How to make grounding for a gas boiler in a private house

Do I need to ground the gas boiler

Even though the gas main is itself grounded, the gas pipe is not grounded enough. An additional system must be provided. It is done not just "at random", but according to typical examples of structures, which are quite simple. Let's consider them in more detail.

The need to ground the equipment of gas boilers is mandatory

Gas boiler grounding technology - how to ground correctly

The standards stipulate the need for grounding the boiler, but they do not impose any requirements on the way of doing this work. It is thanks to this that it becomes possible to create a ground loop with your own hands. However, if you have a budget, it will be much easier to purchase a ready-made grounding kit, which is recommended by the gas service.

For self-arrangement of grounding, you need to take into account a number of parameters:

Type and features of the grounding circuit;
Resistance parameters;
Materials that are best suited for the installation of the ground loop;
Construction cost.

In addition, the grounding of a gas boiler must comply with all standards for this design. This point is very important - if, when checking the circuit by a gas service representative, inconsistencies with the requirements are found, he simply will not sign a document on putting the grounding into operation. For example, it is impossible to ground the boiler to a water supply, sewerage or gas mains, and if this prohibition is violated, the system will not be put into operation.

Grounding a gas boiler in a private house can be equipped in the following ways:

Depending on the type of device... Gas boilers require their own grounding loop, which significantly distinguishes such devices from various household appliances. Higher requirements are imposed on heating equipment - in particular, if the boiler is grounded through a socket, then it must be connected directly to the grounding circuit, and not to the switchboard.
Depending on the characteristics of grounding... Here we are talking about the method of installing the grounding loop, which can be presented as a ready-made kit specially designed for connecting gas boilers, and devices assembled independently.

Selecting a ground electrode

Grounding means a conductor in contact with the ground. The main feature of its design is as large an area of contact with the ground as possible. The soil, although it is a conductor, is very bad. That is why, in order to ensure a low grounding resistance (requirements of the standards for the operation of gas boilers), a large contact area of the ground electrode with the ground is required. The grounding of the gas pipe is not the grounding of the boiler; it requires a separate grounding circuit.

Many options for the design of grounding electrodes have been proposed, both industrial (for example, for substations) and for private use. The main characteristic for selection is the maximum current that must be diverted to the ground in case of complete breakdown, that is, the value at which the protective automatics are set.

Before making grounding for a gas boiler in a private house, keep in mind that the design of grounding electrodes, wires, contact connections will be checked by certified specialists and based on the data obtained, a "Protocol for checking grounding electrodes and grounding devices" will be drawn up.

Three types of ground loop: delta, linear circuit, modular-pin ground

At the facility where the boiler is grounded, the resistance to current spreading of the ground loop is measured. This procedure allows you to obtain objective data on the quality of ground electrodes, which have long been hidden underground. That is why you should not try to make a grounding scheme for untested objects of unknown configuration: water supply, fittings, gas pipelines, sewers. In this there is a risk that you will not be able to obtain an act of grounding the gas boiler, and everything will have to be redone again. The norms for the grounding of gas boilers and gas pipelines were developed by the PUE (Rules for the Arrangement of Electrical Installations). They establish the characteristics of grounding: resistance, conductor cross-section, materials and technologies used.

The most common are columnar ground electrodes. This is any metal product: pipes, corners, channel bars, I-beams. A prerequisite is sufficient rigidity of the elements used so that they can be driven into the ground. If yamobur is used, then it is not necessary to comply with this requirement. The columns are placed in a triangle, which is done to limit the dimensions of the place on the site.

Ready-made sets of grounding electrodes have a rather high cost, therefore they are rarely used. They have exactly the same columnar design. Their advantage is that they can be assembled without a welding machine (with brass connecting sleeves), however, such a connection is less reliable.

Columnar ground electrodes for a gas boiler in a private house are used only for the reason that they can be driven into the ground to a considerable depth. In fact, this is far from the best design, because reliable electrical contact can only be in wet soil, in the last quarter of the buried part of the pillar. If the site is not rocky or rocky, then you can dig a trench about 1 m deep and 3 m long or more (longer is better). A metal conductor is placed in it, which can also be made from any black or non-ferrous rolled metal. However, this scheme is not classical, but it can also pass certification.

Do I need to ground the gas boiler myself or entrust the work to a master?

So, you have received an affirmative answer whether you need to ground the boiler. Many owners of heating systems, in an effort to save money, decide to do the work with their own hands. We do not recommend doing this. If even minor mistakes are made, at best you will not be given a verification report. At worst, it will provoke breakdowns, shorten the life of the boiler, and emergency situations. It can even pose a threat to property, health and life.

If you need to ground the boiler and you do not want to do it yourself due to lack of experience or for other reasons, please contact Profteplo. We will select ready-made solutions, perform grounding at a convenient time for you. We also carry out maintenance, service, repair of gas and other types of boilers in the event of a malfunction. We can check the existing grounding, find errors and fix them. To get a consultation from a master or order a service, contact a representative of "Profteplo" by phone or leave a request on the website through a special form. We will call you back during business hours.

Selection of materials for the ground electrode

Grounding can only be made from metal elements. All other materials are not conductive. In theory, it could be made from graphite or carbon rods, but this is also not an option due to their too high resistance. Dry soil does not conduct current. The conductivity of the soil depends on its moisture content, when salt solutions (electrolytes) are formed in it, which conduct electric current very well.

Any rolled metal: pipes, corners, channel bars, I-beams

The best possible earthing materials are copper and stainless steel.Ordinary steel is also used, but it must be borne in mind that the service life of such a structure will directly depend on its volume, i.e. the metal corrodes at a certain rate (mm and fractions of a mm per year). The steel parts of the ground electrode must have a large cross-section: thick reinforcing rods, pipes and any metal rolling. If you choose stainless steel, then thin corners can already be used. They will provide even greater efficiency than massive steel parts.

Calculation of the parameters of the grounding device

Household gas boilers (single-circuit and double-circuit) are connected to a grounding structure in the form of a triangle with a side of 2.5 m or more.The depth of the rods in the corners is 2.5-3 m. It is recommended to use this particular structure, since it provides material savings with significant the area of contact with the ground, is typical and easily passes certification when checked by experts. The same scheme is used when installing other gas equipment, for example, a boiler. It, like the boiler, needs grounding.

The calculation of the elements of the ground loop can be done using our ground resistance calculator.

An equilateral triangle grounding loop is the most common type of grounding device
The cross-section of steel horizontal lintels should not be less than 48 mm2. The larger it is, the better, the ground loop will have less resistance, which will definitely be noted by experts when passing the test. In the triangle scheme, not only vertical rods, but also horizontal ones have contact with the ground. They are covered by 20-30 cm. Deeper is better, but in practice it is difficult to dig a deep trench.

The most common is clayey soil. It holds moisture well and is easy to work out. Grounding in it is easy, and thanks to its high conductivity, it is also effective. In domestic conditions, it is difficult to obtain data on soil resistivity, therefore, they use averaged values.

To pass the test, the main thing is not to take less immersion elements than standard ones. The metal is not so expensive as to save on the length of the rods. Just make the immersion depth of the rods at least 2.5 m and the side of the triangle at least 2.5 m and the grounding is guaranteed to work and from almost 100% you will receive an act for grounding the gas boiler.

How to make grounding for a gas boiler All about electricity

You are here: In order to put into working order and safe use of a gas boiler in an apartment or in a private house, it must be grounded, guided by certain papers, which indicate the rules and regulations.

As soon as the grounding is completed, you need to draw up the acceptance documents. They contain information about various indicators that the grounding circuit has.

In this article, we will tell the readers of the Sam Electric website how to make the grounding of a gas boiler in a private house with our own hands.

What is it for?

Regardless of the principle of operation of a gas boiler, surface stress is formed on the body during operation. Grounding will avoid the following problems when coming into contact with such equipment:

Deterioration of electronics - boilers installed in a private house or apartment, as well as equipped with computer control, may fail under the influence of harmful surface currents. The same can happen from static electricity. In this regard, from gas equipment for which a ground loop is not equipped, one should not expect long-term uninterrupted operation, and correcting the situation by replacing the processor will be extremely expensive.
Explosion hazard - electricity of a static nature very often causes the subsequent explosion of devices operating on gas under pressure. If you make grounding, the possibility of arcing will be excluded.

Heating scheme of a private house with a gas boiler: installation and piping scheme for a gas boiler

A comfortable private home should have comfortable heating. Even during the design, it is necessary to lay, think over the scheme of heating systems. Gas heating is more often chosen as heating. Since this heating system reliably and efficiently heats the entire room.

Which heating scheme with a gas boiler is best suited for a cottage or a private house

When it is planned to equip the entire system without the help of professionals, then you need to calculate the heating scheme.

There are two types of gas heating circulation:

forced circulation is made thanks to pumps;
natural produces movement, due to the difference in the density of hot and cold water.

IMPORTANT. Natural works better when installing equipment lower in level relative to radiators

For the stable movement of the coolant, it is necessary to make a natural slope of the pipelines.

An artificial pump can be installed. Installation is simple, but the pump with artificial circulation has disadvantages: uneven heating, dependence on electricity and the possible appearance of air jams.

Heating wiring is:

One-pipe. Suitable for a not too large area with a small number of rooms, when using this wiring, the temperature in the pipes differs.
Two-pipe. Difficult to implement, suitable for adjusting the temperature in different rooms.

ATTENTION. When operating one-pipe wiring, a big minus is revealed: the lower part of the radiator does not heat up well

Radiators will heat up differently on different floors in the house. This problem can be solved by installing jumpers to the batteries, to increase the volume of the batteries. It is also recommended to install pumps for sufficient movement of the coolant.

The advantage is the easy wiring setup that you can do yourself. During installation, a small amount of materials is spent, which is also a plus.

Two-pipe wiring heats the pipes evenly. However, it requires a large amount of material for installation, pipe laying. The advantage of two-pipe wiring is the ability to regulate pipes with shut-off valves.

REFERENCE. There is also a Leningrad distribution system. A pipe is connected to it, which circulates the liquid in parallel. This system is suitable for furnishing a cottage or a private house.

Grounding installation

The most difficult thing in the installation of grounding is earthwork. The immersion depth of the rods is 2.5-3 m. This does not mean that a three-meter hole must be dug. It is enough to go half the depth, and the rest is obtained by driving the rods into the soil. Much here is determined by the presence of stones in the ground. In rocky soils, this method of immersion is not possible at all.

First, a triangle with sides of about 3 m is marked on the site.It is desirable to place it on the side of the house where the boiler is installed, but this is not necessary. It is much more important that this place is not passable. It is undesirable to find people in the area of current spreading in the event of triggering.

Installation of a ground loop in the form of a triangle

A trench is being dug on the sides of the triangle, and at the corners - pits, into which the ground rods will then be immersed. Any tool can be used here. The most practical yamobur, albeit manual, or gasoline. The lease is the same model that is used for drilling for lightweight screw piles.

A grounding structure is immersed in a dug hole of complex triangular shape. First, the racks are hammered at the corners of the triangle.After they are submerged below ground level (their length should be 1.5-3 m for vertical immersion), horizontal conductors are welded to them.The cross-section of the horizontal conductors must not be less than that of the vertical posts.

Ready-made gas boiler grounding kits are often made for bolted connections. A welded connection is better than a bolted one. This is especially important, since under conditions of constant soil moisture, intense corrosion develops, and the junction may stop conducting electric current. The efficiency of grounding will decrease, but outwardly it will not be noticeable. Thus, poorly made connections in the future can provoke an emergency situation when the ground resistance is suddenly too high to effectively divert the current from the breakdown.

If, when digging a hole, large stones were removed, then they should not be used when backfilling, since the stone does not conduct current. Another fine-grained soil is poured, which will absorb soil moisture and become a conductor. The soil is compacted flush with the ground.

It is convenient to place the grounding triangle under the drainpipe. There, the soil is more humid and its conductivity is higher, therefore, the grounding of the gas boiler will work effectively with the same amount of materials used.

How to get a certificate for grounding a gas boiler?

If the grounding function test is successful, you can call an inspection. Its representatives, when examining the system, are guided by the recommendations of the PUE. The supervisory authorities check the resistance of the soil and the ground loop, the connection of the unit to the shield, and so on. If everything is in order, the owner is issued an act for the grounding of the gas boiler. It indicates: the type and characteristics of the soil, the name of the grounding device, the results of measurements and the type of instruments with which they were performed.

After receiving this certificate, grounding can be used as intended.

Ground loop connection

The copper grounding conductor goes to the PE bus - the main grounding bus
The ground loop is connected with a large stranded copper wire. It is best to use a special wire with yellow-green insulation, which is sold specifically for grounding and is color-coded accordingly. The cross-section of the grounding wire must be larger than all other wires (phase and neutral) that were used to connect the boiler. This is necessary for minimum resistance in case of activation.

A powerful screw terminal with the corresponding symbol is specially provided for the connection of the ground loop on the boiler. Connection is necessary precisely to this point, and not to others, even if they are on a common housing.

Checking work

Checking must be given special attention. The made grounding of the gas boiler is checked by experts in order to obtain the appropriate act. The call of experts is paid, therefore, in order to pass the test for sure, you need to check the grounding system yourself several times. This can be done both with the help of special devices and without them.

First, we will consider an interesting test technique using a tester and a 220 volt network. The method is that you connect a load, such as a 100 watt light bulb, to phase and neutral. Then the consumed current is measured. Then, the neutral is turned off, and the existing ground is connected to the free end of the wire. The current is measured again and will always be less than the original value. The smaller this deviation between the currents, the better the grounding of the gas boiler is done. Having calculated the difference in current according to Ohm's law, we find the grounding resistance.

Various methods of measuring the parameters of grounding devices are discussed in detail in the article "How to measure grounding resistance".

The described method has two disadvantages.This is the need to measure currents with a life-threatening voltage, and the second is an error, since the resistance of the soil to the substation (or other place where the neutral is connected to earth) is also added to the resistance of your structure. Therefore, let's consider another way. For him, it is necessary that some kind of grounding has already been done in the house, for example, metal water pipes.

A low-voltage circuit is connected to the existing ground, for example, from a car battery with some kind of load. The open circuit must be between the ground and the new ground of the gas boiler, to which the ammeter probe is connected. Knowing the current at zero resistance of the wires, it is compared with the value obtained through the ground.

Finally, there is a third way to check the boiler grounding using special devices. They allow you to measure spreading currents in the soil, soil resistivity. Experts use them. At the household level, such equipment is not available, but simpler methods of measuring grounding resistance give a reliable result.

Types of heating boilers used in a private house

The grounding system can be natural or artificial. The first option includes structures made of metal or reinforced concrete, which are in direct contact with the ground. This can be the foundation of a building, a pipeline or other underground communications.

But for a gas boiler, natural grounding provides for at least two contacts with separate parts of the body, and in this case, sewage, heating and gas pipes are excluded. Therefore, during installation, an artificial system is often used, the organization of which we will consider.

For artificial grounding, rods or pipes become conductors-electrodes, which are interconnected by metal strips. They are installed vertically in the soil to ensure the operation of the system even in the winter season, when the top layer of the earth freezes over. An important condition is that metal elements must not be protected from corrosion by an insulating material.

The service life of the ground loop largely depends on the presence of anti-corrosion protection on its electrodes - copper-plated and stainless elements will last the longest.

On the market, you can also find ready-made kits for the grounding system, which consist of steel rods (usually with a copper coating) and special pointed tips for different soil densities.

The set also includes an anti-corrosion agent for treating the system before installation and connecting elements - brass couplings, clamps. The main advantage of this solution is that the contour can be assembled without welding and lengthy preparation.

Although the controlling services advocate ready-made kits for grounding, it is feasible to make the structure on your own - this will not be a violation, but it will cost several times cheaper

To assemble a system from scrap materials, several important nuances should be taken into account:

Metal structures intended for installation in the ground can be made of a profile pipe, I-beam, channel, angle.
The metal of the ground electrode must be protected from destruction by galvanizing, copper plating or, in extreme cases, by anti-corrosion paste.
The cross-sectional area of the wire connecting the zero phase of the shield to the ground loop depends on the type of metal from which it is made. For copper, the optimal value is 1 cm2, for steel - 7.5 cm2, and for aluminum - 16 cm2.
The resistance of the ground electrode for sandy soil should not exceed 50 Ohm, for clay soil - a maximum of 10 Ohm.
The materials for the electrodes should also be selected taking into account the loop resistance. The best option is two-inch pipes or corners with a length of 2 m and a cross-sectional area of 5 cm2.
The grounding bus is made of copper or steel strip (aluminum is not allowed in this case).

Compliance with these requirements and the correct installation of the circuit will help eliminate claims from the inspectors of the gas service, regardless of whether you used a ready-made modular system or assembled it yourself.

In the list of requirements for the arrangement of grounding there are several indicators, the algorithm for obtaining which may be incomprehensible to a beginner in the business of an electrician - for example, how many electrodes are required for the system to work properly or how to measure the loop resistance. Let's try to clarify the basic principles of determining these parameters.

You can find out the resistivity of the soil, grounding devices of any configuration, and even the presence of a connection between the electrodes using a special meter

Most often, the grounding of a gas boiler in a country private house is performed empirically. This practical method is suitable for those who are afraid to get bogged down in complex theoretical calculations.

The algorithm for performing the work is as follows:

Let's take as a basis the contour in the form of an isosceles triangle of three metal rods 3 meters long.
We connect the conductors.
We take an ohmmeter (a device for measuring resistance) and measure the indicators for the circuit. The ideal value is considered to be 4 ohms.
If the result obtained significantly exceeds the optimal indicator, add one more element to the contour, check the resistance again. We continue until we get an ideal indicator, or at least the maximum allowable value for the boiler circuit of 10 ohms.

But you can determine the required number of electrodes using formulas, choosing the appropriate options for your case.

Using this formula, you can find out the resistance for one electrode, if on the site where the house is located, the soil is homogeneous, and does not lie in layers

In the formula, you need to substitute the average value of the resistivity, depending on the type of soil in which the ground electrode will be located:

wet sand - 500 Ohm * m;
clay gravel and sandy loam - 300 Ohm * m;
clay-sand mixture - 150 Ohm * m;
loam - 100 Ohm * m;
semi-solid clay and black earth - 60 Ohm * m;
garden land - 40 Ohm * m;
plastic loam - 30 Ohm * m;
peat - 25 Ohm * m;
plastic clay and salt marsh - 20 Ohm * m.

Read more: Arrangement of a well in the country with your own hands

Stone and rocky ground are the least suitable for installing the ground loop. In this case, an artificial embankment will have to be erected.

For a heterogeneous soil, it will be more difficult to calculate the resistance for one electrode, but this can also be done by substituting your data into the indicated formula

The value of the seasonal climatic coefficient of soil resistance depends on the area where your house is located. They are conventionally divided into 4 groups.

Correction for climatic features is especially important for areas with cold winters, since grounding efficiency is significantly reduced in frozen ground.

There are also more complex algorithms for the precise determination of the parameters of the electrodes and even special programs for their calculations. But for the correct operation of the gas boiler, it will be enough to follow the general recommendations for arranging a standard ground loop.

Various types of boilers are presented to the homeowner:

- Solid fuel devices, which are considered to be the simplest. The solid fuel boiler runs on coal, coke, wood.

Regardless of which boiler is chosen - gas, electric or solid fuel, it must be grounded in any case.

According to the PUE, in order to make grounding by means of the outlet directly yourself, it must be connected according to the scheme not to the switchboard, but directly to the circuit.

One of the main requirements for the grounding loop is that the resistance of the system as a whole should not exceed 4 ohms. To do this, you need to correctly connect the circuit with the power shield using a conductor made of copper. One side of it is attached to the plinth of the house, and the other - to zero on the shield.

Photo 2. A ready-made grounding kit for a wall-mounted gas boiler with all the necessary accessories.

For self-introduction of a grounding device, you can use the following methods:

Buy a ready-made kit for grounding a gas boiler. It includes all the necessary components. Installation takes place quite quickly and does not take much time. You will need a small plot of 0.5x0.5 m2. Grounding can be carried out in basements or a few meters from the house itself.
Make an earthing switch on your own. To do this, you need a welding machine and a steel corner. The created structure, in the form of a triangle or an inverted letter W, is dug into the ground to a depth of more than 1 meter.

Reference! Before starting work, it is necessary to conduct an independent external ground loop near the house.

The process is done thanks to the following tools:

A trench is dug according to the markings made with a shovel.
Ground electrodes are driven into the drilled holes with a hammer.
With the help of a motor-drill, deep pits are drilled in the upper part of the trench.
A metal tape is used to join the corners between the horizontal elements of the ground loop. Electrical welding is required for the connection.
At the end of the conductor entering the room, an M6 or M8 bolt is welded. A wire ring is put on it, which is responsible for the internal grounding of a private house.

Materials used:

Metal corner (size 50x50x5 mm). The house ground loop is an equilateral triangle, into the corners of which metal ground electrodes are driven.
Steel tape 40 mm wide and 4 mm thick. In order to dock the corners with each other, a metal tape is used.
Metal wire rod with a diameter of 8-10 mm. It fits into a trench and rises 50 centimeters above the blind area.

For proper and effective grounding of the gas boiler, it is necessary to make an external circuit.

Contour making process:

Marking is done at a distance of one meter from the house. An equilateral triangle with sides of 2 m is drawn.
A trench 50 cm deep and 40 cm wide is dug along the lines drawn.
This is followed by a connection to the house using a trench of the same size.
Deep pits are made with a drill.
Ground electrodes are inserted into the pits. The distance to the bottom of the trench should be about 15 cm.
Connect the ground electrodes to each other using 40x4 mm metal strips.
Place the metal strip in the trench leading to the house.
A strip of metal is welded to the base with a metal rod.

Attention! Such equipment of the grounding system is possible only if there is a sufficient amount of land near the house. If it is not possible to ground the boiler using a triangular loop, use line grounding.

electric heating that do not require the installation of a chimney. They are as easy to manage as possible.
gas heating. The main advantage of such a boiler is its efficiency.
solid fuel devices, which are considered the most simple. Solid fuel boiler runs on coal, coke, wood