Electrical Ground Testing Procedure

Four of the most common methods of ground resistance testing used by test technicians are discussed below.

Electrical ground testing procedure. On modern electrical systems rcd s and rcbo s are regularly fitted these devices react to electricity missing from the circuit or installation such as when a person is receiving an electric shock as the electricity passes through his body to the ground earth. Ground testing is used to measure the performance of this circuit and check if it meets requirements. Testing procedures have been also developed. Not just power isolation but also removal of any neutral or other such ground.

Inadequate electrical grounding or wiring on the customer s premises or. Ground continuity testing ground continuity testing is the same concept as ground bond testing. The procedures for earth resistance testing are referenced in ieee standard no. The end user would use a test instrument and probes to first inject a current into the earth between a test electrode and a remote probe measure the voltage drop caused by the soil to a designated point and then use ohm s law to.

Department of agriculture usda rea bulletin 1751f 802. Neta world techtips ground testing in difficult installations by jeffrey r. However there are key differences between these two tests. Similar concept to the ground bond testing.

Beyer wally electrical protetion grounding fundamentals pdf 1994 u s. Standards procedures for testing the electrical ground system. Purpose method a dc low current test to check circuit resistance. Insert 2 ground probes into the ground.

Prior to about 15 years ago the basic methodology for ground testing remained fundamentally unchanged since it was originally devised in the early 20th century. The 3 point test requires complete isolation from the power utility. Download paper c the four potential method wenner method this technique helps overcome some of the problems associated with the requirement for knowing the electrical centre of the earthing systems being tested. The furthest ground probe needs to be at a distance that is 10 times the length of the ground rod.

For instance if the ground rod is 8 feet 2 4 m long the furthest probe should be 80 feet 24 m away. The first is the 3 point or fall of potential method and the second is the induced frequency test or clamp on method. You re simply checking for a continuous path on a ground circuit. An illustration from the us nbs 1918 procedure for electrical ground testing.

Electrical circuits have a separate ground or earth circuit that provides an alternate low impedance path for electricity to safely reach the ground in case of accidental physical contact. In areas where driving ground rods may be impractical the two point method can be used. 2 point dead earth method.