Electrical Ground and Bonding Test Procedures
Electrical bonding and grounding tests vary based on what you request services for. Several procedures are available for electrical testing, including:
Soil Resistivity Test
This test occurs at the beginning of the electrical installation process. When a technician conducts a soil resistivity test, they look at how much conductivity the earth has at the electrical system location. Soil should have good conductivity for grounding purposes.
Stakeless Test
Technicians conduct stakeless tests with clamps instead of electrodes and probes. This test is completed quickly and safely compared to methods where you need to disconnect the ground. However, this test is not suitable for all electrical systems.
Fall-Of-Potential Test
A fall-of-potential test conforms to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) codes. In this method, the technician connects one probe to the electrode they want to test, and the other two go in the ground. Then, they take the readings and analyze them to determine the ground resistance.
Testing Helps Prevent Failures
Much like any other system component, grounding and bonding can result in massive system failures or personnel injury if electricians don't perform them correctly. A ground fault occurs when the electricity traveling through the system takes an unintended route to the ground. If a person is touching a cable when there is a ground fault, they may get shocked or experience injury or even death.
Ground faults can cause fires or equipment errors and failures. Bonding also plays a role in whether a person could be shocked if they touched something grounded incorrectly. A ground fault can cause consequences that can harm your business, but more importantly, it can harm your personnel. Conducting grounding and bonding tests can help you discover issues before they reach a breaking point.