Earth Mechanics (for CE Regs)

[richie00boy]

It's been a good few years since I last knew the regs inside out, so can anybody confirm if you still have to have the mains safety earth connected to a dedicated bolt on the chassis, or can I use the same bolt that holds the IEC inlet to the chassis? Obviously I will be using the requisite shakeproof/serrated washers.

[pinkmouse]

IIRC, it has to be on it's own bolt, so it can't be removed accidentally. If it is a bolt, and it is accessable externally, you might have to use a nut to secure it first, before you add any connections, so it can't be undone from outside the case.

[AndrewT]

Hi,
don't know the wording of the regs.

But if you have to dismantle the equipment to remove the semi-permanent safety earth securing nut then it should comply.

However, if the screw holding the IEC socket and safety earth is accessible from the outside and could be inadvertently slackened then I would expect that to be non compliance.

[richie00boy]

I don't remember anything when I studied the regs last about the IEC socket being able to be slackened from the outside.

I have a feeling the earth bolt has to be a minimum size? M4?

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I've seen safety earth welded to the chassis and also seen the safety bolt head welded to chassis. Maybe a different clause applies to welded connections.

But in either case there was no M4 bolt.

[jcx]

I seem to remember the test # being 20 A at < 1 V drop, presumably the hardware should match the correct wire size/ring lug