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Protective earthing conductor

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)cope and content o" *i#i EI+ +eneral rules o" electrical installation design !onnection to the M, utility distribution networ# !onnection to the L, utility distribution networ# M, - L, architecture selection guide L, Distribution Protection against electric shoc#s )i.ing and protection o" conductors

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!onductor si.ing and protection o Methodology and de"inition o $ ercurrent protection principles o Practical alues "or a protecti e scheme o Location o" protecti e de ices o !onductors in parallel Practical method "or determining the smallest allowable cross/sectional area o" circuit conductors o +eneral method "or cable si.ing o %ecommended

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simpli"ied approach "or cable si.ing o 0usbar trun#ing systems Determination o" oltage drop o Maximum oltage drop o !alculation o" oltage drop in steady load conditions )hort/circuit current o )hort/circuit current at the secondary terminals o" a M,/L, distribution trans"ormer o 1/phase short/circuit current 2Isc3 at any point within a L, installation o Isc at the recei ing end o" a "eeder as a "unction o" the Isc at its sending end Particular cases o" short/ circuit current o !alculation o" minimum le els o" short/circuit current o ,eri"ication o" the withstand capabilities o" cables under short/ circuit conditions Protecti e earthing conductor o !onnection and choice "or protecti e earthing conductor o )i.ing o" protecti e earthing conductor o Protecti e conductor between M,/L, trans"ormer and the main general distribution board 2M+D03

E4uipotential conductor 5he neutral conductor o )i.ing the neutral conductor o Protection o" the neutral conductor o 0rea#ing o" the neutral conductor o Isolation o" the neutral conductor
o

*or#ed example o" cable calculation

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8 !onnection and choice o 898 !onnection o 89: 5ypes o" materials o 891 !onductor si.ing : Protecti e conductor between M,/L, trans"ormer and the main general distribution board 2M+D03 1 E4uipotential conductor o 198 5he main

e4uipotential conductor
o

19: )upplementary e4uipotential conductor

[edit Connection and choice

Protecti e 2PE3 conductors pro ide the bonding connection between all exposed and ext installation( to create the main e4uipotential bonding system9 5hese conductors conduct 2between a phase conductor and an exposed conducti e part3 to the earthed neutral o" the to the main earthing terminal o" the installation9 5he main earthing terminal is connected to the earthing electrode 2see !hapter E3 by the electrode conductor in the ;)A39 PE conductors must be'

Insulated and coloured yellow and green 2stripes3 Protected against mechanical and chemical damage

In I5 and 5N/earthed schemes it is strongly recommended that PE conductors should be the same conduits( on the same cable tray( etc93 as the li e cables o" the related circuit9 5 minimum possible inducti e reactance in the earth/"ault current carrying circuits9 It should be noted that this arrangement is originally pro ided by bus/trun#ing9
[edit Connection

PE conductors must'

Not include any means o" brea#ing the continuity o" the circuit 2such as a switch !onnect exposed conducti e parts indi idually to the main PE conductor( i9e9 in p Figure G!" Ha e an indi idual terminal on common earthing bars in distribution boards9

Fig. G54: A poor connection in a series arrangement will leave all downstream applian

TT scheme 5he PE conductor need not necessarily be installed in close proximity to the li e conduc since high alues o" earth/"ault current are not needed to operate the %!D/type o" protec IT and TN schemes 5he PE or PEN conductor( as pre iously noted( must be installed as close as possible to

the circuit and no "erro/magnetic material must be interposed between them9 A PEN con directly to the earth terminal o" an appliance( with a looped connection "rom the earth te appliance 2see Fig# G!!39

5N/! scheme 2the neutral and PE conductor are one and the same( re"erred to as

5he protecti e "unction o" a PEN conductor has priority( so that all rules go erning PE c conductors

5N/! to 5N/) transition

5he PE conductor "or the installation is connected to the PEN terminal or bar 2see<ig9 + installation9 Downstream o" the point o" separation( no PE conductor can be connected to

Fig. G55: Direct connection of the PEN conductor to the earth terminal of an appliance

Fig. G56: The TN-C-S scheme

[edit T$%es o& materials

Materials o" the #inds mentioned below in Figure G!' can be used "or PE conductors( p mentioned in the last column are satis"ied9

T$%e o& %rotective earthing conductor(PE) )upplementary as conductor

IT scheme

TN scheme

TT scheme C !orrect

In the same cable )trongly )trongly recommended recommended the phases(or in the same cable run Independent o" the phase conductors Possible283 Possible283 2:3 PE possible 213 PEN possible 2?3

5 t

!orrect !orrect

Metallic housing o" bus/trun#ing or o" Possible213 other pre"abricated prewired ducting2=3 External sheath o" extruded( mineral/ insulated conductors 2e9g9 @pyrotenaxA type systems3 !ertain extraneous conducti e elements2>3 such as' )teel building structure Machine "rames

Possible213

PE possible 213 Possible PEN not recommended 2:3213 PE possible2C3 PEN "orbidden Possible

Possible2C3

*ater pipes2B3 Possible2C3 PE possible2C3 Possible PEN not recommended 2:32C3

Metallic cable ways( such as( conduits2D3( ducts( trun#ing( trays( ladders( and so onE

<orbidden "or use as PE conductors( are' metal conduits2D3( gas pipes( hot/water pipes( c

283 In 5N and I5 schemes( "ault clearance is generally achie ed by o ercurrent de ices 2 impedance o" the "ault/current loop must be su""iciently low to assure positi e protecti e o" achie ing a low loop impedance is to use a supplementary core in the same cable as th same route as the circuit conductors39 5his solution minimi.es the inducti e reactance an

loop9 2:3 5he PEN conductor is a neutral conductor that is also used as a protecti e earth cond be "lowing through it at any time 2in the absence o" an earth "ault39 <or this reason an ins PEN operation9 213 5he manu"acturer pro ides the necessary alues o" % and F components o" the impe include in the calculation o" the earth/"ault loop impedance9 2C3 Possible( but not recomended( since the impedance o" the earth/"ault loop cannot be # Measurements on the completed installation are the only practical means o" assuring ade 2=3 It must allow the connection o" other PE conductors9 Note' these elements must carry isual indication( 8= to 8GG mm long 2or the letters PE at less than 8= cm "rom each extr 2>3 5hese elements must be demountable only i" other means ha e been pro ided to ensu protection9 2B3 *ith the agreement o" the appropriate water authorities9 2?3 In the pre"abricated pre/wired trun#ing and similar elements( the metallic housing ma parallel with the corresponding bar( or other PE conductor in the housing9 2D3 <orbidden in some countries only9 ;ni ersally allowed to be used "or supplementary Fig. G57: Choice of protective conductors (PE)

[edit Conductor si*ing

Figure G!+ below is based on IE! >G1>C/=/=C9 5his table pro ides two methods o" dete both PE or PEN conductors9

c#s#a# o& %hase conductors S%h (mm,) Sim%li&ied method (.) )phH 8> 8> I )ph H := := I )ph H 1= 1= I )ph H =G )ph J =G /diabatic method Any si.e

-inimum c#s#a# o& PE conductor (mm,) )ph2:3 8> )ph/:

213

283 Data alid i" the prospecti e conductor is o" the same material as the line conductor9 be applied9 2:3 *hen the PE conductor is separated "rom the circuit phase conductors( the "ollowing

:9= mm: i" the PE is mechanically protected C mm: i" the PE is not mechanically protected

213 <or mechanical reasons( a PEN conductor( shall ha e a cross/sectional area not less t aluminium9 2C3 %e"er to table +=1 "or the application o" this "ormula9 Fig. G58: inimum cross section area of protective conductors

5he two methods are'

Adiabatic 2which corresponds with that described in IE! >GB:C3

5his method( while being economical and assuring protection o" the conductor against o compared to those o" the corresponding circuit phase conductors9 5he result is sometime I5 and 5N schemes to minimi.e the impedance o" the circuit earth/"ault loop( to ensure p o ercurrent tripping de ices9 5his method is used in practice( there"ore( "or 55 installatio conductor 2839

)impli"ied

5his method is based on PE conductor si.es being related to those o" the corresponding c that the same conductor material is used in each case9 5hus( in <igure +=? "or' )ph H 8> mm: )PE L )ph 8> I )ph H 1= mm: )PE L 8> mm: )ph J 1= mm:

Note' when( in a 55 scheme( the installation earth electrode is beyond the .one o" in"lue the c9s9a9 o" the PE conductor can be limited to := mm: 2"or copper3 or 1= mm: 2"or alum 5he neutral cannot be used as a PEN conductor unless its c9s9a9 is e4ual to or larger than 2aluminium39 Moreo er( a PEN conductor is not allowed in a "lexible cable9 )ince a PEN conductor "u its c9s9a9 cannot( in any case( be less than that necessary "or the neutral9 5his c9s9a9 cannot be less than that o" the phase conductors unless'

5he #,A rating o" single/phase loads is less than 8GM o" the total #,A load( and Imax li#ely to pass through the neutral in normal circumstances( is less than the c

cable si.e9

<urthermore( protection o" the neutral conductor must be assured by the protecti e de ic protection9 283 +rounding electrode conductor

Values o& &actor 0 to be used in the &ormulae 5hese alues are identical in se eral national standards( and the temperature rise ranges( upper temperature limits "or the di""erent classes o" insulation( correspond with those pu 5he data presented in Figure G!1 are those most commonly needed "or L, installation

Nature o& insulation Pol$vin$lchloride (PVC) <inal temperature 2N!3 Initial temperature 2N!3 Insulated conductors not incoporated in cables or bare conductors in contact with cable Oac#ets !onductors o" a multi/core/ cable !opper )teel !opper 8>G 1G 8C1 =: 88= Aluminium D=

Cross2lin Eth$lene :=G 1G 8B> 88> >C 8C1 DC

Aluminium B>

! factor values for "# PE conductors$ commonl% used in national standards and compl%in

[edit Protective conductor between -V64V trans&ormer and the main general dist 5hese conductors must be si.ed according to national practices

All phase and neutral conductors upstream o" the main incoming circuit/brea#er controll protected by de ices at the M, side o" the trans"ormer9 5he conductors in 4uestion( toge dimensioned accordingly9 Dimensioning o" the phase and neutral conductors "rom the tr !8 o" the system illustrated in Fig# G9!39 %ecommended conductor si.es "or bare and insulated PE conductors "rom the trans"orm G9:( are indicated below in Figure G9.9

5he #,A rating to consider is the sum o" all 2i" more than one3 trans"ormers connected t

Fig. G60: PE conductor to the main earth ,ar in the

-D.

5he table indicates the c9s9a9 o" the conductors in mm: according to'

5he nominal rating o" the M,/L, trans"ormer2s3 in #,A 5he "ault/current clearance time by the M, protecti e de ices( in seconds 5he #inds o" insulation and conductor materials

I" the M, protection is by "uses( then use the G9: seconds columns9 In I5 schemes( i" an o er oltage protection de ice is installed 2between the trans"ormer conductors "or connection o" the de ice should also be dimensioned in the same way as PE conductors9

Trans&ormer rating in 0V/

Conductor material 8are conductors PVC2insulated conducto Co%%er t(s) :#, :#! 2 :#, :#! 2

/luminium t(s) (,;:6":: V out%ut) H 8GG c9s9a9 o" PE conductors 8>G )PE 2mm:3 :GG :=G 18= CGG =GG >1G ?GG 8(GGG 8(:=G

2 := := := := 1= =G =G BG BG D= D=

:#, := := 1= 1= =G BG BG D= 8:G 8:G 8=G

:#! := 1= =G BG BG D= 8:G 8=G 8=G 8?= 8?=

2 := := := 1= 1= =G BG BG D= D= 8:G

:#, := := 1= =G =G BG D= D= 8:G 8:G 8=G

:#! := =G =G BG D= D= 8:G 8=G 8?= 8?= :CG

Fig. G61: /ecommended c0s0a0 of PE conductor ,etween the ratings and fault-clearance times0

#1"# transformer and the

[edit E<ui%otential conductor

[edit The main e<ui%otential conductor

5his conductor must( in general( ha e a c9s9a9 at least e4ual to hal" o" that o" the largest P exceed := mm: 2copper3 or 1= mm: 2aluminium3 while its minimum c9s9a9 is > mm: 2cop
[edit Su%%lementar$ e<ui%otential conductor

5his conductor allows an exposed conducti e part which is remote "rom the nearest main conductor3 to be connected to a local protecti e conductor9 Its c9s9a9 must be at least hal" which it is connected9 I" it connects two exposed conducti e parts 2M8 and M: in Figure G9,3 its c9s9a9 must b o" the two PE conductors 2"or M8 and M:39 E4uipotential conductors which are not inco protected mechanically by conduits( ducting( etc9 where er possible9 $ther important uses "or supplementary e4uipotential conductors concern the reduction particulary "or indirect/contact protection schemes in 5N/ or I5/earthed installations( an electrical ris# 2re"er to IE! >G1>C/C/C839

Fig. G62: Supplementar% e2uipotential conductors

%etrie ed "rom Phttp'//www9electrical/installation9org/wi#i/Protecti eQearthingQconduct

5his page was last modi"ied on ? March :G8G( at 8B'=G9 5his page has been accessed D(>== times9