The earthing system serves three main functions under SS 551 guidelines:
Earthing systems are "silent" safety features; you don't know they've failed until a fault occurs. SS 551 mandates periodic inspection and testing. This usually involves:
Materials must be chosen to withstand the tropical, humid environment of Singapore to prevent the earthing path from degrading over time.
When designing an earthing system according to SS 551, engineers must consider:
it facilitates the flow of fault current, allowing fuses and RCDs to trip and isolate the faulty circuit.
Using specialized meters to ensure the resistance to earth remains below the specified limit (typically less than 1 Ohm for most major installations). Conclusion
Every installation must have a central point where all earthing conductors are connected. This terminal allows for easy testing and ensures all metalwork in the building is at the same potential. Equipotential Bonding
