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Revision #2 10/11
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Summary
Abstract ........................................................................................................... p 3
Background ..................................................................................................... p 4
Ground-fault Protection for Solidly-grounded Wye Systems .............................. p 17
Principal Purposes of a Bonding and Grounding System .................................. p 21
Common Electrical System Congurations Employed
in Data Center Facilities .................................................................................... p 26
Commonly Issues Found with Grounding Systems
in Data Center Facilities .................................................................................... p 31
Grounding System Inspections and Testing ...................................................... p 34
References ...................................................................................................... p 36
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
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Abstract
In order for data centers and related facilities to properly operate as designed and intended, it is extremely
important that care be given to the effective installation and maintenance of bonding and grounding systems.
This paper presents the fundamentals of power system grounding, fundamental denitions and requirements
of the National Electrical Code
(NEC
) with respect to grounding, the need for low voltage ground fault
protection and how it is implemented, and special grounding requirements imposed by the data center
operating environment. This paper also provides a summary of the applicable NEC articles, a review of
clauses from specic IEEE
Z
A
and
Z
F
are very small compared to the ground resistor resistance value R,
which is a good approximation if the fault is a bolted ground fault, then the ground fault current is approximately
equal to the phase-to-neutral voltage of the faulted phase divided by R. The faulted phase voltage to ground in
that case would be zero and the unfaulted phase voltages to ground would be 173% of their values without a
ground fault present. This is the same phenomenon exhibited by the ungrounded system arrangement, except
that the ground fault current is larger and approximately in-phase with the phase-to-neutral voltage on the
faulted phase. The limitation of the ground fault current to such a low level, along with the absence of a solidly-
grounded system neutral, has the effect of making this system ground arrangement unsuitable for single-phase
line-to-neutral loads.
Figure 11: High-resistance-grounded system with a ground fault on one phase
The ground fault current is not large enough to force its removal by taking the system off-line. Therefore, the
high-resistance grounded system has the same operational advantage in this respect as the ungrounded
system. However, in addition to the improved voltage transient response as previously explained, the high-
resistance grounded system has the advantage of allowing the location of a ground fault to be tracked.
A typical ground detection system for a high-resistance grounded system is illustrated in Fig. 12. The ground
resistor is shown with a tap between two resistor sections R1 and R2. When a ground fault occurs, relay 59
(the ANSI standard for an overvoltage relay, as discussed later in this guide) detects the increased voltage
across the resistor. It sends a signal to the control circuitry to initiate a ground fault alarm by energizing the
alarm indicator. When the operator turns the pulse control selector to the ON position, the control circuit
causes pulsing contact P to close and re-open approximately once per second. When P closes, R2 is shorted
and the pulse indicator is energized. R1 and R2 are sized so that approximately 5-7 times the resistor
continuous ground fault current ows when R2 is shorted.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
The result is a pulsing ground fault current that can be detected using a clamp-on ammeter (an analog
ammeter is most convenient). By tracing the circuit with the ammeter, the ground fault location can be
determined. Once the ground fault has been removed from the system pressing the alarm reset button will
de-energize the alarm indicator.
Figure 12: Pulsing ground detection system
This type of system is known as a pulsing ground detection system and is very effective in locating ground
faults, but is generally more expensive than the ungrounded system ground fault indicator in Fig. 9.
Three-wire vs. four-wire systems
Regardless of the system grounding arrangement, questions frequently arise in data center power system
design as to whether a three-wire or four-wire system should be employed. The concept of three-wire vs. four-
wire systems was discussed in section Solidly-grounded Systems on page 5. In general, a three-phase, four-
wire wye system is distinguished by the use of the neutral conductor. The reason for using a neutral conductor is
to be able to supply single-phase line-to-neutral loads. An example of such a load is 277 V lighting.
Ultimately, if single-phase line-to-neutral loads are not required to be supplied, a three-wire system is sufcient.
Such a system is less expensive due to the removal of the need for neutral busses in power equipment,
running neutral conductors, etc. As discussed in section Solidly-grounded Systems on page 5, what is
commonly referred to as a three-wire system is actually a four-wire system if the equipment grounding
conductor, as described below, is counted.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Grounding and bonding definitions and descriptions
The following denitions are taken from The National Electrical Code [1], section 100 unless otherwise noted.
Where some text for a denition is given in quotation marks ( ), the portion of the denition in quotation marks
is from the NEC denition itself, along with additional explanatory text not in quotation marks.
Bonding Jumper: A reliable conductor to ensure the required electrical conductivity between metal parts
required to be electrically connected. Every bonding jumper must be adequately sized to effectively carry all
phase-to-ground fault current likely to be imposed on it.
Equipment Bonding Jumper: The connection between two or more portions of the equipment
grounding conductor.
Main Bonding Jumper: The connection between the grounded circuit conductor and the equipment
grounding conductor at the service.
System Bonding Jumper: The connection between the grounded circuit conductor and the equipment
grounding conductor at a separately derived system. The primary function or purpose of the system bonding
jumper is to provide for an applicable reference to earth for the system voltage at the origins of the specic
and separately derived system. (This denition was added to the NEC for the rst time in the 2005 Edition.)
Grounded: Connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.
Effectively grounded: Intentionally connected to earth through a ground connection or connections of
sufciently low impedance and having sufcient current-carrying capacity to prevent the buildup of voltage
that may result in undue hazards to connected equipment of persons.
Solidly Grounded: Connected to ground (earth) without inserting any resistor or impedance device.
Grounded Conductor: A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded. The grounded conductor
carries current during normal operations of the power distribution system. Normal operations imply the absence
of a faulted condition or surge event. The grounded conductor is also referred to as the neutral conductor.
Grounding Conductor: A conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system
to a grounding electrode or electrodes. A grounding conductor is intended to only carry current during an
abnormal operation as during a faulted condition or surge event.
Equipment Grounding Conductor: The conductor used to connect the non-current carrying metal parts
of equipment, raceways, and other enclosures to the system grounded conductor, the grounding electrode
conductor, or both at the service equipment or at the source of a separately derived system.
Grounding Electrode: A device that establishes an electrical connection to the earth. This denition was
added to the NEC for the rst time in the 2005 Edition.
Grounding Electrode Conductor: The conductor used to connect the grounding electrode(s) to the
equipment grounding conductor, to the grounded conductor, or to both, at the service, at the building or
structure where supplied by a feeder(s) or branch circuit(s), or a source of a separately derived system.
Ground-fault Protection of Equipment: A system intended to provide protection of equipment from
damaging line-to-ground fault currents by operating to cause a disconnecting means to open all ungrounded
conductors of the faulted circuit. This protection is provided at current levels less than those required to
protect conductors from damage through the operation of a supply circuit overcurrent device.
Ground Fault Current Path: NEC 250.2 denes a ground fault return path as, an electrically conductive
path from the point of a ground fault on a wiring system through normally non-current-carrying conductors,
equipment, or the earth to the electrical supply source.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Effective Ground Fault Current Path: NEC 250.2 denes an effective ground fault return path as, an
intentionally constructed, permanent, low-impedance electrically conductive path designed and intended
to carry current under ground-fault conditions from the point of a ground fault on a wiring system to the
electrical supply source and that facilitates the operation of the overcurrent protective device or ground fault
detectors on high-impedance grounded systems.
In addition, NEC 250.4(A)(5) mandates that the electrical equipment and wiring and other electrically
conductive material likely to become energized shall be installed in a manner that creates a permanent, low-
impedance circuit facilitating the operation of the overcurrent device or ground detector for high-impedance
grounded systems. Also an effective ground fault current path shall be capable of safely carrying the
maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on it from any point on the wiring system where a ground
fault may occur to the electrical supply source. The earth shall not be considered as an effective ground-fault
current path.
The following gure shows, in graphical form, several elements of system grounding as dened above:
Figure 13: Elements of system grounding as defined by [1]
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
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Ground-fault Protection for
Solidly-grounded Wye Systems
Because the ground fault is the most common type of system fault, and because low-voltage systems are
necessarily the largest portion of most industrial and commercial facilities, low-voltage, ground-fault protection
has become a specialized area of development for system protection. These systems are specially designed to
provide sensitive protection, even for four-wire systems with imbalanced loads.
The NEC [1] requires at least one level of ground-fault protection for most solidly-grounded electrical systems
1000 A or more and above 150 volts to ground but not exceeding 600 V phase-to-phase. For this reason, the
ground-fault systems described herein are prevalent in systems meeting these criteria.
Ground-fault protection for low-voltage radial systems is straightforward. For electronic trip units the tripping
logic is typically built into the circuit breaker, and only the neutral CT or sensor must be connected to complete
the ground fault protection system. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 14:
Figure 14: Low-Voltage Ground-Fault Protection for 4-wire radial system
In Fig. 14 the neutral sensor may be an air-core CT or a conventional iron-core CT. Note that the ground fault
current is diverted around the neutral sensor when it is placed on the load-side of the main or system bonding
jumper. Under normal unbalanced-load conditions the neutral sensor will detect the neutral current and prevent
the circuit breaker from tripping. Note that if the system is a three-wire system without a system neutral the
neutral CT is omitted.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
If the circuit breaker is not equipped with an electronic trip system, an external ground fault relay may be used
with a zero-sequence sensor to trip the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker must be equipped with a shunt trip
attachment in this case. Fig. 15 shows an example of this arrangement. In Fig. 15 the external ground fault
relay is noted as GS. In low-voltage systems this is the typical notation rather than 51G, although 51G
could be used also. Note that in a three-wire system the neutral is omitted, and the zero-sequence sensor
surrounds the phase conductors only.
Figure 15: Low-voltage ground-fault protection for four-wire radial system with zero-sequence sensor and relay
Because four-pole circuit breakers are not in common use in the USA, the issue of multiple ground current
return paths has a large effect upon ground-fault protection in four-wire systems. To illustrate this point,
consider a secondary-selective system as shown in Fig. 16:
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Figure 16: Secondary-selective system with radial ground-fault protection applied
A ground fault on one bus has two return paths: Through its source-transformer main/system bonding jumper
or the other source-transformer main/system bonding jumper neutral. How much ground fault current ows
in each path is dependent upon the ground or zero-sequence impedances of the system, which is difcult
to evaluate. Therefore, Fig. 16 assumes that a factor of (A x the total ground-fault current) ows through the
source transformer main/system bonding jumper neutral and (B x the total ground-fault current) ows through
the other transformer main/system bonding jumper, where A + B = 1. As can be seen from Fig. 16, the ground-
fault protection for the faulted bus can be de-sensitized or, worse, the wrong circuit breaker(s) may trip.
AT310 | 19
System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
The solution is the modied-differential ground fault system. A typical concept example of such a system is
shown in gure Fig. 17:
Figure 17: Modified-differential ground-fault protection for secondary-selective system
In Fig. 17 the breaker internal sensors are shown, but the trip units are omitted for clarity. The ground-
fault function for CB-M1 is noted as GM1, for CB-M2 is noted as GM2, and for CB-T is noted as GT. In
this arrangement, regardless of the ground current dividing factors A and B the correct circuit breakers will
sense the ground fault and trip. Note that this system works regardless of whether CB-T is normally-open or
normally-closed. Non-electronic circuit breakers could also be used, but external CTs and ground relays would
have to be utilized.
For unusual system arrangements or arrangements with more then two sources, the system of gure Fig. 17
can be expanded. These are usually custom-engineered solutions.
Another possible option, in lieu of the modied differential ground fault system, is the use of four-pole circuit
breakers. These switch the neutral as well as the phase conductors, separating the neutrals of multi-source
circuits. This method will not work if sources are paralleled. Four-pole circuit breakers are not common in the
USA for this reason, as well the increased physical equipment sizes they necessitate.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
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Principal Purposes of a Bonding
and Grounding System
The principal purposes for an effectively bonded grounding system via a low impedance path to earth are
intended to provide for the following:
Provide for an applicable reference to earth to stabilize
the system voltage of a power distribution system during
normal operation
The system voltage is determined by how the secondary winding of any power class or distribution class
transformer is actually congured as well as how the windings are referenced to ground or earth. The primary
function or purpose of the system bonding jumper is to provide for an applicable reference to earth for
the system voltage at the origins of the specic and separately derived system to stabilize the voltage.
(i.e., 600 Y/347 V, 480 Y/277 V, or 208 Y/120 V, three-phase, four-wire, solidly grounded, WYE systems)
The system bonding jumper is employed as a direct connection between the Xo terminal of a supplying
transformer, generator, or UPS output terminals and earth. The system bonding jumper is usually connected
within the same enclosure as the power supply terminals and the jumper is not normally sized to carry large
magnitudes of phase-to-ground fault current.
Create a relatively controlled path for ground-fault
current to flow
The exact point in time where a phase-to-ground fault might occur can not be determined. However,
depending on the exact point of the phase-to-ground fault within a specic power distribution system, multiple
return paths are likely to occur between the point where the fault conductor makes contact with a conductive
surface and the Xo terminal of the supplying transformer or local standby generator. Consequently, it is
desirable and preferred that the majority of the ground fault current ow primarily in the specic equipment
bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors directly associated with the faulted circuit. If the
impedance in the equipment bonding jumpers and equipment ground conductors associated with the faulted
circuit is too high, then signicant magnitudes of phase-to ground fault current will likely take various other
parallel paths in order to return to the source winding of the power supply. These various other uncontrolled
and unexpected return paths can subject facility personnel to dangerous touch potential differences that can
cause death, injury or permanent damage to internal organs. In addition, other unaffected equipment could be
negatively affected or damaged by potential rises and unintended ow of current.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Create an effective and very low impedance path for
ground-fault current to flow in order for overcurrent
protective devices and any ground-fault protection
systems to operate effectively
During the time of the phase-to-ground faulted condition the subjected equipment bonding jumpers and the
equipment grounding conductors are intended to function as a very low impedance path between the point of
the fault and the ground bus within the service equipment or the stand by generator equipment. Consequently,
these affect equipment bonding jumpers and the equipment grounding conductors constitute 50% of the
total power circuit during the period in which phase-to-ground fault current is owing. If the impedance in the
ground fault return path is not low enough, then the overcurrent protective devices employed in the circuit such
as fuses and circuit breakers will be ineffective to prevent substantial equipment damage. In extreme cases the
resulting ow of phase-to-ground fault current might actually even be lower than the rating of the fuses and
thermal-magnetic circuit breakers installed to protect the affected circuit.
For example, in order for fuses or thermal/magnetic circuit breakers to interrupt a phase-to-ground fault in a
480 Y/277 V, three-phase, four-wire power distribution system, the maximum impedance in the ground fault
return path must be lower than is calculated below for specically rated device:
Table 1: Overcurrent device size vs. maximum impedance in ground return loop for device
operation during a ground fault, 480 Y/277 V system
Fuse Size (A) (a) CB Size (A) (b) Maximum Impedance in Ground Return Loop ()*
5 10 18.48
10 20 9.23
15 30 6.12
20 40 4.62
30 60 3.08
40 80 2.31
50 100 1.75
75 150 1.23
100 200 0.924
125 250 0.739
150 300 0.616
175 350 0.528
200 400 0.462
250 500 0.370
300 600 0.308
400 800 0.231
500 1000 0.093
600 1200 0.154
800 1600 0.116
1000 2000 0.093
n/a 2500 0.074
1500 3000 0.062
2000 4000 0.047
* The maximum impedance shown is equal to 277/(3 x fuse size) or 277/(1.5 x circuit breaker size)
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
From the data in the previous example it can be clearly seen that fuses or thermal/magnetic circuit breakers
cannot possibly provide any effective and reliable circuit protection for phase-to-ground fault conditions if the
impedance in the ground fault return path is too high.
Per NEC
250-4(A)(5) in order to meet the requirements of an effective ground-fault current path electrical
equipment and wiring and other electrically conductive material likely to become energized shall be installed in
a manner that creates a permanent, low-impedance circuit facilitating the operation of the overcurrent device
or ground detector for high-impedance grounded systems. The ground fault current path must be capable of
effectively and safely carrying the maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on it from any point in a
specic power distribution system where a ground fault may occur to the return to power supply source. Earth
can not be considered as an effective ground-fault current path. Therefore, randomly inserting individual ground
rods into the soil to connect to remote electrical equipment will not provide an effective return path for phase-
to-ground fault current.
The primary function or purpose of the main bonding jumper (or MBJ) located within the service equipment
is to provide a low impedance return path for the return of phase-to-ground fault current from the ground
bus in the service equipment to the respective power supply source such as service transformers, stand by
generators, or the output terminals of onsite UPS via the neutral conductors. The MBJ must be adequately
sized to effectively carry all phase-to-ground fault current likely to be imposed on it. In addition, the MBJ is
another bonding jumper that is often employed to stabilize the system voltage with respect to ground or earth.
However, the MBJ is only a small portion of the ground fault return path for phase-to-ground fault current to
return to the X
o
terminal of the respect power source.
Limit differences of potential, potential rise, or step gradients
between equipment and personnel, personnel and earth,
equipment and earth, or equipment-to-equipment
It is extremely important that all conductive surfaces and equipment enclosures associated with any power
distribution system be effective bonded together via a low impedance path. As partial explained in paragraph
Create a relatively controlled path for ground-fault current to ow on page 18, without a very low impedance
path for ground fault current to ow in a relatively controlled path potential rises or step potential differences are
likely to occur at other locations within the power distribution system. However, during non-faulted conditions
part of the normal load current will ow through the conductive surfaces, equipment enclosures, and earth if
any current carrying conductor is connected to earth at more than one location. For example, if any grounded
conductor (neutral) were to become connected to any conductive surface or equipment enclosure downstream
of the MBJ, then part of the load current will ow through the conductive surface, equipment enclosure, or the
earth because a parallel path will have been created.
Any current ow in any parallel paths that results in current owing in any bonding or grounding conductor
is identied as objectionable current ow. NEC 250.6 provides information on arrangements to prevent and
alterations to stop objectionable current over grounding conductors. The grounding of electrical systems,
circuit conductors, surge arresters, and conductive noncurrent-carrying materials and equipment shall be
installed and arranged in a manner that will prevent objectionable current over the grounding conductors
or grounding paths. If the use of multiple grounding connections results in objectionable current, then a
facility must discontinue one or more but not all of such grounding connections, change the locations of
the grounding connections, interrupt the continuity of the conductor or conductive path interconnecting the
grounding connections, or take other suitable remedial and approved action.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Limit voltage rise or potential differences imposed on an
asset, facility, or structure from lightning strikes, a surge
event impinging on the service equipment, and phase-to-
ground fault conditions, or the inadvertent commingling
or unintentional contact with a different voltage system
When lightning strikes an asset, facility or structure the return stroke current will divide up among all parallel
conductive paths between attachment point and earth. The division of current will be inversely proportional
to the path impedance Z, (Z = (R
2
+ X
2
)
1
2
, square-root of the square of resistance plus square of inductive
reactance). The resistance term should be very low, assuming effectively bonded metallic conductors.
The inductance and corresponding related inductive reactance presented to the total return current will be
determined by the combination of all the individual inductive paths in parallel. The more parallel paths that exist
in a bonding and grounding system will equate to lower total impedance.
Lightning should be considered an extremely stiff current source. The potential difference between the charged
ions in a cloud formation and earth can exceed 100 kV. A given stroke will contain a certain amount of charge
(coulombs = amps x seconds) that must be equalized during the discharge process. For example, if the return
stroke is 50 kA, then that is the magnitude of current that will ow, whether it ows through an impedance
path that consist of one ohm or 1000 ohms. Subsequently, extremely high potential rises, or differences of
potential, can very rapidly result relative to the path impedance. For example, assume a magnitude of current
stroke to be 10 kA. If the impedance in the bonding and grounding system is 1 , then the potential rise across
the impedance of 1 can equate to potential difference of 10 kV. The higher value of impedance in a bonding
or grounding system equates to a higher potential rise between specic points during a lightning event. The
magnitude of current in a lightning stroke can not be controlled.
Therefore, achieving the lowest possible path impedance serves to minimize the transient voltage developed
across the impedance path through which the current is owing [e(t) = I(t)R + L di/dt)].
The potential rise throughout an asset, facility or structure can occur without a direct lightning strike to the
asset, facility or structure itself. A direct lightning strike to earth near an asset, facility or structure can result in
current owing in the soil directly under the asset/facility/structure. Subsequently, any asset, facility or structure
above ground level could effectively become a parallel path above the surface of the soil for lightning current
to ow in numerous parallel paths. For example, if the impedance between one end of a single story structure
to the other end of the same structure through the steel frame were 1 and 10 kA of lightning current were
to ow under the building, then the potential rise across the frame of the steel could equate to a potential
difference of 10 kV. Any increase in the resistance through the steel frame of the structure or an increase in
the magnitude of lightning current owing across the surface of the soil would equate to a higher potential rise
across the frame of the structure. Installations that have assets and structures spread over a relatively wide
geographic area, as large ofce building complexes or data center complexes, are more likely to be adversely
affected by direct and indirect lightning strikes.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Because of the miles of overhead distribution lines employed for the distribution of electricity, it is quite
common for power distribution equipment within a facility to be adversely affected by surge energy impinging
on the service equipment from atmospheric conditions outside of the facility. Consequently, it is extremely
important that the X
o
terminal associated with the secondary winding of the service entrance transformer and
the ground bus within the service equipment be effectively bonded together and solidly grounded to earth via a
low impedance path.
Electrical services that are solidly grounded are with respect to earth can be effectively operated within the
voltage rating of the conductors and equipment and are relatively free from excessive system over voltages or
destructive transient over voltages associated with ungrounded systems. The potential rises possible at various
points during a phase-to-ground fault condition are limited by an electrical service that is solidly grounded.
In addition, during such abnormal conditions where by a medium voltage distribution line might drop and
inadvertently make contact with the low voltage service conductors, the solidly grounded service will assist in
limiting the potential rise throughout the power distribution system.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
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Common Electrical System Configurations
Employed in Data Center Facilities
Solidly grounded systems in a radial service
In addition to the denition of a solidly grounded system in NEC 100, Clause 1.4.6 of IEEE Standard 142, solid
grounding refers to the connection of the neutral of a generator or power transformer directly to the station
ground or to the earth. Presently solidly grounded systems are the most common type of power distribution
system employed within the North America.
Solidly grounded power distribution systems provide stable system voltage relative to earth and prevent the
excessive system over voltages and voltage instabilities that are commonly associated with ungrounded power
systems. In addition, phase-to-ground faults are easier to detect and sense. Under a proper installation multiple
levels of ground fault protection can be employed through a power distribution system to selectively remove
a fault circuit from the system. Intended selective coordination is the main reason that most all local utilities or
electric service providers distribution electrical power as three-phase, four-wire, solidly grounded WYE system
and supply service entrance utilization transformers with secondary windings congured as three-phase, four-
wire, solidly grounded WYE.
Fig. 18 and Fig. 19 below indicate how the service entrance equipment with it main overcurrent protective
device are commonly congured and terminated in a typical radial service:
SOURCE 1
GROUND BUS
N
52-1
52-1
PS
52-1
X2
X1
2
1
NS
Figure 18: Solidly-grounded radial service, one-line diagram arrangement
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
SOURCE (LINE)
NEUTRAL
DISCONNECT
LINE
MAIN
BONDING
JUMPER
GROUND
DISCONNECT
LINE
A C B
A C B
52
X2
X1
NS
52
52
TEST
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
22
R
PS
LOAD
CHASSIS
GRD
N
N
Figure 19: Radial service, three-line (elementary) diagram arrangement
The most common utilization voltage conguration employed in data center facilities in the USA is 480 Y/277 V,
three-phase, four-wire with a solidly grounded WYE. Therefore, a ground fault protection system is often
necessary. ground fault protection system is a designed, coordinated, functional and properly installed system
that provides protection from electrical faults or short circuit conditions that result from any unintentional,
electrically conducting connection between an ungrounded conductor of an electrical circuit and the normally
non-current-carrying conductors, metallic enclosures, metallic raceways, metallic equipment or earth. NEC
230.95A mandates that solidly grounded WYE electrical services rated 1000 A or more with a system voltage
of more than 150 volts to ground have a ground fault protection system installed. Consequently, it is very
important that an effective ground fault return path remain in existence at all times. In addition, NEC 230.95C
mandates that the ground-fault protection system shall be performance tested when rst installed on site.
The test shall be conducted in accordance with instructions that shall be provided with the equipment.
A written record of this test shall be made and shall be available to the authority having jurisdiction.
Ground-fault protection of downstream feeder and branch circuits and equipment is not required by the
NEC if protection is provided on an upstream feeder overcurrent device or at the main overcurrent device in
the service equipment. However, additional levels of ground-fault protection on feeder and branch circuits is
recommended so that a phase-to-ground fault any where down stream in the power distribution system does
not interrupt power to the majority or the entire electrical system. Because 95% to 98% of all electrical faulted
conditions originate as phase-to-ground fault, it is recommended that multiple levels ground fault protection
become an essential protection function within important electrical distribution equipment whenever possible
regardless of the minimum NEC requirements.
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
Solidly-ground systems in a multiple-ended service
Many larger data center facilities employ more than one interconnected electrical service or have large standby
generator onsite that are interconnected to the service equipment as an alternative electrical power source. The
installation and interconnection of two or more electrical supplies into one switchboard or switchgear line up of
service equipment create unique bonding and grounding issues along with challenges for an effective ground
fault protection. Within service or distribution equipment that is supplied with multiple sources of electrical
power the neutral bussing and the ground bussing internal to the equipment are effectively connected in
parallel via two or more main bonding jumpers. Consequently, there are neutral-to-ground bonds downstream
of each main bonding jumper. A common service equipment arrangement is where there is a one common
load bus supplied by two possible power supplies. One of the power supplies would naturally be a power class
transformer provided by a local utility or an independent electrical service provider and other power supply
might represent an alternative electrical source as a large stand-by generator permanently installed onsite.
Refer to Fig. 20 below:
SOURCE 1 SOURCE 2
GROUND BUS
COMMON LOAD BUS
N N
52-1
52-1
PS
52-2
PS
52-1
X2
X1
16
17
17
16
52-2 52-2
NS
X1
X2
NS
Figure 20: Double-ended service Main-main arrangement
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System grounding and ground-fault protection for data centers What you need to know
SOURCE 1 SOURCE 2
GROUND BUS
LOAD BUS NO. 1 LOAD BUS NO. 2
N N
52-1
52-1
PS
52-1
X2
X2
X2
X1
1
X1
X1
17
17
16
52-2
52-2
PS
17
16
16
52-2
NS NS
52-T
52-T
NS
52-T
PS
N