Ground Grid Specifications

Note: EDM Grounding Module is not a ground grid calculator. Ground design is a very complex and needs specialized engineers. However, the module can be used to gather and store the information needed to do the preliminary calculations and guide the user, responsible for specifing the grid design, in making appropriate decisions.

The proper installation of grounding systems requires knowledge of national and international standards, grounding conductor materials and compositions, and grounding connections and terminations. However, designers and installers of grounding systems should not overlook another important factor — soil conditions.

At a fundamental level, electricity is simply a difference in energy between two points. Usually, that difference is measured relative to the earth, which is where the term electrical bonding and grounding comes from. In order for the difference in energy, also known as potential, to do useful work for us it generally needs to be kept isolated from ground.

An effective ground grid is intentionally connected to earth through a ground connection or connections of sufficiently low impedance and having sufficient current-carrying capacity to prevent the buildup of voltage that may result in undue hazards to connected equipment or persons.

A grounded conductor is the conductor of an electrical system that is intentionally connected to earth via a grounding electrode conductor and a grounding electrode at the service of premises, at a transformer secondary, or at a generator or other source of electric power. It is most commonly a neutral conductor of a single-phase, 3-wire system or 3-phase, 4-wire system but may be one of the phase legs—as in the case of a corner-grounded delta system.

Fast clearing of faults, made possible by good grounding, improves the overall safety and reliability of an electrical system. Therefore, substation reliability must be as "built-in" as possible because of the high available fault current levels present and unlikely occurrence of follow-up grounding inspections

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