Tech Quiz #85

Grounding
by Jim White Shermco Industries

1. According to ANSI/NETA MTS-07, how often should ground systems be electrically tested? a. Once a year c. Once every three years b. Once every two years d. Only every four years 2. The maximum ground resistance of an industrial facility should be a. 1 ohm c. 4 ohms b. 2 ohms d. 5 ohms 3. The maximum ground resistance of a generating station should be a. 1 ohm c. 4 ohms b. 2 ohms d. 5 ohms 4. What IEEE standard is used as a reference for fall-ofpotential testing? a. Standard 71 c. Standard 99 b. Standard 81 d. Stanardd 101

5. For a ground system with fairly uniform soil and test electrodes driven at sufficient spacing relative to the size of that ground system, what distance from the tested electrode should the potential electrode be placed to measure the theoretically correct ground resistance when performing a fall-of-potential test? a. 20 feet b. 100 feet c. 62 percent of the distance between the current electrode and the tested electrode d. 57.7 percent of the distance between the current electrode and the tested electrode Answers 1. With average reliability and average condition, the table in Appendix B indicates a test interval of 24 months. This time recommendation changes according to criticality and condition. 2. Section 7.13 gives a maximum of 5 ohms for an industrial facility. In grounding, though, the lower the better. 3. Section 7.13 shows 1 ohm maximum for generating and transmission facilities. 4. The ANSI/IEEE Standard 81, IEEE Guide for Measuring Earth Resistivity, Ground Impedance, and Earth Surface Potentials of a Ground System is the reference. 5. If the soil is fairly homogeneous in content, the distance the voltage electrode, P2, is driven is usually 62 percent. Often that may not provide the true resistance, though. The best procedure is to drive P2 in several locations, in line with the tested electrode, C1, and the test current electrode, C2. Obtain test data for P2 positions beginning about 50 percent of the distance from C1 to C2 until about 70 percent of that distance. Plot the resulting earth resistances relative to the P2 distance from C1. Where the plotted values level off is the true earth resistance. If the plotted values do not level off, that indicates more distance is needed between C1 and C2 and the tests need to be run again. Fall 2008 NETA WORLD

Jim White is the Training Director for Shermco Industries and the principal Shermco representative on the NFPA 70B Committee. Jim is the alternate NETA representative on the NFPA 70E Committee and serves as the NETA representative on the IEEE/NFPA Arc-Flash Hazard Work Group (RTPC) Ad Hoc Committee. He served as the Chairman of the 2008 IEEE Electrical Safety Workshop. Jim is a NETA Certified Level IV Electrical Testing Technician and a member of the NETA Safety Committee.

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