Earthing for Telecom Installations

1)

General
a) In order to analyse the large failures noticed during lightning, many telecom
installations affected by lightning were visited.
b) The earthing methods adopted in different places were varying as well as were not as
per any standards.
c) Some of the observations were as follows
i) When MDF was separately connected to earth and was disconnected from the
equipment earth, line card failures were reduced in many stations.
ii) Large card failures were noticed during lightning in new technology switching
systems. The case was referred to the switch vendors.
iii) M/s Ericsson has suggested the following measures
(1) Use of common earth with earth collection bar (ECB) and the following shall
be brought to the ECB
(a) DC Earth
(b) Surge Protective device
(c) Protective Earth of electrical power
(d) Lightning Protection System
(2) If the distance between various earths are less than 20 meters it shall be made
common because the moment there is a lightning strike, there will be a
potential difference between the earth pits and current starts flowing from
lightning earth to switch earth. This potential reaches the cabinets and cards
get damages.
(3) Increase the number of down conductors for the Lightning Protection System
(4) Use of plate earthing
(5) The surge arrestor earthing shall be connected to switch earth collection bar.
(6) Provision of IPMs in the MDF for all the lines irrespective of working line or
not.
iv) M/s Lucent has suggested the following
(1) The grounding arrangement suggested is the single point grounding (Single
Point Earthing is suggested in CCITT K.27)
(2) Suggests separate earths for communication, power and lightning and
interconnection of the earths on a ring for equi-potential bonding.
(3) Tower lightning protection system shall have Two down conductors
connected to separate earth pits and subsequently connected to the ring earth.
(4) Class B & C protection for the power line.
(5) MDF Tag blocks shall be installed with earth strips and the earth strips shall
not be deformed.
v) The failure during lightning in Motorola installed BTS sites of IMPCS were much
less as compared to BSNL IMPCS sites. In Motorola sites, common earthing is
adopted.
vi) Interconnection of earths in many stations have increased the failures rather than
reducing the same.
vii) The failures due to lightning in BSNL sites for the GSM as well as other
equipments have increased multifold with the installation of towers where as in
microwave stations were towers are in existence for many years, there is no such
failure.

2)

Need for common earthing system with isolation

a) The conductive mass of the earth is taken as at zero potential.
b) At the time of huge electric discharge, there is a possibility of large inrush current
being flowing through some areas and less current in some other areas which may
result in the large difference in potential.
c) This difference in potential can damage equipments connected there in.
d) Moreover current flows through the least resistance path which can damage
equipments connected there in.
e) Hence sufficient isolation also is needed among various equipments.

3)

Components required in an earthing installation

a) Earthing network consisting of the earth electrodes, interconnections and the main
earthing terminal
b) Common bonding network
c) SPC (Single Point Connection) Bar for the Telecom equipments

4)

Earthing Network
a) The earthing network consists of multiple earth electrodes having conductive parts in
intimate contact with the earth providing electrical connection.
b) While installing such earth electrodes engineering standards shall be followed.
c) During the acceptance testing it shall be ensured that the engineering standards are
followed.
d) The earth electrodes shall further be interconnected in a ring shape as per the
engineering instructions.
e) A main earthing terminal or bar shall be provided as per the engineering
instructions.
f) The main earthing terminal shall be as close as possible to the a/c power cable and
telecommunication cable entrance facilities.
g) The main earthing terminal shall be connected to the earth electrodes via the shortest
path.
h) All the interconnections shall be done as per standards.
i) Equi-potential bonding can also be deployed. Equi-potential bonding network is a set
of copper bars laid for interconnecting all the earth electrodes to keep them at
substantial equal potential.

Main Earthing Terminal

Equi
Potential
Bonding
Earth
Electrode

5)

Lightning Protection System

a) LPS is being installed in most of the Telecom installations
b) LPS consists of the following
i) Air Termination Network
(1) This is basically a mesh conductor on the roofs and outside walls of the
buildings.
(2) A closer mesh is required in areas more prone to lightning
ii) Down conductors
(1) There should be several down conductors equi spaced around the structure to
share the lightning current.
(2) More number of down conductors with reduce the side flashes.
iii) Earth Electrodes.
c) Bonding of the metal work within the structure to the LPS
d) Bonding of the metallic services entering the structure to the LPS (Tower)
e) The Lightning Protection System will be connected to the CBN.

Lightning
Spike Air
Termination
Network

Down
Conductor

Telecom
Building
Main Earthing Terminal

6)

AC Power distribution, protection and earthing

a) The AC power feed for the telecommunication shall follows the TN-S structure of the
IEC i.e. the neutral and the protective conductors shall be separate.
b) The Protective Earth (Cable Shield) of the A/C power feed shall be connected to
the main earthing terminal.
c) The 3-phase network within the telecom building will have 5 wires i.e. L1, L2, L3, N
and PE.
d) PE stands for the protective conductor for protection against electric shock by
electrically connecting all exposed conductive parts, extraneous conductive parts and
neutral i.e. the cable shield.
e) Over voltage protection is required at the power entrance facility if the power lines
are exposed to lightning.
f) Class B & C protection shall be provided for the power line.
g) The neutral of the Electricity Board Power Supply should be connected to separate
electrical earth. This and the transformer earth should be minimum 20 m away from
the ring earth.
h) For HT supply 11KV lightning arresters shall be ensured for all the three phases
7)
External cable entry and earthing
a) All the external cables including the power cables shall be taken inside the building
close to the main earthing terminal.
b) Telecommunication cables and unshielded power cables shall have a minimum of 10
cm separation.
c) The cable sheath shall be invariably connected to a main earthing terminal close to
the cable entrance point.
8)
Tower earthing
a) The tower earthing bars, lightning arrester bar as well as the aviation lamp
earthing bar (if any) shall be directly connected to the main earthing terminal
b) If a/c supply is taken for the aviation lamps, the same shall be taken through 1:1
isolation transformers only as per standards. Lightning arresters are also to be

provided in both the limbs of the cable for tower warning lamp. The other limb of the
arrester is to be connected to the ring earth
c) Tower lightning protection system shall have Two down conductors connected to
separate earth pits and subsequently connected to the ring earth.
d) If armored cable is used for the aviation lamp, the sheath of the cable should be
separately connected to the tower at the top end and to the ring earth at the bottom
end.

Common Bonding Network

Tower
Cable sheath
LPS
A/c PE
Main Earthing Terminal

9)
a)

b)
c)
d)
e)

Common Bonding Network

CBN consists of the interconnection network of
i)
The structured steel or reinforcing rods
ii)
Metallic plumbing
iii)
A/C power conduits
iv)
PE conductors
v)
Cable supports, trays, racks, raceways etc.
vi)
Any other metallic parts used for the non electrical functions in the building
vii)
Air conditioning system Earthing terminal
viii) Engine Alternator earthing
ix)
Lighting system earth
CBN will have a mesh topology.
The CBN will have multiple connectivity to the main earthing terminal.
The frame of Engine alternator is to be connected to the CBN. The neutral of the
alternator should not be earthed near the engine but should be extended to the power
board and connected to the CBN.
The external tube light fixtures, steel window frames, fencing wire, gates and any
other metallic substances are to be connected to the CBN through GI strips.

Cable supports
and Trays

Air Conditioning

Grills, Gates etc

Engine Alternator
Lighting System

Structured Steel
Common Bonding Network

Main Earthing Terminal

10)

Single Point Connection (SPC) bus bar

a) A Bonding Network Point where various equipments of the system block
(Telecommunication System) is connected.
b) Will have a single connection to the CBN (maximum 2 meters)
c) Various equipment frames within the system block will have a mesh connectivity
11)
Telecom Equipment Earth
a) The equipment racks shall be interconnected by low impedance leads or copper bars
b) The racks shall have unrestricted fastening to the floor and walls such that stray
capacitance wont develop.
c) Indoor cabling shall follow the shortest path.
12)
The DC power feed.
a) The DC power feed return conductor will be connected to multiple points in the BN
depending upon the requirement of the telecom equipment.
13)
MDF Earthing
a) The body of the MDF shall also be connected to the SPC Bar.
b) The shield of the various cables going out of the distribution frame to various
equipment frames shall be connected to the SPC Bar.
c) MDF Tag blocks shall be installed with earth strips and the earth strips shall not be
deformed.
d) Provision of IPMs in the MDF for all the lines irrespective of working line or not.

MDF

Equipment
Frames

DC Return

Single Point Connection (SPC) Bar / Mat

SPC connector
2 m max
Common Bonding Network

Main Earthing Terminal

14)

Pillar and Cable Earth

a) Continuity with proper gauge wire shall be ensured for the cable joints.
b) All the pillars shall be connected to earth.
c) Cable sheath, Pillar Body and Tag Block frame in the Pillars shall be connected to
earth.
15)
Precautions
a) The egress points of all the conductors leaving the building including the AC power
entrance, Telecom cables, earthing conductors shall be close together.
b) Cables shall not be run near the earth conductors especially on vertical runs.
c) The interconnections and the components used shall be as per standards.
16)
Workman ship
a) All the available engineering instructions shall be strictly followed for earthing.
b) It is always better to not to do earthing rather than doing earthing in an improper way.
To site examples
i) There are certain places where failures are noticed when MDF earth is connected
to exchange earth and hence disconnected. This is because the cable sheath is not
connected to earth.
ii) Failures are noticed when towers are installed in many places. This was due to
Aviation lamp was not earthed properly. In STR aviation lamp was seen not at all
earthed.
c) All earth connections shall either be crimped or welded. No twisting of wires is
allowed.
d) Earth conductor should not be encircled with metal clamps while taking it along the
wall. This is essential to eliminate the high inductive reactance.
e) Earthing conductors should not pass through any metallic conduit or pipe as this will
increase surge impedance.
f) Chemical treatment of the earth using salt etc shall be avoided.
17)
Earth to be treated as an equipment
a) The installation team shall consider earth installation as a separate activity
b) Acceptance Testing shall be done first for the earth.
c) The earth shall be handed over to the telecom building in-charge with the complete
layout diagram.

18)

Equipment installation
a) LPS shall be installed if required.
b) The earthing network with earth electrodes, interconnections, equi potential bonding,
main earth terminal etc shall be installed taking into concederation all the present and
future requirements by various units including switching, transmission, IMPCS,
Engine Alternator, A/C plant, Lighting etc.
c) Common Bonding Network shall be installed.
d) SPC Bar for interconnection of various telecom equipments shall also be provided.
e) The A/T of the above system shall be conducted who shall verify
i) Installation based on standards
ii) Earth resistance
f) A/T team shall prepare a complete check list before carrying out the A/T
g) All other subsequent equipment installations shall use this earth equipment and shall
be connected to its various points based on the standards.
19)
Earth maintenance
a) Maintenance of the earthing system is very important.
b) Whenever new equipment is connected it shall be ensured that the same is as per the
earthing standards.
c) The earth pits shall be periodically watered to ensure proper earth values. Gardening
the area and periodic watering of the plants is a suggested option.
20)
Reference documents
a) ITU-T K.27 Bonding configurations and Earthing inside a Telecommunication
Building.
b) T & D Circle Engineering Instructions on earthing - QG 1005