Grounding is of paramount importance in living spaces, production facilities or in any area where electrical safety is required. With the Regulation on Grounding in Electrical Installations, a number of standards and rules on grounding in electrical installations have been introduced and required.
The most important protection system for electrical installations is grounding. Operation is safe when the grounding system is installed and operated without errors. The earth conductor must not be physically disconnected. Continuity test is performed to determine this situation.
A system consisting of earthers and earthing conductors connected to each other as conductors and within a certain area is called a grounding facility. The basis of the grounding work is the protection of human life, business assets and other goods against the damages of electricity in case of unexpected situations. Newly constructed or modified structures or facilities should be reviewed qualitatively and quantitatively during the installation and installation phase before commencing operation. The qualitative review includes only eye examinations and controls. The quantitative review is mayan and controls using measuring instruments.
During qualitative monitoring, it is checked whether the operating elements comply with the safety standards, whether the selection and installation of the elements are made in accordance with the manufacturer's data, whether there are factors affecting safety, whether measures are taken against dangerous body currents, and whether the cables, conductors and busbars are selected according to the current carrying capacity. .
Quantitative observation includes measurement and evaluation concepts. It is made using a number of measuring and testing instruments. Measurement and testing in accordance with the Grounding Regulations in Electrical Installations are as follows: continuity tests, measurement of insulation resistance, measurement of earth resistivity, measurement of ground resistance, loop impedance measurement, RCD test and PSC (short circuit current) and PFC (possible leakage current) test.
The continuity test is carried out to measure the resistance between two conductors. Continuity tests in the grounding facilities are carried out for the connection checks of the protection conductors, main and auxiliary posterior busbars.
Importance of Continuity Tests
Continuity tests and installations are included in the Annex (III-III) of the Regulation on Health, Safety and Conditions for the Use of Work Equipment issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. Accordingly, the continuity tests should be performed at least once a year if no other time is given in the relevant standards. In addition, continuity tests must be performed by electrical engineers, electrical technicians or high technicians. This depends on the value of the test operations and the reports to be issued at the end.
Internal installation inspections and continuity tests in this context are conducted to check whether the existing cable cross-sections conform to the standards according to the current values passing over them. Meanwhile, the currents on the fuses and switches compliance is also evaluated.
While conducting continuity tests, the Earthing Regulations in Electrical Installations, the Electrical Current Installations Regulations and the Electrical Indoor Installations Regulations must be taken into consideration.
Electrical continuity in enterprises should be obtained in a way to protect the earthing systems against mechanical, chemical and electrochemical disturbances. Electrical continuity tests should be performed before fault loop impedance measurement is performed.
The standards considered in the continuity tests were:
- TS HD 60364-4-43 Electrical installation in buildings - Part 4: Safety protection - Group 43: Overcurrent protection
- TS HD 60364-5-54 Building electrical installations - Part 5: Selection and installation of electrical equipment - Part 54: Grounding arrangements and image protection conductors
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