Difference between Neutral

& Earth

by Ishmeet Singh
T0 Prof.Kuldeep Singh
EE 3rd Year
ECE Dept.
18001002022
 Contents
1. What is Neutral?
2. Why we Need Neutral?
3. Where it comes From?
4. Importance of Neutral
5. Earthing
6. How Earthing is done?
7. Types of Earthing
8. Components of Earthing
9. Circuit With/Without Earthing.
10.Specification Of Earthing
11. Comparing Neutral and Earthing
 What is Neutral?

• Neutral is a circuit conductor that normally

completes the circuit back to the source.It act as
return path of the current
 Why we need Neutral ?

• Neutral wire carry currents back to power

source to better control and regulate voltage.
Without neutral the circuit is incomplete and
there is no flow of current. Its overall purpose is
to serve as a path to return energy.
 Where neutral comes from?

• Neutral wire comes from the star point. The

distribution transformer installed nearby your
house/colony has three phase winding, which is
connected in star manner at the secondary side.
The neutral is tapped from that common point
(star point).
 Importance of neutral

• It completes the circuit by returning current back

to source.
• In case of unbalanced load current flow from
neutral wire at the star point of the load to the
supply star point.
• It also protect transmission lines during lightning
by discharging it into ground.
 EARTHING

• Earthing or grounding is the process of

transferring the immediate discharge of
electricity directly to the earth plate, by
means of low resistance electrical cables or
wires. Usually green insulation wire is used as
earthing wire.
 HOW EARTHING IS DONE ?
• 2-3 m hole is dug into the ground .A thick copper plate is
placed in it and is joint with the copper wire A mixture of
charcoal and salt is poured in it . A pipe is also inserted
into the hole for adding water to maintain moisture
content. Then soil is poured and surface is leveled and
earth wire is taken to the service board for further
connections.
 TYPES OF EARTHING

• The electrical equipment mainly consists of two

non-current carrying parts. These parts are
neutral of the system or frame of the electrical
equipment. From the earthing of these two non-
current carrying parts of the electrical system
earthing can be classified into two types.
• Neutral Earthing
• Equipment Earthing.
 NEUTRAL EARTHING

• In neutral earthing, the neutral of the system is

directly connected to earth by the help of the GI
wire. The neutral earthing is also called the
system earthing. Such type of earthing is mostly
provided to the system which has star winding.
For example, the neutral earthing is provided in
the generator, transformer, motor etc.
 SYSTEM EARTHING

• Such type of earthing is provided to the electrical

equipment. The non-current carrying part of the
equipment like their metallic frame is connected
to the earth by the help of the conducting wire. If
any fault occurs in the apparatus, the short-
circuit current to pass the earth by the help of
wire. Thus, protect the system from damage.
 Types of Earthing based on source
T = Earth (from the French word Terre)
N = Neutral
Separate
C = Combined
I = Isolated

•TN-S System
•A system having separate neutral and protective conductors throughout the system.
TT mode
A system having one point of the source of energy
directly earthed, the exposed conductive parts of the
installation being connected to earth
electrodes electrically independent of the earth
electrodes of the source.
•  TNC-S System
• A system in which neutral and protective
functions are combined in a single conductor in
part of the system.
• IT System
A system having no direct connection between
live parts and Earth, the exposed conductive
parts of the electrical installation are being
earthed.
 Components of Earthing

• The main components used in earthing

system are earthing cable, earthing joints,
earth plate.
• Earth cable-conductor used in plugs ,sockets,
distribution boxes.
• Earthing joints-It is the conductor which connects
ground electrode to ground continuity conductor
• Earthing plate-The part which is buried inside the
earth.Eg Rod, Plate etc.
WHAT IF THERE IS NO EARTHING?
In case of any insulation failure or live wire comes
in contact with body of equipment the person
operating the equipment will get electric shock.
 WITH EARTHING
When the appliance is earthed in case of any faulty,
current passes through the earth wire and the
person operating the appliance will not get shock as
earth is least resistance path than the person body
 Specifications of Earthing

• The arrangement of earthing electrode should

be 1.5m away from the installation system is
earthed
• Electrode and earth wire should be of same
material.
• The connection should be tightly done using
same material as of earth wire.
 Application of Earthing

•  It is used to protect you from an electric shock.

It does this by providing a path (a protective
conductor) for a fault current to flow to earth.
• It protects premises against lightning and earth
faults.
• It keeps all metallic enclosure and conductive
parts at equipotential.
 NEUTRAL VS EARTH
NEUTRAL
• Neutral wire carries the
circuit back to the original
power source also
serving as a zero-voltage
reference point
EARTH
• It is the least resistance
path, for giving safety
against residual
currents.
 Neutral
• A neutral wire is always
charged with current as it
has to carry the current
back to the source.
Without neutral wire
circuit is incomplete.
• The only live conductor
will not activate the
circuit, because the
current cannot circulate
and hence no voltage
difference will be applied.
Earth
• In a normal situation, it
doesn’t carry any current.
But will have current in
case of insulation failure
or fault.
• When there is current in
earth wire it can either
discharge the current or
break the circuit using
circuit breaker.
 Neutral
• It can be turned into the
earth wire as it is always
connected to ground at
supply stations but care
must be taken that it is at
low potential.
• It comes from the neutral
line from the point of
source to the load.
Earth
• It cannot be turned into the
neutral wire.
• It has to be always at 0V if
it is made neutral person
may get electric shock as
neutral act as return path
of current and ground wire
is connected to metal
bodies of equipments.
• It can come from the
neutral line as well as may
be separately executed
• connection.
 Neutral Earth
The neutral wire in single • Earth wire has to carry
phase carry rated current faulty current so it is
of appliance so both the larger or at least of size
conductor phase and of neutral.
neutral are of same size. • Whether it is single phase
In three phase system the or three phase size of
size of neutral is half of earth wire should be such
phase wire as it has to that it can discharge
carry current during current into the earth
imbalance in line voltage.
THANK
YOU