what is electrical earthing & why to use

the process in which the instantaneous discharge of the electrical energy takes place by transferring charges directly to the earth through low resistance wire


Types of Earthing

Electrical grounding, also known as earthing, is done in several ways like housing, wiring, electrical device, and more. The different types of electrical earthing systems in India are:

1: Pipe Earthing
Pipe earthing is a common form of earthing in India that uses a steel pipe to connect with the earth’s electrical conductors. The size of the iron pipe depends on the soil moisture and the magnitude of the current. The soil’s moisture will decide the depth for the placement of the steel pipe.

2: Plate Earthing
Plate earthing is where a copper plate is distanced at 3 meters from the earth and vertically placed in the ground pit.

3: Mat Earthing
Mat earthing connects vertical and horizontal electrodes – a horizontal electrode represses the current generated due to a massive fault while the vertical electrode dissipates the current into the earth.

4: Marconite Earthing
Marconite earthing is the safest earthing technology that uses low-resistant copper earth electrodes that are specially manufactured to deliver a premium quality earthing system for solar power plants. It is a dark grey material that is mixed with cement and water to produce safe and secure earthing system.

The techniques of earthing are conventional earthing and maintenance-free earthing. Every electrical installation requires a grounding system that is essential for life safety, offering a quality power supply and preventing any damage caused due to lightning or fault. Earthing transfers the extra voltage to the earth with the help of a wire that reduces overloading chances and saves a lot of money on the electricity bills.

Some factors affect earthing installations like soil condition, dissolved salts, soil resistivity, soil moisture, climatic conditions, earth pit’s location, physical composition, and more. Earthing requires using a non-current device to discharge electricity directly to the ground. Proper installation can save you from shocks and, a low-resistant cable, earth rods, and conductors can work effectively in the electricity transmission process.

Importance Of Earthing

The main motive of earthing is to avoid any electric shock that may occur due to the extra current produced from the ground. Planned insulation can restrict any voltage from the ground. Whenever a metallic element comes in contact with a wire, it starts collecting extra current resulting in severe electric shock. Electrical appliances are grounded to discharge the electricity directly to the ground. Benefits of grounding are – voltage stabilization, safety from overvoltage, and prevention from any severe damage. The essential components used in the earthing system are earth cable, earthing joint, and earth plate.

Many electronic, electrical, and civil engineers handle electrical earthing that prevents damages or some breakdown in any of the electrical instruments, but the safety of these workers also matters. Earthing is the work of skilled technicians and therefore requires proper planning and use of quality devices to execute an electrical earthing project.

Installation of correct electrical earthing techniques will offer protection for life, and on the other hand, if any part of the earthing is left, it may create severe damage later. Earthing requires work with caution.