NEC Code videos
USA Only
I've got the same situation in a early US '60's built house and have put quite a lot of research into possible solutions. Anything short of proper US NEC code is not suggested. Especially a ground to a water pipe which in the chance one could lose a mains neutral in that circuit the ground wire to water pipe could (and likely would) become energized as the current return path. Not Cool !
Suggest you view these great NEC Code videos by Mike Holt. Especially the portion about the "myths of grounding"
Your choices are 1) to install a GFCI receptacle and label it as "GFCI protected, no equipment ground"
(which really doesn't give you want you want)
or 2) Run a green grounding wire all the way back to main breaker box's grounding strip. This is against some local electrical codes.
Addition of extra grounding rod(s) is defiantly not advised. All grounds should terminate at a common location; the main breaker box's grounding strip.
View these videos to see why.
Do not simple take mine or anyone else's advise. Learn, use and trust the NEC code only.
Charles
NEC:Grounding Safety Fundamentals
YouTube
Subjects that are included in above video:
Grounding Myths (Most people don't understand 'grounding')
YouTube
2014 NEC - Grounding Electrode System (Ground Rod Foolishness)
YouTube
Receptacle Replacement Without Ground Wire, NEC 2011
YouTube
USA Only
I've got the same situation in a early US '60's built house and have put quite a lot of research into possible solutions. Anything short of proper US NEC code is not suggested. Especially a ground to a water pipe which in the chance one could lose a mains neutral in that circuit the ground wire to water pipe could (and likely would) become energized as the current return path. Not Cool !
Suggest you view these great NEC Code videos by Mike Holt. Especially the portion about the "myths of grounding"
Your choices are 1) to install a GFCI receptacle and label it as "GFCI protected, no equipment ground"
(which really doesn't give you want you want)
or 2) Run a green grounding wire all the way back to main breaker box's grounding strip. This is against some local electrical codes.
Addition of extra grounding rod(s) is defiantly not advised. All grounds should terminate at a common location; the main breaker box's grounding strip.
View these videos to see why.
Do not simple take mine or anyone else's advise. Learn, use and trust the NEC code only.
Charles
NEC:Grounding Safety Fundamentals
YouTube
Subjects that are included in above video:
Grounding Myths (Most people don't understand 'grounding')
YouTube
2014 NEC - Grounding Electrode System (Ground Rod Foolishness)
YouTube
Receptacle Replacement Without Ground Wire, NEC 2011
YouTube
It's better to refer to safety earth as it is closer to what it looks like in reality than safety ground. A metallic pole deeply planted in humid earth makes a safety earth.
That won't be correct in US terminology.
The Safety Ground (aka Protective Earth) connects to the Neutral at the building's main breaker panel. It's main purpose is to trip the circuit breaker in the event of a ground fault to the unit's chassis (short circuit).
The connection to Planet Earth is thru another system and it is for safety during thunderstorms and other high voltage failures.
What is called 'earth' or 'ground' varies from one country to another. In some cases they can mean exactly the same thing.
I am still unclear whether we are talking about sound or safety. It could be, of course, that the OP thinks that the Earth is some sort of magic sink for all unwanted signals. If I had a house with no Safety Ground (or whatever they call it in your country) then I would be more concerned about staying alive than listening to music.
I am still unclear whether we are talking about sound or safety. It could be, of course, that the OP thinks that the Earth is some sort of magic sink for all unwanted signals. If I had a house with no Safety Ground (or whatever they call it in your country) then I would be more concerned about staying alive than listening to music.
It must seem that all US standards are 'oddball' to others. 'Earth' ground is not a current path, (electrons don't flow into the earth), the neutral wire is the 'current return path' that the current flows back to it's generation source. (electrons seek to return path to their source). That is the reality of it.
Sounds confusing, but not more than most discussions of ground, 'grounding'... much less 'equipotential bonding' confused ... best stop there.
An experiment... (I lost money on) helped me get my head around this.
Take a 15A or even 30 Amp line from the main breaker panel and clamp it to the end of copper rod driven 8' (2.6m) into the 'Earth'.
But before you do, Make Your Bet: Will that HV short to 'earth' throw(blow) the beaker(fuse) that connects it to mains power ???
It will NOT !
You might be able to weld with it or light your last cigar. But it will not trip it's panel breaker.
Sounds confusing, but not more than most discussions of ground, 'grounding'... much less 'equipotential bonding' confused ... best stop there.
An experiment... (I lost money on) helped me get my head around this.
Take a 15A or even 30 Amp line from the main breaker panel and clamp it to the end of copper rod driven 8' (2.6m) into the 'Earth'.
But before you do, Make Your Bet: Will that HV short to 'earth' throw(blow) the beaker(fuse) that connects it to mains power ???
It will NOT !
You might be able to weld with it or light your last cigar. But it will not trip it's panel breaker.
According to Wikipedia (where would we be without it) most countries Earthing Systems
conform to IEC60364 with minor variations. This specifies various earthing arrangements
(TN-S, TN-C-S, TT etc) with pros's and cons of each. All seem to start with a connection
to earth at the generator end with the protective earth connected to this in various ways.
The Wikipedia article is worth a read for those interested.
conform to IEC60364 with minor variations. This specifies various earthing arrangements
(TN-S, TN-C-S, TT etc) with pros's and cons of each. All seem to start with a connection
to earth at the generator end with the protective earth connected to this in various ways.
The Wikipedia article is worth a read for those interested.
For typical dirt-rod, it will NEVER blow the fuse.
I've done just that, except with lamp-limiter and meters. (You often can't get good dirt resistance readings with a low-V ohmmeter.) One dirt rod in my mineral soil runs 100-120 Ohms. On 120V power, it will pass hardly over 1 Amp. 240V to the house is run 120V each side of neutral/ground, so same answer.
FYI: this 1A current is not enough for welding (maybe thin foil with a needle-rod).
Even if you do get 25 Ohms, that's only 5 Amps. Not a fuse-popper, and real lame welder.
"Ground" does NOT "protect" against normal power-company power. It diverts stray leakage in transformer, and tends to divert lightning and HV crosses.
Jumper live 120V directly to the power company Neutral, fuses pop. My very long line will max-out at 800A (on 100A main breaker). Shorter feeders (dense housing) can deliver over 10,000 Amps to a dead short (fuses/breakers try to jump out of the box; 22,000A rating is now common on Service Equipment).
I believe my numbers are typical for 50+% of houses. The NEC wants 25 Ohms, and at 100+ Ohms I am required to drive a second dirt rod. Many many good installations just put in 2 rods, knowing that 1 rod is rarely enough, except in very wet mucky soil. NEC does not require testing 2 rods for <25r, recognizing that some places that would be impractical. (I actually have 5, and may be near 25 Ohms. )
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Any type of system grounding (earthing) includes an electrical ground. This is a mandatory requirement.
I recommend studying the following good articles on the topic.
1) https://www.asutpp.com/types-of-system-earthing.html
2) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-c-earthing-system.html
3) https://www.asutpp.com/it-earthing-system.html
4) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-s-earthing-system.html
5) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-c-s-earthing-system.html
6) https://www.asutpp.com/tt-earthing-system.html
I recommend studying the following good articles on the topic.
1) https://www.asutpp.com/types-of-system-earthing.html
2) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-c-earthing-system.html
3) https://www.asutpp.com/it-earthing-system.html
4) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-s-earthing-system.html
5) https://www.asutpp.com/tn-c-s-earthing-system.html
6) https://www.asutpp.com/tt-earthing-system.html