What is Earthing, Types, Procedure, Advantages and Difference between Earthing and Grounding

What is Earthing?

Earthing is a process to discharge and transfer the charge into the earth through a very low resistive wire. We can find it in our surroundings as it requires for utilizing power for domestic purposes. Normally for domestic purposes, we use a single-phase ac supply, and an earthing for completion of the circuit through transferring of charge. The wire used for earthing is copper and aluminum.

But for better discharging copper wire is considered because it is a good conductor of electricity in comparison to aluminum and it provides a less resistive path for current than aluminum. Earthing prevents the devices from electrical damages. Sometimes we feel mild shock while operating the appliances, to avoid these shocks it is advisable to use earthing in the buildings. Grounding is also a way to avoid shocks and prevent the appliances from being damaged.

 Why is Earthing Required for Houses?

As for earthing transfer the charge to the earth, so it prevents the appliances from electrical damages. Hence, earthing is required for avoiding damages. Whenever a high current flow through the circuit, it transfers that overcurrent to the earth which is not useful and prevent the circuit from catching fire and damaging the appliances. And it completes the circuit to operate the appliances in normal conditions. And there is a proper way for earthing and if it doesn’t do properly then it may cause unusual activities.

There has a place in the building which has particularly designed for earthing which has been deeply buried and some minerals and copper wire used for it. And whenever any fault comes in the figure then it protects the circuit from causing damage or catching fire. So earthing is very important while operating any appliances so, it must be fitted properly. So these are the reason why earthing is required for houses. Now let’s see the type of earth.

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Types of Earthing

1. Pipe earthing
2. Plate earthing
3. Strip earthing

Now let’s discuss these types of earthing in detail. So we start from pipe earthing.

1. Pipe Earthing

In this type of earthing a galvanized steel perforated pipe is buried inside the earth. There is a certain depth of earth. And this depth depends upon the condition of the soils. If the soil is soft then this rod puts deep inside the earth to prevent any damages because the soft soil has less holding capacity than the hard soil.

So if the soil will be hard then the depth of this galvanized rod will be less than the soft soil because of its holding capacity.

So if the soil will be hard then the depth of this galvanized rod will be less than the soft soil because of its holding capacity.

2. Plate Earthing

In this type of earthing a galvanized plate of copper or iron is buried inside the earth and the depth of the plate should not be less than 3mm.

In plate earthing the transferring of charge occur in such a way that the amount of charge which have transferred strike on this plate and then this plate split all those charges inside the earth. And this is how it works while transferring of charge.

3. Strip Earthing

In this type of earthing a strip of thin plates uses to transfer the charge. It’s a little much costly because of the construction in strips. So this type of earthing doesn’t use on a wide scale. Some of its uses are in industrial and commercial projects.

So these are the types of earthing which we see. In all three types, the most considerable type is pipe earthing because it is less economical and it also uses in our houses.

Advantages of Earthing

There is a lot of advantages of earthing, these are some of them:-

• It prevents from overcurrent flowing in the circuit, in case of overcurrent flow in the circuit then it transfers the excess current to the earth.
• It prevents damaging the appliances or catching fire in the circuit. In case of any fault occur in the circuit then it prevents from causing any serve damages.
• It prevents the risk of catching fire and causing death to the operator.
• It prevents lightning. In case if lighting occurs, then if an earthing rod is placed on the roof of the building vertically upward the lightning will strike on it instead of the building and then that high voltage will go inside the earth.
• It is a type of shield for the faults that occur in the circuit.

How to make Earthing?

As earthing provide safety from several faults so it must be in a proper way. So for a good earthing, there are some of the requirements which need to be fulfilled. If these requirements will be fulfilled only then a good earthing can be done. For a good earthing, the wire must be of the low resistive path.

Current should flow without any disturbance in the circuit. Then it will require some minerals like salt, coal, etc. for a better transfer of charge. And the main thing is 10-15 feet of buried in the ground. If all these requirements will be fulfilled then we can make a good earthing which will provide a better path for charge discharging capability. And the wire connected to the earthing and mainboard should be twisted tightly to avoid sparks.

Video on Electrical Earthing 

What is the importance of earthing in the household circuit?

As above discussed that earthing protects from fault occurring in the circuit.  So if any fault occurs in the household circuit then it will prevent it from causing damages. We can simply understand that it works as a fuse for the circuit. As fuse trip the circuit if any fault occurs, the same thing the earthing does with the circuit. If overcurrent or overvoltage flows through the circuit then it will transfer that overcurrent or overvoltage inside the earth.

There is one more importance of earthing in the household circuit and that is prevention against lightning. A vertical iron or copper rod has placed vertically upward and when the lightning strike on it then it transfers all the charges to the ground and prevent the circuit from causing any dangerous damages.

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Difference between Earthing and Grounding

Both earthing and grounding sound similar. However their work is also somehow similar, but there are some differences between earthing and grounding.

Earthing is used to protect against overcurrent or overvoltage and any fault that occurs in the circuit. There is a separate wire which grounded inside the earth for transfer of charge, while in case of grounding the live wire which comes from the supply board is divided into two parts one of the parts is connected to the mainboard from where the supply will be distributed all over the area while the other part is grounded to avoid any cut or overload in the circuit.

Frequently asked questions on earthing