GroundingConsiderationsforthe

DataCentre

Thegroundingsystemisnotjustaninsurancepolicyagainstalightningstrike.Itis
anactive,functioningsystemthatprovidesprotectionforpersonneland
equipment.Propergroundingisessentialforefficientsystemperformance.
Surgesthatarenotproperlydissipatedbythegroundingsystemintroduce
electricalnoiseondatacables.Theycausefaultydatasignalsanddroppedpackets,
thusdecreasingthethroughputandoverallefficiencyofyournetwork.According
toinsuranceindustrydata,impropergroundingofcommunicationsystemsleadsto
$500millionperyearinlightningdamagetopropertyandequipment.The
InformationTechnologyIndustryCouncilstatesthatgroundingisthemost
importantfactorinreliablenetworkequipmentperformance.Thecomponentcost
ofrepairingdamagedequipmentissubstantialforcomplexcircuitboards,
especiallywhenlaboranddowntimeareconsidered.

AccordingtotheIEEE,thetypicalACthirdpronggroundisalmostneversufficient
topreventdamagetonetworkequipment.Personalinjuryfromelectricshockdue
toimpropergroundingcancauseimmeasurablehumansufferingandsignificant
expense.Potentialfirehazardsexistwhenheatisgeneratedfromelectricalsurges
thatfindahighresistancepathtoground.

StandardsforDataCenterGrounding

Datacentergroundingisgovernedbyfollowingdocuments:

TIA942,TelecommunicationsInfrastructureStandardforDataCenters
TIA942definespracticalmethodstoensureelectricalcontinuity
throughouttherackmaterialsandpropergroundingofracksandrack
mountedequipment.Thisistheonlyspecificationthataddressesproblems
specifictodatacenters.

JSTD607A2002,CommercialBuildingGrounding(Earthing)andBonding
RequirementsforTelecommunicationsthisstandardfocuseson
groundingfortelecommunications.Itdefinesasystemthatbeginsatthe

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entrancefacility,inthetelecommunicationsmaingroundingbusbar(the
TMGB),andendsatthelocaltelecommunicationsgroundingbusbars
(TGBs)locatedinthetelecommunicationsrooms.

IEEEStd1100(IEEEEmeraldBook),IEEERecommendedPracticefor
PoweringandGroundingElectronicEquipmentIEEEprovidesfurther
detailonhowtodesignthegroundingstructureforacomputerroom
environmentthroughaCommonBondingNetwork(CBN).TheCBNisthe
setofmetalliccomponentsthatareintentionallyorincidentally
interconnectedtoprovidetheprincipalbondingandgroundinginsidea
telecommunicationsbuilding.Thesecomponentsincludestructuralsteelor
reinforcingrods,metallicplumbing,ACpowerconduit,cableracks,and
bondingconductors.TheCBNisconnectedtotheexteriorgrounding
electrodesystem.

CharacteristicsoftheDataCenterGrounding
System

Thepurposeofthegroundingsystemistocreatealowimpedancepathtoearth
groundforelectricalsurgesandtransientvoltages.Lightning,faultcurrents,circuit
switching(motorsturningonandoff),andelectrostaticdischargearethecommon
causesofthesesurgesandtransientvoltages.Aneffectivegroundingsystem
minimizesthedetrimentaleffectsofthesesurges.Aproperlydesignedgrounding
systemhasthefollowingcharacteristics:

Itshouldbeintentional;thatis,eachconnectionmustbeengineered
properly.Thegroundingsystemisnomorereliablethanitsweakestlink.
Itshouldbevisuallyverifiable.
Itshouldbeadequatelysized.
Itshoulddirectdamagingcurrentsawayfromequipment.
Allmetalliccomponentsinthedatacentershouldbebondedtothe
groundingsystem.

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Alongwiththesecharacteristics,allgroundingconductorsshouldbecopper,
componentsshouldbelistedbyanapprovedtestlabsuchasUL,andlocalelectrical
codesmustbeadhered.

Toensurelongtermintegrityofthegroundingsystem,alwaysusecompression
connectors,notmechanical.Amechanicalconnectorholdstheconductorinplace
withasetscrew,andwhenexposedtovibration(e.g.,nearbyfansorhumming
equipment),thesetscrewcanbackoffandloosen.Alooseconnectionisahigh
resistanceconnectionthatcanfailinasurgeevent.Acompressionconnectoris
permanentlydeformedanddoesnotcomeloosewithvibration.Thereshouldbea
logicalflowasyoufollowthegroundingstructure,forexample,fromthe
equipmentchassistotherack,fromtheracktothedatacentergrounding
infrastructure,thenovertothelocalTGB,whichfeedsintothetelecommunications
bondingbackbone(TBB)thatrunsbacktothemainTGB(TMGB),whichistiedto
earthground.

RoutineInspectionoftheGroundingSystem

Missioncriticalfacilitiesshouldimplementaplantoinspectallpointsalongthegrounding
infrastructureonanannualorsemiannualbasis.Aninspectionthatfollowsalinebyline
workorderallowsearlydetectionofpotentialproblemssuchasloosenedorcorroded
connections,missinglabels,conductorsthathavebeendamaged,cut,orremoved,andnew
metallicelementsthatrequireconnectionstotheCBN.Tofacilitateinspection,the
groundingsystemshoulduseconnectors,busbars,andconductorsfromendtoendthat
allowvisualverificationofthebond.

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Key Points of Data Center Grounding

Equipmentchassis

Thirdprongisneversufficient.Alwaysfollowthegrounding/earthing
recommendationsofthemanufacturerwheninstallingequipment.

Rack/cabinet
continuity

Hardwaretypicallysuppliedwithbolttogetherracksisnotdesignedfor
grounding/earthingpurposes.Racksshouldbeassembledwithpaint
piercinggroundingwashers,undertheheadoftheboltandbetweenthenut
andrack,toprovideelectricalcontinuity.Afulllengthrackgroundingstrip
shouldbeattachedtotherearofthesiderailwiththreadformingscrewsto
ensuremetaltometalcontact.

Rack/cabinet
grounding

Usea#6AWGorlargerbondingconductortobondeachrackorcabinet
withthegroundingstriptothedatacentergroundinginfrastructure.Do
notbondracksorcabinetsserially.

Datacenter
grounding
infrastructure

Acommonmethodforconstructingthedatacentergrounding
infrastructureistocreateacopperconductorgridon0.6to3m(2to10ft)
centersthatcoverstheentirecomputerroomspace.

Telecommunications Usea#1AWGorlargerconductor tobondthedatacentergrounding

groundingbar
infrastructuretotheTGB.Twoholecoppercompressionlugsarepreferred
becausetheyareirreversibleandresistlooseningwhentwisted(bumped)or
exposedtovibration.
Telecommunications TheTBBshouldbeinstalledasacontinuousconductor,avoidingsplices
bondingbar
wherepossible.Avoidroutinggrounding/earthingconductorsinmetal
conduits.Althoughthebuildingsteelandmetallicwaterpipingmustbe
bondedtothegrounding/earthingsystemforsafetyreasons,neithermaybe
substitutedfortheTBB.
Telecommunication
maingroundingbus
bar

TheTMGBisbondedtotheserviceequipment(power)ground,which
connectstoearthground(thegroundingelectrodesystem).

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Email: tteinfo@tab.com www.tabte.ca