Line Clamp Heavy-duty clamps that attach to the conductors or busbars being earthed. Their design varies depending on the type and shape of the conductor.
Ground or Earth Clamp A robust connector designed to attach securely to a proven earth point, such as an earth bar, ground rod, or other confirmed earthing infrastructure.
Conductive Cables Flexible, highly conductive cables (often copper, sometimes aluminum) that connect the line clamps to the earth clamp. They are sized to safely carry the maximum prospective fault current.
Insulated poles and sticks Tools and poles with insulating properties are often used to help workers attach and remove the clamps from a safe distance, especially in high-voltage environments. These are usually manufactured in sections which can be connected with button joints (a sectional pole) or designed to be expanded with a telescopic mechanism (a telescopic pole).
Identification and safety markings Labels that identify the Manufacturer, the device product number and relevant standards. Tags, warning signs, or covers to make the presence of the earthing device obvious to all workers in the area.
Earth Spikes or Augers An earth spike, also known as a ground rod or earth rod, is a long metal rod, typically made of copper or galvanised steel, that is driven into the ground to create a low-resistance path for electrical currents.
The 3 phase with junction block configuration is typically used for voltages up to 66kV. They encompass a number of phase lines connected to a central junction with a trailing earth. This configuration can provide for a connection to the neutral or for bonding purposes. It is more less heavy and cost effective because it reduces the amount of cable required by using individual single phase PEDs.
For Transmission Network applications, 66kV and above, require earth leads with much greater higher fault currents and longer cable lengths. Together, they result in much heavier equipment. In order to make application and removal practical, individual phase to earth leads make up a set.
Phase to phase bonding can be a step in applying an portable earthing device set to an isolated or de-energized system, using a single earth lead with line clamps at both ends.
Using individual line clamp, cable and earth clamp combinations, aka earth leads or lines, all three phases can be individually earthed. All three individual earth leads can then be kept together as a set for easy transporting to the field.
This configuration bonds or short circuits the phases together with a separate earth line. This configuration is also commonly seen with snap-on clamps. These clamps are often mounted using an applicator tool which lifts all three clamps up at the same time. This configuration reduces the weight carried by the applicator because the earth line and its line clamp is not lifted at the same time. It requires a clamp that supports two cables being connected to it at the same time.
