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grounding v.s. earthing
2

grounding v.s. earthing

grounding v.s. earthing

(OP)
Could anyone tell me how to differentiate Grounding and Earthing? It seems to be no harm to swap but I still want to know if there is any difference.
Thanks!

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

One starts with a 'G' and the other with an 'E'.  Different parts of the world use one in preference to the other while other places do it the other way around.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

(OP)
Thank you Davidbeach, a really impressive answer

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

On a recent project, with a large European electrical supplier, one referred to the conductive joining of machine parts to each other, and the other referred to the joining of the machine to the conductive mat or grid in the ground. The scope of supply for each party can often be split in this way.

Can't remember clearly which one was which, but if forced to answer, I would say that grounding was the former, and earthing was the latter.

I suppose if both terms are used in the same specification, then there is a difference, but if the terms are used singly, then they might refer to either part of the system, or both.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

(OP)
thanks Dave, now I think I have got a clue to start figuring out...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

My experience is that it is a difference between US & Euro cultures and expressions.  US will say "ground" or "grounding", Euro will say "Earth", "Earth Ground".  I've never seen "earthing" but I would understand the meaning.  

The meaning for all is to electrically connect equipment to earth ground electrical potential.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Advanced Robotics & Automation Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com

RE: grounding v.s. earthing


perhaps 'earthing' is a more global term, then. (winky smile)

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I agree with Tygerdawg.  Earthlings don't say earthing. hehe.  

Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I'm sure I've heard our electrical engineers say "earthing"...

hmm, always thought they were from another planet!!

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

It may depend on your general field of application.

In Naval engineering, I've never heard the term "earthing", maybe because we don't ever copnnect things to "earth";  whereas on land-based applications I can envisoin the term as commonly used.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Their ships are sometimes run aground ... does that count?

cheers

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I think tygerdawg probably has it.  In the US it seems to be grounding, in the UK it was usually earthing.

People in the UK usually understand both, in the US I've found people who didn't have a clue what I meant by earthing.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing


Do you think, perhaps, that the terms may differ when the equipment that they are applied to is considered?

Both terms relate to a voltage potential.

If you have a piece of electronic equipment that needs to be shielded from some sort of interference, or that needs to be shielded to prevent it from interfering with something else, you may well connect it, literally, to earth.
That is, the best electrical connection you can make to earth (dirt, backyard, seawater) voltage potential. to achieve a zero volt level.

If you have a piece of equipment, machinery, vehicle say, then the term 'ground' could be used to describe that equipments zero voltage or 'common' connection, which may not ge at earth potential.

Bill

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

WGJ, that is earth ground vs. chassis ground (equipment common).  They have different electrical symbols.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Advanced Robotics & Automation Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

So they do, but that's not the question posed in the OP, is it?

Bill

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

In the UK 'ground' is more often used in relation to electronic circuits (ground plane etc), possibly due to the historic dominance of US-based IC manufacturers marking the 0V connection as GND or similar.

Earth and earthing is very much an electrical term and is dominant in the UK. 'Ground' on an electrical draswing usually means that the drawing originated outside of the UK. I do use 'ground' quite often on Eng-Tips, mainly so you furriners from the US can understand what I am talking about. wink When talking to UK engineers or electricians I tend to use earth although I doubt anyone would fail to understand me if I were to use 'ground' instead.
 

----------------------------------
  Sometimes I only open my mouth to swap feet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Here's Wikipedia's take on the issue....

When you search for 'Earthing' you get redirected to the 'Ground (Electricity)' page.....They are one and the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthing

Kevin

“It is a mathematical fact that fifty percent of all doctors graduate in the bottom half of their class." ~Author Unknown

"If two wrongs don't make a right, try three." ~Author Unknown

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Ground is where we put our feet



Earthing is some thing that goes into the earth as the roots of Brussels sprouts




Earthing is also an electrical device to discharge the electricity into the earth

Cheers

luis

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I think it comes from the fact that the US were the first to put men and equipment in a place OTHER than earth. So a "ground" connection for the electronics on the Apollo mission landing module was still a technically correct term. That same connection would be a loooooooong conductor if it needed to be an "earth" connection! Eurpoeans have yet to set foot off our planet. winky smile

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

jraef

Not true.  Europeans have set foot on space craft/stations off our planet.  Just not on another heavenly body as such.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

D'oh! Left myself wide open for a rogue parse!

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

No problem, as I put in another post, if I see an opening I find it hard to resist.

I forgot to put a smiley though.smile

Plus we all know the moon landing was a fake done in cooperation with Hollywood...

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Fake Moon landings?  Next you'll tell the Earth isn't flat.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Shh, thats our little secret.

(This is definitely off topic though)

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

(OP)
lol,

back here after a couple of days, I find the threads are bit off the subject.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I went to a course called "electrical drilling equipment". It was on the "electricity for dummies" level. There it was explained:

grounding= connection of elecrical equipment, housings, etc to a common zero which does not necessarily have the same potential as the earth at that point. E.g. connecting certain parts of an electrical hand drill via the ground wire (one of the three in the cable) to the ground of the electrical supply network of the building. This ground might not have the same potential as the earth in that vicinity. I imagine to remember that this is more for protection of the equipment and does not necessarily protect the person operating the drill. I also imagine to remember that this type of grounding was more important in the UK than in continental Europe due to some difference in the history of and in the philosophy in setting up the domestic and industrial electrical networks. I do not know the details of this difference.

Earthing = the physical connection of equipment (including non-electrical equipment) to the earth in the immediate vicinity of the equipment. This is to prevent static build-up in equipment and this protects the person operating or touching equipment. E.g. in refineries: connection of a vessel shell via a thick enough cable to a rod in a nearby water well which dissapates the electricity to earth. Such equipment will have near earth potential.

Bonding = the electric bonding of equipment to each other so that all such equipment does have a conducting path to the earth.

So, there appears to be a real difference in the two terms, or they can both be used interchangeably in the two meanings.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

In the U.S., that distiction is "earth grounding" vs. "equipment grounding".  No "earthing".
Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

GL431,

In answer to your question, the UK public utility low voltage distribution system and installations directly fed from it are based on the 'EEBADS' principle. EEBADS is an abbreviation of 'Earthed Equipotential Bonding and Automatic Disconnection of Supply'. The connection to earth is fundamental in allowing most protection schemes deployed on the LV network to detect and disconnect faulted circuits.

There are some unusual installations which do not have any earth-referenced electrodes or conductors present, creating an earth free environment. These are rare indeed in the UK. Slightly less rare but still unusual are installations where the supply is not earth-referenced at its origin. Normally the neutral point of the distribution transformer LV winding is connected directly to an earthing electrode. I believe ungrounded systems are more common in the US than over here.
 
This is far too technical for this forum - if you want further details drop a post in the Power Engineering forum.
 

----------------------------------
  
Sometimes I wake up Grumpy.
Other times I just let her sleep!

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Thanks ScottyUK

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Grounding is what you do to electrical equipment when it is born.  

Earthing is what you do when it dies.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Earthinging? Groundinging? by Earthitizer? Grounditizer?
gr2vessels

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Most of us Americal technical types usderstand "earthing", or "earth', when it shows up on an electrical schematic, it just sounds stupid to us. But then the Brits probably feel the same about "ground".
 I guess Eartha Kit was a well grounded individual.big smile

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

I now understand why any time I write "earthing" in a report Microsoft Word will want me to change it to "earthling". An American bias and an African dilemmama.
Otu

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Why would it want to change it more than the first time?  After the first time it goes into the dictionary.  Same thing with contactor.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

A little late now and maybe we should do what SkottyUK suggesst and look in the power Engineers Forum;
BUT:
Earth or Ground, electricity doesn't just dissipate into the ground (or earth), it has to go somewhere (as in all circuits), it completes the circuit by returning to the substation via the substations' earth mat.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Isn't grounding is when you are not allowed out or is that only used with grounded.

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Right on.  "Grounding" is what your parents did to you.  "Grounded" is what you were as a result.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Well in that case what about grounding aircraft.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

Isn't that not entirely unlike grounding kids?  Maybe the notion of grounding kids came from the aircraft practice?

Hg

Eng-Tips policies:  FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: grounding v.s. earthing

That was my point, as to if it's linked to what you do to your kids...

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

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