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The water heater is a powerful consumer that works simultaneously with water and electricity. Therefore, the grounding of the boiler must be carried out without fail. Most apartments do not have it, since the buildings were built a long time ago. How to organize a secure connection of equipment, you will learn below.
Why is grounding necessary?
It ensures stable and trouble-free operation of the equipment. Main reasons:
- Water is an excellent conductor of current. Since the parts of the boiler are in constant contact with moisture, grounding avoids many problems. If the integrity of the wires is broken, you may feel a slight discharge when you open the faucet or take a bath. This can be deadly. When one of the elements breaks through the case, an electric shock can be received when touched.
- Removal of stray currents. They accumulate in the metal elements of the device and lead to corrosion of the tank and its parts. In addition, a person may feel a slight tingling during operation.
- When struck by lightning in a thunderstorm, grounding will take a hit. So your equipment will remain safe and sound.
How to ground equipment if there is no way to lead the wiring into the ground? For example, in an apartment. Many are turning to options that are contraindicated to use. Let’s consider them in more detail to prevent problems.
How not to ground the boiler
- It is forbidden to carry out the procedure using a riser for heating or plumbing. Firstly, it leads to corrosion and rapid deterioration of the pipeline. Secondly, you and your loved ones can get an electric shock by touching the riser.
- Connect to mounting hardware. This leads to the same results as above.
Even if you installed a grounded outlet, this does not mean that everything is in order now. Without proper wiring, the outlet is ineffective.
- The forums advise you to do this: find a zero contact on the wire using a tester. Then connect this wire to the socket outlet and ground contact. So we get zeroing in the apartment. But for some reason, the “masters” do not take into account that when zero breaks or when switching in the shield, a phase can turn on. One touch of the body of the device will result in a lethal discharge.
How to make grounding
You can organize everything correctly with the help of our recommendations. Inspect the water heater and locate the ground terminals. All modern appliances are equipped with them.
Get a three-hole outlet with a moisture-resistant housing, especially if you install it in a bathroom.
- Mount the socket at a distance of 50-80 cm from the floor and the water heater.
- It is necessary to run a three-core copper cable from the shield to the outlet. If desired, you can embed the wiring in the wall by making a channel.
- Turn off the electricity and connect the wires to the outlet. Correctly distribute the veins will help their coloring. See picture below:
- Connect the earth cable to the bus bar on the shield.
Some use equipment without grounding. After heating the water, they disconnect the device from the network and begin operation. However, not everyone can remember this. In addition, the temperature settings are lost in this way, and the drive has to re-heat the water, spending electricity.
When choosing a boiler, experts recommend paying attention to the quality of the heating element insulation. In the future, this will help to avoid problems with violations and breakdowns.
What to do in a private house
In the private sector or in the country, you need to organize grounding yourself. You will need skills to use a welding machine. Also, three metal pins (corner, pipes) 1,5 meters high and 15 mm in diameter.
Choose a plot at a distance of 1,5 meters from the house. In the future, no one should go here.
- A trench in the shape of a triangle is dug at the chosen place. Each side must not exceed three meters. A trench is also being dug from the corner of the house.
- Place one pin in the corners.
- Weld M8 or M10 bolts to the top.
- Drive the pins into the ground so that only the tip of 5 cm remains.
- Choose a place on the wall of the house. It is better to choose a point at a distance of two meters from the shield and 10 cm from the floor.
- Make a hole with a perforator.
- Take a steel wire (6 mm) and connect it to the heater terminal.
- Run the wire along the wall to the hole and then to the spike on the street.
- Put a washer on the bolt and wind the coil of wire. Secure on top with another washer. Do this with each pin, then loop.
- Fill the trench with soil, compact the surface.
- Now measure the loop resistance. Normally, it should be less than 4 ohms.
It remains to connect the water heater, fill in water and start the test work.
As you understand, grounding can be done both in Khrushchev and in the private sector. This is an important part of the operation of an electrical appliance. Watch the video to make it even easier: