Even with the best electrical systems, a fault or short circuit can sometimes occur. These types of events can take place during lightning storms, unexpected power surges, and similar events.
Fortunately, short circuits and faults rarely lead to long-term harm because of how modern electrical systems are designed. By grounding your electrical systems, your family can achieve an added level of protection from power fluctuations.
What Is a Ground Wire?
In a typical electrical system, power is supplied by the local utility provider. Afterward, it comes into your house through the power meter and travels to the main circuit breaker. Then, it goes to the breaker box or fuse box.
Next, the electricity travels to every corner of your home through a range of different wires and power outlets. All of these wires have systems installed as safety measures. In general, most electrical outlets use 120 volts, although some appliances require 240 volts.
To protect your home, the wiring system uses something that is known as grounding. Electrical circuits contain a hot wire, a neutral wire, and a grounding wire. The hot wire is the electrical power that is actually traveling to get to your devices. This voltage is negatively charged, so it is trying to discharge the excess negative energy to get back to a neutral charge. In order to do this, it must go through the neutral wire to return to the main service panel. Essentially, the electricity travels to the device using the hot wire and returns on the neutral wire.
However, fluctuations can occur in even the best electrical systems. For example, mice sometimes chew on electrical wires inside a home’s walls. If the wires get damaged, electricity can get out of the wires and into surrounding materials. Depending on what the surrounding material is, this could lead to an electrocution, electrical damage, or even a fire.
Grounding matters because it prevents electricity from getting out and causing problems. Electricity loves to follow the path of least resistance, which is why this type of wire exists for grounding the electrical current. Because the ground wire offers a path of least resistance, the electricity travels to it instead of electrocuting you or starting a fire.
A grounding wire is like a dam on a lake. During floods, spillways release excess water to protect homes and businesses from being flooded. Like grounding an electrical system, they provide a controlled release mechanism to protect people, buildings, and belongings.
Does Every Circuit Need To Be Grounded?
When a power surge happens, you need grounding systems in place to prevent circuits from becoming excessively overloaded. Stray voltage can damage your appliances, shock your loved ones, or lead to a dangerous fire.
With your home wiring system, the ground wire is essentially a backup path that the current can follow instead of escaping from the wires. It consists of copper wires that are linked to electrical boxes and devices in your home. These wires go everywhere the neutral and hot wires go, providing an alternative route for excess current.
All of these wires ultimately connect to a grounding bar in the service panel, which is linked to a grounding in the earth. Excess current follows this entire path, ensuring that your home and family are safe from electrical fluctuations.
If you aren’t sure whether you have grounding systems installed or not, check your outlets. There should be a third, round slot that is used for grounding. Prior to the 1960s, grounding wires weren’t commonly installed. Instead, these homes used metal cables and conduits, such as knob-and-tube wiring. These homes have two slots for your prongs instead of three. To ensure your family’s safety, it’s a good idea to update your electrical systems so that they have a grounding wire.
Get Help With Your Electrical Systems
Whether you need a ground wire installed or want a full electrical inspection, our certified electricians are here to help. At Mister Sparky, we have years of experience with helping Ocala residents get the electrical solutions they need. To learn more, visit our website for more information. Don’t put up with any malarky, call Mister Sparky!
