Grounding

Ground Fault Protection

Ground Fault Protection

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, you will be
able to:
Define the ground fault protective schemes
utilized in the industry today for simple radial
schemes
Define the ground fault protective schemes
utilized in the industry today for complex
systems

Ground-Fault Systems
Types of Ground Fault Protective Schemes

Ground Strap

Zero Sequence

Residual

Ground Strap System

Ground Strap Operation

Ground Strap Operation

Ground Strap System Installation

Advantages

Simplest type of system

Sensing transformer on main bonding jumper

All grounding conductors must terminate on

the equipment grounding bus and not the
neutral

Ground Strap System

Disadvantages
* Can only be used on main disconnect
* Must be the only neutral ground
can lead to nuisance trippings
desensitized tripping under an actual
faulted condition

Ground Strap System

Disadvantages
* desensitized tripping due to grounded
neutrals

Zero Sequence System

Zero Sequence System

Zero Sequence System Operation

Zero Sequence System Operation

Zero Sequence System

Advantages
**can be used on both the main and feeder breakers

Disadvantages
**downstream grounds can cause nuisance trippings
**improperly centered conductors can also cause
nuisance trippings

Residual System

Residual System

Residual System

Residual System Operation

Residual System
Advantages

Used on main and feeder breakers

Neutral grounds on line side have no effect

No control power required

Inexpensive if purchased with breaker

Neutral CT only external device

Disadvantages

No downstream grounds

Not economical for fused switches

Ground Fault Protection

Complex Systems

Ground Fault Protection

Multi-Level Ground Fault- Protection

Systems

Double-Ended Substation

Double-Ended Substation with Fault

Single Point Ground System

Modified Differential Scheme

Modified Differential with Residual System

Emergency Systems

Emergency Systems with Switched Neutral

First Alternative
Utilize four-pole
Transfer Switch

Emergency Systems
Second Alternative
Remove the Main
Bonding Jumper

Emergency Systems
Third Alternative
Employ a Differential
Scheme

Ground Fault
1. What are the two schemes often employed to provide
ground-fault protection on double-ended substations?
2. What is the major disadvantage of the
single-point-grounding scheme for ground- fault
protection when the tiebreaker is closed?
3. What are the three different types of ground-fault systems?
4. Where is the ground-fault sensor located for a ground
strap system?
5. What is the only disconnect device that can use a
ground strap system?

Ground Fault
1. What are the two schemes often employed to provide
ground-fault protection on double-ended substations?
source ground sensing
modified differential scheme
2. What is the major disadvantage of the
single-point-grounding scheme for ground- fault
protection when the tiebreaker is closed?
..All unbalanced single-phased loads from the remote half
of the switchboard are seen as fault current which may
cause nuisance trippings.

Ground Fault
3. What are the three different types of ground-fault systems?
ground strap (also called neutral ground strap)
zero sequence
residual
4. Where is the ground-fault sensor located for a ground
strap system?
located on the main bonding jumper

Ground Fault
5. What is the only disconnect device that can use a
ground strap system?
ground strap system can only be used on the main
disconnect

Ground Fault

Comments or Questions?