Benefits of Electric Grounding and How to Install It

Grounding installation may still not be familiar to many people and we need to understand electrical grounding, before setting up your electrical installation at home. So, what is electrical grounding? In short, electrical grounding is the process of making the electrical installation cable lines' current in a building leading to the underground. The latter is a safety system for electric current to the ground when a leak occurs so that it does not cause any hazard.

Electrical grounding is considered very important to protect anyone inside the house or other buildings and various electronic equipment from the impact of high voltage leakage of electric current caused by short circuits or even lightning strikes. When an electric conductor, such as metal, is not installed in the ground and struck by electrical energy, the metal can carry enough voltage to cause a fatal shock.

Also read: Benefits of Electrical Grounding at Home and How to Install It

Benefits of Electrical Grounding at Home

Why choose soil as a platform for electrical installation cables? It’s because the soil is the best material that can neutralize any large electricity charge using its mass and volume.

Here are some of the benefits of installing electrical grounding cables at home:

1. Preventing electric shock hazards

Electrical grounding acts as a conductor of electricity to go directly to the ground when a short circuit occurs. For example, grounding cables that are attached to the body of an electronic device such as an electric iron can prevent you from being electrocuted when the circuit inside the iron leaks. 

2. Protecting electronic devices from electric leakage current 

Installation of electrical grounding can protect various electronic equipment at your home so that it can prevent damage due to leakage of electric currents.

3. Preventing fire

If there is heavy rain and lightning strikes, there is a chance that a high-voltage electric current will flow inside your building. High voltages can cause leakage resulting in electrical short circuits and fires. If electrical grounding is used, the electric voltage can be channeled directly into the ground.

In addition, it will be very dangerous if you use electronic equipment when there is a lightning storm. It's best if you turn off any electronic devices while in this situation.

Another benefit of electrical grounding is reducing the cost of repairing electronic equipment if it is damaged by an electrical short circuit and can reduce the level of electrical noise (fluctuations in electrical signals).

Also read: Let’s Find Out the Secret Code of the PLN Electricity Meter!

How to Install Electric Grounding

Here are some ways to install electrical grounding that has been summarized from the Kumparan Page: 

1. Determine the Grounding Rod

If it is possible to plant grounding rods in large quantities, the better electrical installation in your home would be. You also need to avoid planting grounding rods in sandy or rocky soil because these are not the best platform for neutralizing electricity. 

2. Installing Grounding Cable in Parallel

Electrical grounding must be installed in parallel. If you want to plant more than one grounding rod, then make a planting distance of about 5 meters between one grounding rod to another. Therefore, the electricity can spread throughout the house evenly.

3. Selecting the Grounding Rod Material

Choose the best grounding rod material. This material can be made of solid coppers which do not rust easily. Solid copper is the best conductor for electrical voltage.

4. Planting a Grounding Rod

Before you plant the stems, make sure the depth of the excavation is more than 50 cm. After that, plant the grounding rod into the ground and pour water into the dug hole so that the soil becomes soft. Then, you can press down on the grounding rod with a hammer if you have one so that it can be firmly planted in the ground.

5. Connecting the Cable to the Grounding Rod

First, make sure there are no wet components. Then, attach the cable to the home's electrical grounding rod, using a welding machine. Cover the area around the object to be welded with wood or other materials to avoid a fire. After you complete the welding process, check again whether all the grounding rod components are placed correctly. 

6. Embedding Grounding Rod Cable

For the last step, you can dig the ground to make a cable path with a depth of 40-50 cm that stretches along the cable trail and leads to the grounding terminal. Then, plant the cables that have been installed on the grounding rod.

Then, cover the cable network with a 4-inch PVC pipe and cover the excavation area with soil. You can put a mark on the excavation site to make it easier if one day you want to dismantle it.

Also read: The Differences Between Phase, Neutral and Grounding Power Cables

So, those are some of the benefits that you can get when using electrical grounding at home. Don't forget to only trust and use services from a certified electrician in grounding your facility. 

If you have any questions about choosing the right cable for electrical grounding at your home, you can contact Wilson Cables. Please click the WhatsApp logo on the bottom right for more information.