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SharingAbstracts,NotesonvariousElectricalEngineeringTopics.

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SEPTEMBER7,2012 43COMMENTS(HTTPS://ELECTRICALNOTES.WORDPRESS.COM/2012/09/07/DIFFERENCE
BETWEENBONDINGGROUNDINGANDEARTHING/#COMMENTS)

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OneofthemostmisunderstoodandconfusedconceptisdifferencebetweenBonding,GroundingandEarthing.Bondingismore
clearwordcomparetoGroundingandEarthingbutthereisamicrodifferencebetweenGroundingandEarhing.
EarthingandGroundingareactuallydifferenttermsforexpressingthesameconcept.Groundorearthinamainselectrical
wiringsystemisaconductorthatprovidesalowimpedancepathtotheearthtopreventhazardousvoltagesfromappearingon
equipment.EarthingismorecommonlyusedinBritain,Europeanandmostofthecommonwealthcountriesstandards(IEC,IS),
whileGroundingisthewordusedinNorthAmericanstandards(NEC,IEEE,ANSI,UL).
WeunderstandthatEarthingandGroundingarenecessaryandhaveanideahowtodoitbutwedonthavecrystalclearconcept
forthat.WeneedtounderstandthattherearereallytwoseparatethingswearedoingforsamepurposethatwecallGrounding
orEarthing.
TheEarthingistoreferenceourelectricalsourcetoearth(usuallyviaconnectiontosomekindofroddrivenintotheearthor
someothermetalthathasdirectcontactwiththeearth).
Thegroundedcircuitsofmachinesneedtohaveaneffectivereturnpathfromthemachinestothepowersourceinorderto
functionproperly(HerebyNeutralCircuit).
Inaddition,noncurrentcarryingmetalliccomponentsinaSystem,suchasequipmentcabinets,enclosures,andstructuralsteel,
needtobeelectricallyinterconnectedandearthedproperlysovoltagepotentialcannotexistbetweenthem.However,troubles
canarisewhentermslikebonding,grounding,andearthingareinterchangedorconfusedincertainsituations.
InTNTypePowerDistributionSystem,inUSNEC(andpossiblyother)usage:EquipmentisearthedtopassfaultCurrentandto
triptheprotectivedevicewithoutelectrifyingthedeviceenclosure.Neutralisthecurrentreturnpathforphase.TheseEarthing
conductorandNeutralconductorareconnectedtogetherandearthedatthedistributionpanelandalsoatthestreet,butthe
intentisthatnocurrentflowonearthedground,exceptduringmomentaryfaultconditions.HerewemaysaythatEarthingand
groundingarenearlysamebypractice.
ButIntheTTTypePowerDistributionSystem(InIndia)Neutralisonlyearthed(hereitisactuallycalledGrounding)at
distributionsource(atdistributiontransformer)andFourwires(NeutralandThreePhase)aredistributedtoconsumer.Whileat
consumersideallelectricalequipmentsbodyareconnectedandearthedatconsumerpremises(hereitiscalledEarthing).
ConsumerhasnoanypermissiontomixNeutralwithearthathispremiseshereearthingandgroundingisthedifferentby
practice.
ButinbothabovecaseEarthingandGroundingareusedforthesamePurpose.Letstrytounderstandthisterminologyoneby
one.

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Bondingissimplytheactofjoiningtwoelectricalconductorstogether.Thesemaybetwowires,awireandapipe,orthesemay
betwoEquipments.
Bondinghastobedonebyconnectingofallthemetalpartsthatarenotsupposedtobecarryingcurrentduringnormal
operationstobringingthemtothesameelectricalpotential.
Bondingensuresthatthesetwothingswhicharebondedwillbeatthesameelectricalpotential.Thatmeanswewouldnotget
electricitybuildingupinoneequipmentorbetweentwodifferentequipment.Nocurrentflowcantakeplacebetweentwo
bondedbodiesbecausetheyhavethesamepotential.
Bonding,itself,doesnotprotectanything.However,ifoneofthoseboxesisearthedtherecanbenoelectricalenergybuildup.
Ifthegroundedboxisbondedtotheotherbox,theotherboxisalsoatzeroelectricalpotential.
Itprotectsequipment&Personbyreducingcurrentflowbetweenpiecesofequipmentatdifferentpotentials.
Theprimaryreasonforbondingispersonnelsafety,sosomeonetouchingtwopiecesofequipmentatthesametimedoesnot
receiveashockbybecomingthepathofequalizationiftheyhappentobeatdifferentpotentials.
TheSecondreasonhastodowithwhathappensifPhaseconductormaybetouchedanexternalmetalpart.Thebondinghelpsto

createalowimpedancepathbacktothesource.Thiswillforcealargecurrenttoflow,whichinturnwillcausethebreakerto
trip.Inotherwords,bondingistheretoallowabreakertotripandtherebytoterminateafault.
Bondingtoelectricalearthisusedextensivelytoensurethatallconductors(person,surfaceandproduct)areatthe
sameelectricalpotential.Whenallconductorsareatthesamepotentialnodischargecanoccur.

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Earthingmeansconnectingthedeadpart(itmeansthepartwhichdoesnotcarriescurrentundernormalcondition)totheearth
forexampleelectricalequipmentsframes,enclosures,supportsetc.
Thepurposeofearthingistominimizeriskofreceivinganelectricshockiftouchingmetalpartswhenafaultispresent.
Generallygreenwireisusedforthisasanomenclature.
Underfaultconditionsthenoncurrentcarryingmetalpartsofanelectricalinstallationsuchasframes,enclosures,supports,
fencingetc.mayattainhighpotentialwithrespecttogroundsothatanypersonorstrayanimaltouchingtheseorapproaching
thesewillbesubjectedtopotentialdifferencewhichmayresultintheflowofacurrentthroughthebodyofthepersonorthe
animalofsuchavalueasmayprovefatal.
Toavoidthisnoncurrentcarryingmetalpartsoftheelectricalsystemareconnectedtothegeneralmassofearthbymeansofan
earthingsystemcomprisingofearthconductorstoconductthefaultcurrentssafelytotheground.
Earthinghasbeenaccomplishedthroughbondingofametallicsystemtoearth.Itisnormallyachievedbyinsertinggroundrods
orotherelectrodesdeepinsideearth.
EarthingistoensuresafetyorProtectionofelectricalequipmentandHumanbydischargingtheelectricalenergytotheearth.

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Groundingmeansconnectingthelivepart(itmeansthepartwhichcarriescurrentundernormalcondition)totheearthfor
exampleneutralofpowertransformer.
Groundingisdonefortheprotectionsofpowersystemequipmentandtoprovideaneffectivereturnpathfromthemachineto
thepowersource.Forexamplegroundingofneutralpointofastarconnectedtransformer.
Groundingrefersthecurrentcarryingpartofthesystemsuchasneutral(ofthetransformerorgenerator).
Becauseoflightening,linesurgesorunintentionalcontactwithotherhighvoltagelines,dangerouslyhighvoltagescandevelop
intheelectricaldistributionsystemwires.Groundingprovidesasafe,alternatepatharoundtheelectricalsystemofyourhouse
thusminimizingdamagefromsuchoccurrences.
GenerallyBlackwireisusedforthisasanomenclature.
Allelectrical/electroniccircuits(AC&DC)needareferencepotential(zerovolts)whichiscalledgroundinordertomake
possiblethecurrentflowfromgeneratortoload.GroundisMayorMaynotbeearthed.InElectricalPowerdistributionitis
eitherearthedatdistributionPointoratConsumerendbutitisnotearthedinAutomobile(forinstanceallvehicleselectrical
circuitshavegroundconnectedtothechassisandmetallicbodythatareinsulatedfromearththroughtires).Theremayexista
neutraltogroundvoltageduetovoltagedropinthewiring,thusneutraldoesnotnecessarilyhavetobeatgroundpotential.
Inaproperlybalancedsystem,thephasecurrentsbalanceeachother,sothatthetotalneutralcurrentisalsozero.Forindividual
systems,thisisnotcompletelypossible,butwestrivetocomecloseinaggregate.Thisbalancingallowsmaximumefficiencyof
thedistributiontransformerssecondarywinding

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ThereisnomajordifferencebetweenearthingandGrounding,bothmeansConnectinganelectricalcircuitordevicetothe
Earth.Thisservesvariouspurposesliketodrainawayunwantedcurrents,toprovideareferencevoltageforcircuitsneeding
one,toleadlightningawayfromdelicateequipment.Eventhoughthereisamicrodifferencebetweengrounding&earthing.

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InUSAtermGroundingisusedbutinUKtermEarthingisused.

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Groundisasourceforunwantedcurrentsandalsoasareturnpathformaincurrentsometimes.Whileearthingisdonenotfor
returnpathbutonlyforprotectionofdelicateequipments.Itisanalternatelowresistancepathforcurrent.
Whenwetakeouttheneutralforathreephaseunbalancedconnectionandsendittoground,itiscalledgrounding.Grounding
isdonetobalanceunbalancedload.Whileearthingisusedbetweentheequipmentandearthpitsoastoavoidelectricalshock
andequipmentdamage.

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EarthingistoprotectthecircuitelementswheneverhighvoltageispassedbythundersorbyanyothersourceswhileGrounding
isthecommonpointinthecircuittomaintainthevoltagelevels.
EarthisusedforthesafetyofthehumanbodyinfaultconditionswhileGrounding(Asneutralearth)isusedforthe
protectionofequipments.
EarthingisapreventivemeasurewhileGroundingisjustareturnpath
Thegroundconductorprovidesareturnpathforfaultcurrentwhenaphaseconductoraccidentallycomesincontactwitha
groundedobject.Thisisasafetyfeatureofthewiringsystemandwewouldneverexpecttoseegroundingconductorcurrent
flowduringnormaloperation.
DonotGroundtheNeutralSecondtimeWhenItisgroundedeitheratDistributionTransformeroratMainservicePanelof
Consumerend.
Groundingactasneutral.Butneutralcannotactasground.

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EarthingandGroundingbothisrefertozeropotentialbutthesystemconnectedtozeropotentialisdifferthanEquipment
connectedtozeropotential.Ifaneutralpointofageneratorortransformerisconnectedtozeropotentialthenitisknownas
grounding.Atthesametimeifthebodyofthetransformerorgeneratorisconnectedtozeropotentialthenitisknownas
earthing.
ThetermEarthingmeansthatthecircuitisphysicallyconnectedtothegroundanditisZeroVoltPotentialtotheGround
(Earth)butincaseofGroundingthecircuitisnotphysicallyconnectedtoground,butitspotentialiszero(wherethecurrents
arealgebraicallyzero)withrespecttootherpoint,whichisalsoknownasVirtualGrounding.
Earthhavingzeropotentialwhereasneutralmayhavesomepotential.Thatmeansneutraldoesnotalwayshavezeropotential
withrespecttoground.InearthingwehaveZeroVoltpotentialreferencestotheearthwhileingroundingwehavelocalZero
Voltpotentialreferencetocircuit.WhenweconnecttwodifferentPowercircuitsinpowerdistributionsystem,wewanttohave
thesameZeroVoltreferencesoweconnectthemandgroundstogether.Thiscommonreferencemightbedifferentfromtheearth
potential.

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Neutralwireingridconnectionsismandatoryforsafety.Imagineapersonfrom4thfloorinabuildingusesEarthwire(whichis
earthedinthebasementatBasement)asneutraltopowerhislights.AnotherPersonfrom2ndfloorhasanormalsetupanduses
neutralforthesamepurpose.Neutralwireisalsoearthedatthegroundlevel(asperUSApracticeNeutralisGrounded(earthed)
atBuildingandasperIndianPracticeitisGrounded(earthed)atDistributionTransformer).However,groundwire(Neutral
wire)hasamuchlowerelectricalresistancethanEarthWire(Earthing)whichresultsinadifferenceofelectricalpotential(i.e.
voltage)betweenthem.ThisvoltageisquiteahazardforanyonetouchingaEarthwire(MetalBodyofEquipment)asitmay
haveseveraltensofvolts.
Thesecondissueislegality.UsinggroundwireinsteadofneutralmakesyouanenergythiefasthemeterusesonlythePhase
andneutralforrecordingyourenergyconsumption.ManyConsumersmakeenergytheftbyusingEarthingwireasaNeutral
wireinanEnergymeter.

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Groundisasourceforunwantedcurrentsandalsoasareturnpathformaincurrent.Whileearthingisdonenotforreturnpath
butonlyforprotectionofdelicateequipments.Itisanalternatelowresistancepathforcurrent.Earthisusedforthesafetyofthe
humanbodyinfaultconditionswhileGrounding(Asneutralearth)isusedfortheprotectionofequipments.

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AboutJignesh.Parmar
JigneshParmarhascompletedM.Tech(PowerSystemControl),B.E(Electrical)fromGujaratUniversity.Hehasmorethan13years
experienceinPowerTransmissionPowerDistributionElectricalenergytheftdetectionElectricalMaintenanceElectrical
Projects(PlanningDesigningcoordinationExecution).HeisPresentlyassociatewithoneoftheleadingbusinessgroupasaDeputy
ManageratAhmedabad,India.HeisFreelancerProgrammerofAdvanceExcelanddesignusefulExcelSheetsofElectrical
EngineeringasperIS,NEC,IEC,IEEEcodes.HeistechnicalAuthorforElectricalMirrorandElectricalIndiaMagazines.Heis
TechnicalBloggerandFamiliarwithEnglish,Hindi,Gujarati,Frenchlanguages.HewantstoSharehisexperience&knowledgeand
helptechnicalenthusiaststofindsuitablesolutionsandupdatingthemselvesonvariousEngineeringTopics.

5HVSRQVHVWR'LIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQ%RQGLQJ*URXQGLQJDQG(DUWKLQJ
sanjaysays:
September8,2012at7:03am
Thanksfortheinformation.wearespecializedinEarthingwealwayscometothistermsduringinstallation.
Reply
hemantShringisays:
September8,2012at12:28pm
ItsAEyeOpeningArticle..
Reply
Phelixsays:
September12,2012at6:37pm
Itsagoodarticlehere
Reply
sivasays:
September23,2012at2:05am
thankyouverymuchsir
Reply
rksays:
October11,2012at9:57am
nice.andclarification
isgood
Reply
gopinathsays:
November5,2012at8:37am
realyhelpfullcoulduprovidesomeinformationaboutselectionofcondcutors
Reply
hasansays:
November24,2012at10:18am
goodya
Reply
vimalkumarsays:
November26,2012at6:32am
Goodnotesforknowledge,thanks
Reply
Iansays:

December3,2012at1:48am
Thanksfortheclarification,Ivebeentryingtogetthisanswerforseveralmonthsnowwhenitwasfirstsuggestedtomethat
theremightactuallybeadifferencebetweenthetermsgroundingandearthing.
Reply
gajensays:
January12,2013at1:03pm
Dearfriends,
IneedGI&copperSolidrodavailableinRINL(VIZAGSteel)orJSW.
plsgivefeedback.
Regards,
Gajen
Reply
Jignesh.Parmarsays:
January12,2013at2:25pm
DearFriend,
NotgettingYourPoint
Reply
GAURAVsays:
June2,2015at11:57am
DEARJIGNESHBHAIHOWTOCHACKEDPOWERERTHNGANDTERMINALEARTHIGWITHOUEARTHTESTER
gajensays:
January15,2013at3:39am
ForEarthingRod(GI/Copper)anystandardorSpecificationisthere?
20mmDiaCopperrod
40mmDiaGIrod
Reply
sreenusays:
March15,2013at7:14am
thankusir,veryhelpufulinformation
Reply
sreenusays:
March15,2013at7:16am
sirineedtheclarificationonvectorgroupconditionslikeDyn11&dyn5etcintransformers,ifpossibleplz..sendme
Reply
Maheshsays:
April11,2013at12:13pm
DearMr.Parmar,
Ihavea3phaseDieselGeneratorandIhavetiedtogethertheEarthingandGroundingconnectorsandusedasinglewiretothe
ground.IsitOK?
Reply
Jignesh.Parmarsays:
April11,2013at2:37pm
DoyoumeanNeutralandEarth/GroundorEarthandGround
NeutralandEarthShouldbeseparate.
Reply
hurricane193says:
May31,2013at7:54am
Nicearticesir.Keepposting
Reply
RitabanBanerjeesays:
June7,2013at6:32am
Whatisthenthebasicdifferenceisneutralgroundingandneutralearthing?
Reply
DeepakSgsays:
August10,2013at8:24am

Thankusir,gotclearviewbtwgroundingandearthing.Butthenneutralgrndandneutralearthing,whtsddifference..?
Reply
aaakkkkksays:
August14,2013at1:08pm
mtotalysatisfiedwiththeanswer..thanks
Reply
SAMPSONHOPEsays:
August21,2013at12:43am
Iloveyouranalysissir.Ifamtowriteaprojectonelectricalearthingandtesting,whatarethethingsyouexpectfrommy
literaturereview??
youcanposttomyemailorheresootherscanalsobenefit.thanks
Reply
prashantsays:
August22,2013at3:05pm
Sir,
whatisthebestmethodforearthing.whatisthecriteriaforresistancevalueforearthpit.
istherespecifictableforfaultcurrentagenstmaterialusedforearthing.
Reply
pppsays:
September7,2013at4:34am
Thankyouverymuch.
Reply
ponganesh85says:
September8,2013at1:33pm
Thisisveryclear.Thanks.Ihaveaquestion.Isthereanythresholdforsafelypluggingandunplugginginlivereceptacles.Ifso
whatisfornormalgroundactivitiesandisthereanythingfordoingthesametask(pluggingandunplugging)whileworkingon
derrick(typeoftower).Ifyoucansendmesomereferencesforthisthatwouldbegreat.
KindRegards
Reply
sandeepkhatanasays:
September9,2013at5:51am
Thankyoualotsirthiswillsurlyremovemydoubtsiwanttostuckwithuifugavemepermissionsothatmayicancovera
lotoftopicstounderstand
Reply
allsparksays:
September11,2013at2:33pm
Inshortwecanalsosaythat.
Groundingisfortheprotectionofapplianceandforprovidingsafereturnpathwhileearthingisfortheprotectionofappliance
user
Reply
Sampsonhopesays:
September25,2013at5:57am
Sirthanksforyourprevioushelp.Youhavebeenamentorandhaveseenmethroughmyminiprojectwithyourarticle.Ihave
earthedabuildingsuccessfully,therebygeneratingneutralnowhowdoitestiftheearthingisworkingproperlyCanitbe
donewithamultimeterorcircuitbreaker??Thanks
Reply
jassisays:
October23,2013at6:09am
sir,
reallyitsverygoodarticle.ithasearthedallmyconfusion,misconception.thnxalot
Reply
syedibrahimsays:
October26,2013at10:41pm
thedocumentgivesaclearideadetweentheexplainedthreeterms..
Reply
syedibrahimsays:
October26,2013at10:56pm
Thankyouverymuch.

Reply
somasekharreddysays:
January8,2014at5:52am
donotmentionwhereearthing&groundingisused
Reply
kshiroddashsays:
February24,2014at7:37am
Dearjigneshsir
Earthingmeansconnectalivingparttothegroundforavoidtheshock.
Groundingmeansconnectanonconductivematerialtotheground.
Kindlyreplymeisitk.ornot
Bcauseintransformerneutralpointisearthing.andbodyisgrounding.
Waitingforurreplysir
Reply
PHYOsays:
March3,2014at4:45am
DearSir,
Thisisverygoodarticleforus.Thanksalot.
Reply
shailendrabansalsays:
June13,2015at4:39pm
thankyousir
Reply
SonuNagarsays:
May23,2014at11:43am
thanksalot.
Reply
sunilnandasays:
September5,2014at6:32am
thanksalotforthisconcept
Reply
junisays:
January5,2015at5:55pm
whatsthedifferencebetweenshortcircuitandearthing?
Reply
zakirullahsays:
March10,2015at4:18pm
thankyouforthegoodinformation
Reply
Vikassays:
April5,2015at5:16pm
Itswasgoodaboutgroundingandearthingbutquitelackingtounderstandaboutbounding
Reply
piyushsays:
May12,2015at7:48pm
Thankyouverymuch.
Reply
soorajkthomassays:
June1,2015at1:12pm
excellent
ihaveonedoubt,insomepapersinsteadofEARTHING,anotherwordEARTHLINGhasbeenused.
IsEarthingandEarthlingaresame?
IknowthephysicalmeaningofEarthling.IsthewordEarthlingholdsanytechnicalmeaning?
Reply
oloyaceasersays:
June12,2015at1:39pm
intresting
Reply

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