Every person strives to ensure a comfortable existence. However, many people forget about security. Electrical grounding is one of the most important safety measures. But does everything need to be grounded? For example, do you need to ground your washing machine? Let's figure it out together.
What is grounding?
Those who constantly deal with current know what grounding is. And if a person encounters this concept for the first time, what to do?
Grounding is the process of connecting the electrical circuits of an electrical appliance to power wiring wires. In this case, even in the event of emergency situations, life-threatening voltage does not appear. Excessive electric current goes to the ground. This is good, for example, with voltage drops.
Many may have a question: "Do I need to ground the washing machine in the bathroom?". TechnicsAfter all, it is new, modern, which means it should be safe. New technologies do not always mean security. When connecting any electrical appliance, attention must be paid to grounding. Hoping that the manufacturer has taken into account all the nuances, you can harm yourself and your environment. Therefore, it is you who should think about your safety in the first place.
What is it for?
As we have already mentioned, you need to ground the equipment so that you do not get shocked. In conditions of high humidity in the bathroom, this is especially true.
If you touch the washing machine while it is running and you feel a slight tingle or vibration, it means that a small amount of voltage is still seeping through the case. So there is a grounding problem. It is impossible to postpone this indefinitely, since the constant contact of electricity and water can lead to irreversible consequences. Need to ground the washing machine as soon as possible.
Low voltage is certainly not dangerous, but everything can change at any moment. For example, touching water and a running washing machine at the same time can increase the voltage passing through a person.
Thus, the answer to the question: "Is it possible to ground the washing machine?", Will be: "Required". If you do not want someone from your family members to suffer, then it is better to devote time to this issue in time.
Types of grounding
Before you figure out how to ground the washing machine,Let's get acquainted with the types of grounding. Traditionally, there are two types: protective and working.
Protective grounding prevents electric shock. For a person, this ensures the safety of the operation of the washing machine. In addition, this type of grounding protects equipment from malfunctions and the need for frequent repairs.
Working grounding has a secondary function. If the discharge system fails for some reason, then it is replaced by a working ground. With it, household appliances continue to function normally even with temperature fluctuations, voltage and system failures. This type of grounding is used in large enterprises where there is a high energy consumption.
How to check for grounding?
Before asking the question: "How to ground a washing machine?", You need to check if you have it in your apartment. Maybe everything has already been done before you, and you only need to plug the unit into a power outlet. For the reliability of this information, it is better to contact professional electricians.
You can also check it yourself. First, turn on, for example, a table lamp into the socket into which the washing machine will subsequently be connected, and which we, in fact, check.
So, the lamp is on - it means the socket is working. Now we turn off the machine in the electrical panel, turn off the lamp from the socket and remove the cover from the socket.
Check what is connected to the ground contact. If one of the terminals, then this is zeroing, and if a separatewire is ground. If you see that nothing is connected to the contact we need, then the socket is not grounded at all. We put on the cover and turn on the machine.
Next, we must check whether the zeroing is connected correctly, if it is used in the outlet. Using an indicator screwdriver, we check the presence of phase voltage at the contact. If it is, then the outlet cannot be used and you need to seek help from specialists.
In the same way, we check the correctness of the grounding. Next, with an indicator screwdriver, we find the phase in the socket. We leave the screwdriver on the phase, and remove the finger from the sensor. We press one of the probes of the insulated wire to the sensor. The lamp in this case will either not burn, or will burn weakly. We press the opposite probe of the insulated wire to the ground electrode. The bulb will glow brightly if the outlet is actually grounded.
Grounding in the apartment
The type of building you live in will determine how to ground the washing machine in your apartment. For example, in new buildings, the grounding function is already thought out in advance. Each socket is equipped with a three-wire cable. That is, you just need to connect your washing machine.
The situation is completely different with houses built in the Soviet era. They do not have such a built-in function. Therefore, you yourself must think about ensuring your own safety. In this case, it is better to turn to electricians who will easily carry out the grounding procedure.
Execution option No. 1
So, if you live inpost-Soviet construction, then let's look at how to ground the washing machine if there is no grounding.
The first method is based on the equalization of potentials. Many housewives have a washing machine in the bathroom. In this case, if you touch two objects that conduct current at the same time, it will pass through your body.
The essence of the potential equation is the connection of two current-conducting objects with a metal wire. If you do this, the current will not pass through you when in contact with conductive objects.
To use this method, the tools you will need are pliers, a knife, a three-wire wire, a screwdriver with an indicator and a grounded socket.
If you don't have even the slightest understanding in electrics, it is better to entrust this matter to professionals. But, if you still decide to do the grounding yourself, then you need to install one grounding bus (PE) and one zero (N) in the electrical panel. You can buy them at an electrical store.
All wiring for household appliances will pass through these tires. Then, from the outlet to the washing machine, we lay a three-core cable with a copper section. Now we connect the wires. We attach the blue wire to the neutral bus, the red wire - through the RCD and the machine for connecting to the phase wire in the shield, and the yellow or green wire, which is our ground electrode, is connected to the ground bus.
Execution option No. 2
There is another way that allowsground the washing machine in the bathroom. However, this technology has not been used for a long time, and is even considered illegal. In addition, it is likely that it will be ineffective. For it, it is necessary that all batteries and pipes in the house be metal, and this is not relevant in our time. But, nevertheless, this method exists, so we will also consider it.
This method may attract you with its simplicity, since you just need to take the ground wire from the device and fix it to the battery or pipe. In this case, the voltage will go to the riser, but when you touch it, you will feel it, so the method is not grounding in fact, all the current remains in the apartment anyway.
Another disadvantage of this method is that you may not even know that your neighbors have decided to change pipes or radiators. And because of this, the ground circuit will be interrupted. Plus, it destroys the pipe itself.
In general, this method is not currently used and is dangerous and illegal.
Operating rules
- Do not use a pipe for grounding. In Soviet times, electricians always connected the bathroom to the central water supply system. Now this technology is prohibited. Since the pipes tend to wear out and leak, which in turn will cause a serious electric shock during the operation of the device.
- If you don't connect the wires correctly, you can get voltage where it shouldn't be. Better trust the experts.
- Central heating is also not suitable forgrounding. It tends to create condensation or leak, which will also cause electric shock if it comes into contact with the washing machine.
- Also don't forget about re-grounding with neutral conductors.
Possible errors
To learn how to ground your washing machine correctly, you need to avoid the following mistakes:
- conducting a ground wire to household pipelines;
- the presence of taps from the washing machine to the ground bus in outdoor areas that are not adapted to this (corrosion occurs due to moisture, which can lead to a fire in the electrical cable);
- serial connection of all electrical appliances in the electrical circuit (connection of two or more conductors to one ground electrode is not allowed);
- use unsuitable, old or damaged wires.
