2007-09-13 07:55:15 · 4 answers · asked by ajmide2002 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
The ground is connected at the panel to the panel itself and to a rod driven into the ground. The idea is that when a fault to ground occurrs, the fault will complete a circuit which would cause the circuit breaker and / or GFCI to trip.
If there was no grounding a fault might go unnoticed. This would increase the potential hazzard if a second fault were to occurr especially if it involved another phase of power. This would increas the voltage level across the fault .
By having the grounding system faults are more likely to get detected and corrected mininmizing the risk of having multiple faults interact.
2007-09-13 08:27:35 · answer #1 · answered by MarkG 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
For safety reasons.
Before the advent of double insulation, some electrical powered objects with metal cases connected the grounded side of the power plug to the chassis metal. That way it you touched the metal chassis the potential voltage would be 'ground' or near zero volts -- a safe condition. Special polarized plugs were (and still are) used to insure that the ground side of the AC line is connected to the exposed metal chasses. Some electrical devices are still made this way, but they are becoming rarer.
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2007-09-13 08:42:56 · answer #2 · answered by tlbs101 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The power line is grounded in one end to create a complete circuit, otherwise current will not flow.
2007-09-13 08:19:10 · answer #3 · answered by Pon87 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
To create a complete circuit.
2007-09-13 08:01:26 · answer #4 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋