Installing ground at home a quick and simple way

[Mnyb]

That's not possible where i live (Sweden) ? The power companys cable into the building must have some kind of ground ? It's either a combined PEN ground/neutral + screen or only the screen if its the kind of cable where the screen is designed with sufficient cross section to also be the ground/neutral conductor.
So the cable can have three phases and a thick screen.

Ground/Neutral is then split to separate Neutral and Ground in your house. You notice i

You should really not do this yourself.

Sorry for the Swedish in this simplified picture the fuses for individual groups are left out!
Example is just the residual-current circuit breaker or what you call your earth fault device in English ?

PEN=Protective Earth and Neutral
PE=Protective Earth.
In your house the 230VAC stuff outlets etcis connected to one of the phases L1,L2 or L3 and N via its respective fuse.
Your 3 phase 400VAC appliances like ovens water heaters etc uses L1,L2,L3 or possible just between two legs for example L1,L2 to get 400VAC

View attachment 116141

I left out a case which is very unusual for residential situations in my part of the world.

When there really is no neutral point the power companies transformer is of for example D/d or Y/d winding type instead of D/y or Y/y.

vs

 

[Wombat]

How does this practically relate to the OPs situation? He was asking what he can do?

He should do nothing to the installed system.

 

[solderdude]

Water pipes are a no-no for installation grounding because of electrolysis related corrosion and random ground fault voltage potentials.

This thread is not one for the unqualified and inexperienced. Life and death.

Thread should be closed.

I merely asked if OP knew if his water piping was grounded. Not that he should use it as safety ground. Perhaps at the point where the water piping is entering his house there could be a grounding point. One could use that.
Why should one close a thread when the outcome is one should have this handled professionally ?

 

[solderdude]

He should do nothing to the installed system.

No... he should find out who is responsible for the electrics in his building, perhaps contact the electricity firm and see what the rules are and how to make responsible people to comply. He should let professionals handle the actual installation of a ground connection.
If it is his own apartment (when he bought it) he may probably have to wire his 3 prong sockets correctly himself to the ground point entering his house. Certainly for household appliances with metal enclosures/parts one can touch I would make sure proper safety ground is in place.
Using double insulated mains equipment only is also an option in his case. These appliances won't have a 3rd pin anyway.
He could check for instance if 3-pin sockets in his kitchen or for the washing machine do have a ground connected in the wall sockets in his house.

When one isn't familiar with electric wiring in the home and only know that wall sockets exist and there is a fuse box in the house then he should not alter his electrics himself (is probably what you meant with do nothing).

 

[mansr]

But my building has no ground at all.

I want a floating house too.

Jokes aside, when it comes to anything related to mains electricity, DO NOT TOUCH IT unless you are a certified electrician. If you suspect a problem, get an electrician to check it out and carry out any fixes required.

 

[Mnyb]

He should do nothing to the installed system.

Yes .

My point was .

There is ground somewhere even if OP thinks its not . Otherwise I would be very surprised (everything is possible but we are not in the 3rd world).

You never do this yourself ever !

I could , I worked with it in the past , but I'm not licensed and like my insurance to be valid . And code change over time my skills very possibly valid 25 years ago . both code and practice have possibly changed

 

[solderdude]

I want a floating house too.

 

[mansr]

I could , I worked with it in the past , but I'm not licensed and like my insurance to be valid . And code change over time my skills very possibly valid 25 years ago . both code and practice have possibly changed

This is an important point. Many of us have the knowledge to wire things in a safe way, but that's not enough. The regulations go beyond that. For example, while using the wrong wire colour won't cause any immediate danger, it may confuse an actual electrician working on the installation in the future, with potentially disastrous consequences.

 

[Trdat]

I am more than happy to get a professional I just would like to know if there is a way around grounding an apartment(that has no standards) that way if there is a point, I will get it done.

Secondly, I will not be grounding the main. From my understanding I will only ground one socket, meaning I will add a third pin to the socket and ensure everything attaching to that also has a third pin with that socket connecting to the rod. I can't see this as dangerous but perhaps it is.

Grounding the mains is something I will do of course professionaly if I speak to strata and I can get it organised. I just thought my above method might simplify grounding the whole building.

Mnyb, you could have a point, the mains might have a ground. Lets say for arguments sake there is some type of ground in the building or for the mains but not my apartment per se then what?

 

[Wombat]

I am more than happy to get a professional I just would like to know if there is a way around grounding an apartment(that has no standards) that way if there is a point, I will get it done.

Secondly, I will not be grounding the main. From my understanding I will only ground one socket, meaning I will add a third pin to the socket and ensure everything attaching to that also has a third pin with that socket connecting to the rod. I can't see this as dangerous but perhaps it is.

Grounding the mains is something I will do of course professionaly if I speak to strata and I can get it organised. I just thought my above method might simplify grounding the whole building.

Mnyb, you could have a point, the mains might have a ground. Lets say for arguments sake there is some type of ground in the building or for the mains but not my apartment per se then what?

Consult the local Electric Authority if you think you have a problem.

 

[solderdude]

Mnyb, you could have a point, the mains might have a ground. Lets say for arguments sake there is some type of ground in the building or for the mains but not my apartment per se then what?

Have you checked the wall sockets in your kitchen and/or where the washing machine is designated (water in and outlets + mains) ?
Are these also 2 prong only ?

Secondly, I will not be grounding the main. From my understanding I will only ground one socket, meaning I will add a third pin to the socket and ensure everything attaching to that also has a third pin with that socket connecting to the rod. I can't see this as dangerous but perhaps it is.

You would only have to add a ground if the equipment connected to it is not double insulated and has a 3 pin plug and has metal parts you can touch and is mains fed directly (not via an external transformer/wall wart)

 

[mansr]

From my understanding I will only ground one socket,

That would be illegal in many countries.

 

[trl]

I'll be blatantly honest, ground for me has been one of the hardest concepts to grasp in audio and seeing we are on the topic of surge protectors I am keen to know if the advice I was suggested would work.

I had someone tell me that there is a handful of ways to install a ground for an apartement and many variables that need to be taken in consideration but if I can find some soil(ground) stick a metal pole in there, get a metal cable tie around it and connect a wire running it to the ground connection on my outlet(socket) it would be a simple way to ground my equipment that is connected to that particular outlet. Would this work?

I haven't read all the posts here, but all I can say is to call the guy, the electrician guy. Maybe your apartment grounding is fine and needs nothing else but a simple check, but if not then at least 5 rods would need to be grounded to get below 4 Ohms earthing and a dedicated equipment is needed to do the final measurements. Just call the electrician and he'll let you know more.

Surge protectors could be installed in the electrical panel, by the electrician, between L-N and between N-PE, serialised with C20 (or a different value) circuit breakers that will shut off the surge arrestors to prevent fire hazard inside the panel if lightning strikes too close to your home.

First & last socket from each circuit will later be measured with a Megger (or similar equipment) for Prospective Short-Circuit Current and Earth Fault Current, but also Insulation resistance, Z Loop and Z Earth too. This way the electrician will find out if each circuit will provide enough protection to the electrical appliances you're using there. If short-circuit current is not big enough, then entire circuit will need replaced with new copper wires. If Z Earth is too big, then earthing wire will need checked or replaced, etc.

 

[DSJR]

PLEASE DON'T even think of messing like this if you're a UK resident! We have stringent legitaslive requirements about this and any questions regarding mains connections and 'grounding' MUST contact a properly qualified industry professional for advice!

UK amateur audio forums have been here before, especially when one forum owner did all this only to be told it wasn't strictly legal. I believe he got a proper 'sparky' to sort it all out (he also did what many UK audiophiles do in adding a dedicated spur for his 'HiFi' system).

Doesn't hurt to get a qualified professional to check the house wiring from time to time though...

 

[BDWoody]

I am more than happy to get a professional

I would say that's a sound decision.

Please follow the universal advice given, which is get competent, professional help.

This is stuff that can get you killed. This isn't the way to start climbing the 'mains power' learning curve.

I can't see that any more is needed in this thread.