Earthing: Types, Process, Advantages & Disadvantages

Earthing is a process of instant discharge of electrical energy that takes place by transferring the charges directly to the earth with the help of low-resistance wire.

• It is used for protection from electric shock.
• It protects us by providing a protective conductor for a fault current to flow to the earth.
• Earthing also causes the protective device like a circuit-breaker or a fuse to switch off the electric current to the circuit which has the fault.

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Key Terms: Pipe Earthing, Strip Earthing, Plate Earthing, Wire Earthing, Electrodes, Metal Wire, Steel, Copper, Iron

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What Is Earthing?

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Earthing is the process of redirecting electrical fault current by transferring charges directly to the earth through a low-resistance wire.

• It connects the metal case of an electrical appliance to the earth at a zero potential through a metal wire known as earth wire.
• Earthing and grounding are both techniques used to improve electrical safety and performance.
• Earthing protects from electric shock by providing a low-resistance path for fault currents to flow directly to the ground.
• Grounding, on the other hand, focuses on the overall health of the electrical system.
• It helps to prevent malfunctions and improve stability by managing voltage levels and balancing loads, especially during overloads.

Current Electricity Detailed Video Explanation:

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Types of Earthing

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Earthing has three types:

Pipe Earthing

It is an economical earthing in which a galvanized steel perforated pipe is buried in the ground. The pipe is buried vertically connecting all the electrical conductors to the ground. 

Plate Earthing

A galvanized copper or iron plate is buried vertically in the earth. The plate connects all the conductors to the earth.

Strip Earthing

A wire or strip of electrodes is buried horizontally in the ground. These strips are useful in the procedure of transmission.

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How is Earthing Done?

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Earthing is for the safety of living in a house. The procedure of earthing is mentioned below:

• It is done by connecting the electrical appliance with earthing systems or electrodes placed in the soil.
• The electrode equipped with a flat iron riser is installed under the ground level.
• The installed electrode connects all the non-current-carrying metallic parts of the equipment.
• When an overloaded current is passed through the equipment or when a fault occurs in the system due to the current, the fault current from the equipment flows through the earthing system. 
• The earth mat conductors help in maintaining equal voltage values.
• The resistance of the earth mat is multiplied by a ground fault and helps guard the equipment against the overload or fault current.
• In homes, there are three types of wires, live, neutral, and earth.
• The live and neutral wires carry electric current whereas the earth wire is connected to the buried metal plate/pipe/strip. 

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Advantages Of Earthing

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The advantages of earthing are:

Improved service reliability

Earthing helps ensure a more consistent and reliable flow of electricity.

System and equipment fault protection

Earthing protects equipment from damage and safeguards the entire system by providing a path for fault currents

Lightning protection

Earthing helps divert lightning strikes away from buildings and electrical components.

Reduced operation and maintenance costs

Earthing minimizes equipment damage due to faults, potentially lowering maintenance needs and associated costs.

Simplified ground fault location

Earthing can make it easier to pinpoint the location of problems within the electrical system in case of a ground fault.

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Disadvantages Of Earthing

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The disadvantages of earthing are:

• Earthing is an expensive procedure.
• Earthing has a possible safety hazard.

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Things to Remember

• Earthing is used for protection from electric shock.
• In homes, there are three types of wires, live, neutral, and earth.
• The earth mat conductors help in maintaining equal voltage values.
• The strip earthing is useful in transmission.
• Earthing protects us by providing a protective conductor.
• Earthing helps in diverting lightning strikes away from buildings and electrical components.