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Fall of Potential Method

The fall of potential method is a reliable but time-consuming way to measure ground resistance. It involves placing current and potential probes at increasing distances from the ground system being tested and recording voltage readings. A graph of the readings will flatten out at the system's ground resistance point. A simplified version takes fewer voltage measurements at only three points instead of many, making it faster but less reliable than the full method. Both are based on the principle of measuring voltage drops as the distance from the ground system increases.

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Hansika Rajapaksha
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116 views5 pages

Fall of Potential Method

The fall of potential method is a reliable but time-consuming way to measure ground resistance. It involves placing current and potential probes at increasing distances from the ground system being tested and recording voltage readings. A graph of the readings will flatten out at the system's ground resistance point. A simplified version takes fewer voltage measurements at only three points instead of many, making it faster but less reliable than the full method. Both are based on the principle of measuring voltage drops as the distance from the ground system increases.

Uploaded by

Hansika Rajapaksha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Fall of Potential Method

 Advantage: Extremely reliable.


reliable
 Disadvantage: Extremely time consuming and
labor intensive.
intensive
Theoretical Background - Fall of Potential
Ground Potential
Electrode Probe (P)
Under Positions
Current
Test (X) Probe (C)
Resisttance in Ohms

X Distance of Potential Probe from X (dp)


C
Ground Current
El
Electrode
d Probe
Position Position
Site Testing Fall of Potential
Method
1. Determine size of ground grid system and
calculate length of test leads required.
(Pythagorean theorem). Lead Length
Critical.
Critical
2. Make sure that the ground system under
test is non connected to the Utility ground
system grid. (Telephone as well).
3. Starting at 50’, record readings every 50’
t obtain
to bt i a ground d resistance
i t curve. (O
(Or
enough points to ensure a good graph.
4.The point where curve flattens out is the
system’s ground resistance. (62%)
3 Point Test Format

Distance Readings Readings


I Feet
In F t in
i Ohms,
Oh in
i Ohms,
Oh
Easterly Northerly
Direction Direction
25
50 10
75
100 1.16 0.84
125 1.39 1.1 8
150 1.67 1.27
175 1.8 1.46 6 East Direction
200 2.18 1.67
225 2.59 1.99 North Direction
250 3.04 2.49
4
275 3.47 2.95
300 3.67 3.17 2
325 3.86 3.35
350 3 97
3.97 3 51
3.51 0
375 4.25 3.62
400 4.68 4.02
0

0
425 5.4 4.92
10

15

20

25

30

35
450 6.52 5.91 40
475 8 08
8.08 7 79
7.79
500
Simplified Fall of Potential Method

 Based on the theory behind the full Fall of


Potential method.
 Take
k measurements at three
h points.
 Advantage: Much faster than full Fall of Potential
method.
th d
 Disadvantage: Less reliable since fewer
measurements being made.
made

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