Understanding Functional, Protective and Lightning Earthing Connections
Functional earth is frequently kept separate from the protective earth. The primary objective for this separation is to reduce electrical noise and interference, which can degrade the performance of sensitive equipment & control systems.
Lightning Earth
Lightning earth is also typically treated as a separate system. This ensures that the extraordinarily high currents produced by a lightning strike do not pass through or disrupt the protective & functional earthing systems.
Common Grounding Point
In many practical setups, the system and lightning earths are connected at a single grounding point. This establishes a single reference potential that assists in the removal of harmful potential differences across the systems.
Important Considerations
When connecting these earthing systems, it is essential to ensure that the grounding network is strong & well-designed. The system must be able to handle the combined fault & lightning currents without causing excessive impedance or hazardous potential differences.
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