The Philippine Electronics Code, Section 3
The second measure is to provide paths to
General electrical protection and grounding requirements
3.1 GENERAL
Electrical protection measures covered in this code
are directed against the effects of lightning, accidental
contact with power lines,
voltages/electromagnetically/electro- statically induced
into communication circuits in parallel lines of power
lines and local earth potential rises.
3.1.1 OBJECTIVE
Electrical hazards from exposure to lightning
and power system subjective by communication
system and unless adequate protection measures are
employed.
A. The primary considerations of electrical
protection are:
 To minimize electrical hazards.
 To reduce damage to equipment and plant.
 To eliminate any fire hazard.
 To minimize acoustic shock hazards.
B. The amount of protection is determined by a
proper balance between:
 The cost of protection measures
employed plus the amount required to
maintain the protection level.
 The value of damage to life and property
or that of service interruptions caused by
electrical hazards.
 Protection measures may be more costly
so it is desirable to consider protection
requirements in setting up the plant.
 Standards specified in the code revolves
around optimum protection, but
sometimes the state of the art progresses
and techniques evolve that meet the
intent of the code.
 Communication entities should update
its practice voluntarily.
3.1.2 LIGHTNING
It is an electrical discharge which occurs
between clouds and earth.
C. Lightning surges can appear in various parts of
communication system.
D. The path lightning takes depends upon the
impedance presented to its wave front.
E. Lightning behaves very much like radio
frequency voltages.
F. Lightning surges may reach endure equipment
and circuits through exposed portions of the
communication systems.
3.2 PROTECTION METHODS
3.1.3 POWER CONTACT/INDUCTION
A. Good construction and adequate spacing are the
first line of defence against power contact and
induction hazards.
B.
ground on the communication facilities.
C. Insulation on communication conductors may
withstand secondary power potentials.
D. Equipment connected to such lines shall be
provided with protectors capable of discharging
sufficient current.
E. When there are faults in the power systems,
adequate protection is required.
F. A disturbance affecting communication circuits
serving electrical power stations is ground
potential rise. The magnitude of this potential is
the product of the ground currents and the
ground impedance.
G. Isolating and neutralizing transformers and or
other appropriate devices should be utilized to
prevent disturbance exposed to rise in ground
potential.
3.1.4 ACOUSTIC SHOCK
A. Voltage surges on the communication plant may
also be the cause.
B. To reduce the effect of acoustic shocks, a
device consisting of two rectifiers shall be
connected across the telephone receiver or
headset.
C. The device shall meet the following:
 It should occupy a small space.
 Its electrical characteristics should not
show significance changes.
 It should not degrade the performance of the
circuit.
 It should operate such that the amplitude of
the sound pressure does not exceed.
3.1.5 ELECTRIC SHOCK
A. Shock current is also dependent on the
impedance of the circuit contacted and of the
victim.
B. The average resistance of a dry adult human
body is approximately 1 million ohms.
C. Ventricular fibrillation occurs when a certain
current of amperes passes through chest cavity.
D. The potential difference between any exposed
structures to the ground shall not exceed 45 volts
rms ac or 135 volts dc.
E. The potential difference between the points
should not exceed 45 volts rms ac or 135 volts
dc.
F. The limits specified in 3.1.5.D and 3.1.5.E
concern only the safety of personnel and proper
equipment performance.
3.2.1 SHIELDING
a grounded electrical conductor that will
intercept and surge currents with the least damage.
Parallel and conductivity is similar to shielding.

3.2.2 VOLTAGE LIMITING
Prevents hazardous potential differences in
communication plants.
3.2.3 CURRENT LIMITING AND
INTERRUPTING
Current can be kept from rising above a
predetermined value by the use of fuse.
3.2.4 GROUNDING AND BONDING
A. Purpose
 Grounds or connection are used to divert
undesired currents. When difference
between the grounded plant and remote
earth does not exceed the breakdown
potential of the plant.
B. Ground resistance
 The resistance path of the ground connection
which includes the wire and its connection
to ground electrode.
C. Made ground
 An electrode buried in the ground for the
purpose of establishing a low resistance
electrical contact with earth.
3.3 METHODS AND MATERIALS
3.3.1 LIGHTNING ROD
A. The area within which strokes are likely to be
diverted to a structure varies with the structures
effective height.
B. The material for the lightning rod shall be
galvanize iron/steel, copper weld or other
corrosion-resistant material.
C. Lightning rod shall be mounted atop structures
not less than 30 cm above the highest point of
structure or not less than 30 cm.
D. A no. 2 awg grounding conductor connected to
the lightning rod shall be run in the
shortest route. Each lightning rod shall require a
separate of #2 awg grounding conductor.
E. Structures not requiring lightning rod
installations are:
 Structures within the area described in
3.3.1.a due to nearby taller buildings or
structures.
 Passive reflectors and other similar fully
metallic structures.
 Metallic antenna towers or poles.
F. All others structures not covered by provision
3.3.1.e shall be provided with lightning rod or
rods as required considering provision 3.3.1.c.
G. The grounding system of lightning rods shall not
be used as grounding conductors for any part of
a plant.
3.3.2 FUSES AND CURRENT INTERUPTING
Current interrupting may be accomplished by
employing one or any combination of the
following:
 Fuse link (fuses)
 Heat coils
 Fuse cable
 Automatic circuit breaker
A. Fuses are effective only when its time and
current operating characteristics are
matched to that of the circuit it is intended to
protect.
B. An arc may persist under the influence of
excessive voltage.
C. Fuses are not effective for limiting short
duration surges so it becomes necessary to
provide some means of diverting surge currents.
D. Heat coils that guard against “sneak current” fire
hazard and will carry 0.35 ampere for about
3 hours and will operate within 210 seconds and
0.54 ampere.
E. Fuse cables are telephone cable sections
installed in series and prior to the plant being
protected.
F. An automatic circuit breaker is a device which
opens the circuit when the current exceeds a
predetermined rating in a specified time.
G. The choice of current interrupting device or
method shall consider the cost of the protection
measure/s against the value of service
continuity.
3.3.3 SURGE ARRESTERS
A. Striking voltage must be as constant as possible
even after several successive discharge.
B. The transition from glow to arc discharge must
occur at less than one ampere.
C. The arching voltage must be as small as
possible.
D. Must be capable of carrying several tens of
amperes for periods of the order of one
second.
E. The surge arrester must “fail safe” through final
short-circuiting of the electrodes.
F. The choice of breakdown voltage rating of surge
arrester shall be as low as possible.
3.3.4 GROUNDING AND BONDING
A. A properly designed grounding system shall
result in the following:
 Limiting to definite value the potential to
earth of the entire communication system.
 Keeping the voltage to ground of metallic
enclosures.
 Protecting against static electricity with its
attendant shock and fire hazards.
 Providing a low impedance path for
currents.
 B. No cutout switch or fuse shall be placed in the
ground lead.
C. The copper grounding conductors should be
insulated to allow continuity testing.
D. Ground conductors should be run only in non-
metallic conduit or not in conduit.
E. Water pipe ground shall be an addition to the
primary grounding electrode system and shall
not be a substitute for it, or vice versa.
F. Ground wiring shall be as short as possible
without sharp bends and kinks.
G. All elements of the communication plant
designed to be at ground potential shall be
bonded together.
3.4 MEASUREMENTS
3.5 MAINTENANCE
3.4.1 GROUND RESISTANCE TEST
METHODS
Two basic test methods:
 Direct method or two terminal test
 Fall of potential method or three terminal
test
A. The direct method is the simplest way to make
an earth resistance test. Resistance of two
electrodes in series is measured.
 Three important considerations:
 The reference ground or water systems
must be extensive enough to have
negligible resistance.
 The water pipe must be metallic
throughout without any insulating
couplings or flanges.
 The earth electrode under test must be
far enough away from the water-pipe
system.
B. The fall of potential method uses two reference
rods.
C. Other methods for ground resistance
measurements may be used such as voltmeter-
ammeter method and triangular method.
3.4.2 EARTH RESISTIVITY
A. Different types of soil exhibits different
resistivity.
B. Conduction of current is largely electrolytic so
the amount of moisture and salt content of the
soil radically affects its resistivity.
C. An increase in temperature will decrease
resistivity because water in soil mostly
determines the resistivity and an increase in
temperature decreases the relativity of
water.
D. Earth resistivity is a very variable quantity and
to determine the value is to measure it.
E. The deeper ground electrode gives a more stable
and lower value of resistance.
3.4.3 DETERMINING GOOD ELECTRODE
LOCATION
A. There are two approaches to picking this
location:
 Drive rods in various locations to such
depths as may be required and measure the
resistances while the rods are being driven.
 Measure the earth resistivity before driving
ground rods.
3.4.4 HOW TO IMPROVE GROUNDS
A. Lengthen the ground-electrode in the earth.
B. Use multiple rods.
C. Treat the soil when 3.4.4.A or 3.4.4.B is not
feasible.
3.5.1 GROUND SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
FROM YEAR TO YEAR CAN CHANGE
DEPENDING ON THE FOLLOWING
FACTORS:
A. A plant or facility can expand in size or change
its operation.
B. As more non-metallic pipes and conduits are
installed underground, it becomes less
and less dependable as effective low ground
connections.
C. The water table is gradually failing and grounds
formerly effective may end up ineffective.
3.5.2 GROUND RESISTANCE SHALL BE
TESTED WHEN INSTALLED AND AT LEAST
ONCE A YEAR DURING THE DRY OR NON-
RAINY MONTHS AND ALL VALUES
OBTAINED SHALL BE NO GREATER THAN
REQUIRED IN RULE 3.2.4.B.
3.5.3 ALL GROUNDS CONNECTIONS SHALL
BE CHECKED AT LEAST ONCE EACH YEAR
TO BE SURE THEY ARE TIGHT.
3.5.4 DO NOT TEST GROUNDS DURING
THUNDERSTORM DAYS.
3.5.5 NEVER TAKE HOLD OF TWO WIRES
OR A WIRE OR ROD OR PROBE IN SUCH A
WAY THAT SHOULD COMPLETE A
CIRCUIT THROUGH YOURSELF.
3.5.6 STRAY EARTH CURRENTS,
ACCIDENTAL CONTACTS OR GROUND
FAULTS IN THE POWER SYSTEM MAY
PRODUCE AN UNDETERMINABLE
DIFFERENCE OF POTENTIAL BETWEEN
TWO POINTS, SO USE RUBBER GLOVES
AND HANDLE GROUND WIRES UNDER
TEST AS IF THEY ARE ENERGIZED.