How to independently ground the water heater

How to properly ground the boiler to avoid possible electric shock? This important issue requires a serious approach. Modern apartments and houses are literally crammed with all kinds of electrical engineering. It brings comfort to life, helps to create coziness, without it the life of a modern person is inconceivable. But at the same time it is a source of increased danger from a permanent connection to the power grid. The creation of a grounding system in accordance with electrical safety rules will help to avoid a threat.

Grounding role

The seventh edition of the Electrical Installation Code determines that grounding is the deliberate electrical connection of any point of the network, electrical installation or electrical equipment with the circuit of the grounding device.The latter is a system of "grounding - grounding conductors." Allocate protective and working grounding.

Protective

Through the boiler water is constantly circulating, which, while not being distilled, is able to conduct an electric current. In case of breakdown of insulation of heaters of the heater or its wiring, the metal parts of the body will be energized, the current will begin to flow through the water.

Accidental contact with the boiler, bathing, washing hands or dishes can have traumatic consequences. The degree of damage will depend on the strength of the current and the duration of its impact on the human body. The result is from a simple "shake-up" to death. Protective earthing system is designed to protect against such a scenario.

Safety ground

Working

The electric current passing through the current-carrying parts of the boiler creates its own electromagnetic field. Under its influence in the metal parts of the water heater, stray currents are formed, contributing to corrosion and destruction of these parts. The same effect is exerted by fields from other household appliances that fill the surrounding space.Some sensitive people are able to perceive this in the form of weak tingling. WITH stray currents designed to fight functional (working) grounding.

The role of grounding installations is as follows:

• protection against electrical injuries;
• removal of stray currents;
• contribute to the normal functioning of electrical equipment.

Such protective measures are especially important. for wet roomsin which the water heater is often operated. Connecting this device to a ground network will reduce potential negative effects to zero. In the event of a breakdown, the overcurrent protection of the machine installed on the line (during short circuits to the case) will be activated, indicating a problem.

Instructions for independent work

Previously, in apartments of multi-storey buildings, boiler grounding was often carried out by connecting their building to the metal communications of the building that were presumably connected to the ground. Such purposes served heating pipes, plumbing risers, protruding from reinforced concrete structures reinforcement. This is contrary to the rules of operation of electrical installations.

Today, a new ground wire is specifically brought out in the bathrooms of new buildings (for a visible external connection), and in general a three-core cable is connected to all apartment outlets. Separately removed end is enough to connect with a special contact on the body of the heater.

For such connections are intended junction boxes with terminals.

If it is about apartments of old houseswhere the bathrooms are not equipped with grounding wires, then proceed as follows:

• find out if a cable with a grounding conductor enters the apartment panel;
• if there is a third yellow-green end in the panel, then you can connect the grounding line from it, but first you should check the connection in the floor panel (if there is no connection, bolt to a special clip);
• when in the apartment the panel does not contain a grounding conductor, then the entire line from the floor switchboard should be mounted.

The power supply of the apartment sockets of such buildings is made mainly with twin wires. For grounding power points need a complete replacement of wiring.

In addition to laying a three-core cable, in private homes a ground loop would be required. The procedure is as follows:

• at a distance of 3 to 5 meters from the house and shield dug a hole about half a meter deep;
• according to the scheme of an isosceles triangle (the dimensions of the sides are 1200–1500 mm) they drive in metal pins (pipes) with a diameter of 1.5 cm and a length of at least 2 meters;
• by welding, the upper parts of the electrodes are joined by a metal tire not less than 4 cm wide and 0.4 cm thick;
• on the bolt or welded tip is fixed to the tire grounding conductor and bring it to the shield;
• bury the design.

Thus, the boiler is grounded along two lines: through the outlet and the visible outside. They are connected on a special tavern of the distribution panel.

Individual recommendations

Before you ground the water heater, you need to stock up with the usual set of hand tools for the electrician: a drill (punch), consumables (wire, bolts, screws, washers and others), stepladder. A multimeter, a bipolar pointer, or an indicator screwdriver may be useful.

It is desirable to perform the grounding system with a separate visible circuit, so that it is possible, without having instruments, to monitor its condition visually. It is recommended to additionally install protective disconnect devices from the mains and periodically check the status of all connections. Every 3 months it is done visually, once a year - it is required to tighten the threaded connections. There are some other recommendations.

1. Wiring done in cable channels from outside the ceiling and walls. Or, for this purpose, the walls will be broken down, walling the cable, distribution boxes and installation boxes.
2. All work on the connection (sockets, shields) should be carried out with a complete blackout.
3. The resistance of the created ground loop must not exceed 4 ohms.
4. Corrosion of metal parts will slow the use of electrodes with a special coating.

A grounded water heater is a safe device. It can be used without the risk of electric shock. To mount according to all the rules of the protective circuit is quite simply possible independently. To be sure of its reliability, periodic inspections should be arranged.