Soil Resistivity and Grounding System Testing

Roy Chip Whitten Senior Applications Engineer/Education Specialist Lyncole Grounding Solutions, LLC

What Is Grounding ?

An electrical A l t i l connection, ti whether h th intentional i t ti l or accidental id t l between b t an electrical circuit or equipment and the earth, or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.

Reasons For Grounding

Personnel safety and equipment protection by providing a path to safely dissipate any unwanted charges or potentials. Ensure equipment performance and protection Satisfy manufacturer manufacturers s warranty

Electrical Protection Pyramid

RF AC Surge Telco / Data Lightning Grounding

Resistance To Earth
25 Ohms
20v 16v 12v 11v 10.6v 10.5v 10.45v 10.18v 0

Soil R i ti it Resistivity Basics

Soil Resistivity
Key Variable in System Design Determines grounding system resistance Changes from Site to Site Dependent on:
Soil type Moisture Electrolytes Temperature

Soil Resistivity Comparison

Soil Type Surface Soils Clay Sand and Gravel Surface Limestone Limestone Shale Sandstone Granites, Basalts, etc Decomposed Gneisses Slates, , etc Resistivity (ohm(ohm-cm) 100 5,000 200 10,000 5,000 100,000 10,000 - 1,000,000 500 400,000 500 10,000 2,000 , 200,000 , 100,000 5,000 50,000 1,000 , 10,000 ,

Soil R i ti it Resistivity Testing

Soil Resistivity Testing

Key Variable in System Design 4 Point Wenner Method Most Accurate Multiple Depth Testing

4-Pt. Wenner Method

Visually Survey Lease Area to Determine Location and Direction For Test
Not parallel to buried metallic objects Not parallel overhead power lines Sufficient straight line distance to allow for test

Minimal distance 300 feet

4-Pt. Wenner Method

C2

P2

P1

C1

15 ft

10 ft A

5 ft

0 ft

4-Pt. Wenner Method

Site Area
Direction of Test

4-Pt. Wenner Method

= 1.915 AR
Probe Spacing (Feet)
5 10 15 20 30 40 60 80 100

Meter Reading (Ohms)

52.00 19.68 10.16 6.53 4 30 4.30 10.80 7.40 5.58 4.44

Calculated Resistivity (Ohm(Ohm -Meter)

497.90 370.87 292.00 250.10 247 04 247.04 827.28 850.26 855.60 850.26

Typical T i l Grounding Electrode System Resistance Requirements q

Typical Resistance Requirements

NFPA 70 NEC IEEE Standard 142 & 1100 Motorola Standard R-56 Telecommunications Emerson DeltaV Essilor GE Medical Systems 25 OHMS or Two Rods Equipment Dependent 10 OHMS (Design Goal) 5 to 10 OHMS 3 OHMS 3 OHMS 2 OHMS

25 Ohm Grounding System

Lightning Strike 18,000A Potential Rise will be ~450KV at the site

5 Ohm Grounding System

Lightning Strike 18,000A Potential Rise will be ~90KV at the site

Grounding System Resistance Testing

Grounding System Testing Why y Test Grounds?

Determine Baseline Validate Construction Confirm Design Spec
Satisfied Satisfy Warranty Reqs Ensure Equip Protection & Performance

Testing Methods
Two Test Methods
Fall of Potential (Three Point) Test Clamp-on Test

Fall-of-Potential Method

C1 P1
Ground Rod Under Test

Remote Current Electrode

C2 P2 Auxiliary Voltage Electrode

1 ft 10% 0%2 20% 30% 40% 50% 0%6 60% 0%7 70% 0%8 80% 90%

Earth

10 x depth of electrode

Fall of Potential
Why 10+ Samples?
Single Point Could Be Misinterpreted Data Must Be Plotted Visual Plateau Confirms Test Validity y
145 135 125 115 105 95 85 75 65 55 0 Resistance (o ohms)

10

20

30

40 50 60 P2 Probe Spacing

70

80

90

100

Fall Of Potential Test Why Invalid?

#1 Reason Not Isolating l System Under d Test Meter is a constant amperage meter Part of the current travels through the connection The ground system is part of a parallel network Test Is Invalid Unless Disconnected

Fall Of Potential Test Why Invalid?

#2 Reason Insufficient Probe Spacing Reqd q to Avoid the Spheres p of Influence

Fall of Potential Test

Spacing S i For C Current Probe? b ?

Single S g e Electrode ect ode Minimum 5X Length of Rod Ideal, 10X Length of Rod
10 Foot Rod, , 50-100 Feet Away y 200 Foot Well, 1000-2000 Feet Away

Ground Resistance Testing

Clamp-on Resistance Testing Clamp on Ground Resistance Meter Clamp-on
Convenient, Quick, Easy Does Not Require i Disconnecting i i Equipment Measures Current on the Ground

May y Read Ground Loops p vs. Ground Resistance

Clamp -on Meter Operation

2 Control Xformers

Current Flow

R=E/I
??? ohms Current Flow

ClampClamp -On Resistance Testing Example

3 Phase Utility Line Service Meter Induced Current Flow

Ground Conductor
Current From Other Grounds

Ground Rods

C Current t From F Oth Other Grounds G d

Invalid Clamp-on Reading

Reading: g < 1 Ohm

Invalid
Current Path

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Please enjoy the rest of your time at the

2013 BICSI Fall Conference & Exhibition

Roy Chip Whitten Senior Applications pp Engineer/Education g / Specialist p Lyncole Grounding Solutions, LLC 800-962-2610