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mbrooke

mbrooke

Batteries Included
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United States
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Technician
Spotted today, fortunately the commenters are calling it out:

https://www.reddit.com/r/electricians/comments/od9xpm

Why I think its wrong:


  1. The ground (planet earth) is not capable of opening a breaker or fuse on a 120 or 230 volt circuit. The resistance of earth is to high.
  2. A main bonding jumper to the service neutral or system neutral allows high current to flow to promptly open a fuse or circuit breaker during a fault. Not earth.
  3. Electricity returns to the source, not the earth.
  4. Electricity takes all paths of resistance.
  5. touch voltage is still present on the metal frame of an appliance during fault even with a ground wire. Only the breaker opening or fuse blowing results in the voltage dropping to zero.



This is why I believe the terms "grounding" and "bonding" should be discarded altogether (misconception based origin) and replaced with Fault Loop Conduction and Automatic Disconnection of Supply.
 
Unfortunately this is a common misconception that I've even heard instructors recite. It's sad that we still have to hammer this into people's heads because it's fundamentally crucial for life safety. It's ridiculous, TBH.

I think the terms and the clear difference of the NEC's definition for bonding and grounding are adequate, just no one reads them. I don't think the NEC needs the addition of any more overly complicated technical jargon, however.

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DrSparks said:
Unfortunately this is a common misconception that I've even heard instructors recite. It's sad that we still have to hammer this into people's heads because it's fundamentally crucial for life safety. It's ridiculous, TBH.

I think the terms and the clear difference of the NEC's definition for bonding and grounding are adequate, just no one reads them. I don't think the NEC needs the addition of any more overly complicated technical jargon, however.

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IMO, the jargon is wrong- only making sense if one beleives the earth is opening a breaker. I tihnk this in part perpetuates the cycle.
 
As I see it, the EGC is there so a line-to-housing fault makes the system behave like a line-to-neutral fault would.

A connection to earth has nothing to do with this function.
 
How about we call it the "secondary grounded conductor."

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Or how about just encapsulating the word ground in double quotes. So EGC would be equipment "ground" conductor.

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DrSparks said:
Or how about just encapsulating the word ground in double quotes. So EGC would be equipment "ground" conductor.

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The root of the word is still incorrect. Ground doesn't protect the user. The main bonding jumper does.
 
mbrooke said:
Nah, its all right :)

I can be a bit of a rod at times though trying to prove a point.
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No it's OK. You're totally right. The term ground is used incorrectly not just in building wiring but electrical engineering too. I don't know how many times I've seen the earth ground symbol represent what is actually a chassis connection on schematics.

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DrSparks said:
No it's OK. You're totally right. The term ground is used incorrectly not just in building wiring but electrical engineering too. I don't know how many times I've seen the earth ground symbol represent what is actually a chassis connection on schematics.

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Agree and Agree.

I think the only way to set change in motion is to speak up. Seeds planted today sprout into trees tomorrow.
 
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