

Working of Earth Tester :- There is hand operated D.C.generator. While feeding current to
spike. D.C.current is converted into A.C. current by the converter and A.C.current received
from spike is again converted in D.C. current by the help of rectifier, while going to
generator.

A.C. current is fed to the spike driven in earth because there should not be electrolytic effect.

Measurement of Earth Resistance (Three point method):-

In this method earth tester terminals C1 & P1 are shorted to each other and connected
to the earth electrode (pipe) under test. Terminals P2 & C2 are connected to the two separate
spikes driven in earth. These two spikes are kept in same line at the distance of 25 meters
and 50 meters due to which there will not be mutual interference in the field of individual
spikes. If we rotate generator handle with specific speed we get directly earth resistance on
scale.

Note :- Spike length in the earth should not be more than 1/20th distance between two spikes.

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Four Point Method :- In this method 4 spikes are driven in earth in same line at the equal
distance. Outer two spikes are connected to C1 & C2 terminals of earth tester. Similarly
inner two spikes are connected to P1 & P2 terminals. Now if we rotate generator handle with
specific speed, we get earth resistance value of that place.
In this method error due to polarisation effect is eliminated and earth tester can be operated
directly on A.C.

Earth Resistance :- (A) -Earth resistance is depended on following factors.

1) Type of earth soil.
2) Temperature of earth.
3) Humidity in earth.
4) Minerals in earth.
5) Length of electrode in the earth.
6) Electrode shape and size.
7) Distance between two electrodes.
8) Number of electrodes.

(B) Maximum earth resistance allowed is as below :-

Major power station 0.5 Ω .
Major Sub-stations 1.0 Ω
Minor Sub-station 2 Ω
Neutral Bushing. 2Ω
Service connection 4 Ω
L.T.Lightening Arrestor 4 Ω L.T.Pole 5Ω
H.T.Pole 10 Ω
Tower 20-30 Ω

If earth resistance is more than above values, following Treatments can be made for
minimizing resistance.
1) Oxidation on joints should be removed and joints be tightened.
2) Sufficient water should be poured in earth electrode.
3) Earth Electrode of bigger size as far as possible be used.
4) Electrodes should be connected in parallel.
5) Earth pit of more depth & width- breadth be made.

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