THE ELECTRICITY WIRING REGULATIONS

A19.(a) Measurement of Earth Electrode resistance

These Regulations describe three methods to measure the resistance of an Earth Electrode.
Method 1 uses a dedicated Earth Electrode tester, method 2 uses a dedicated stakeless Earth
Electrode tester, and method 3 uses Earth Fault Loop Impedance measurement.

For complete testing methodology of the measurement of Earth Electrode resistance refer to the
respective Guidance notes of BS 7671:2018.

Method 1: measurement using dedicated Earth Electrode tester

i) a proprietary Earth Electrode test device should be used.

ii) auxiliary Earth spikes should be applied at least 15m apart and 15m distant from the
Earth Electrode under test.
iii) an Earth resistance value of less than 10 ohms is required for a Locally Earthed System
[ see Regulation 6.2].
iv) an additional number of Earth Electrodes may be required (or deeper electrodes) to
achieve the required Earth resistance value.
v) due consideration should be given to future changes in soil condition (e.g. drying out).
vi) sufficient time should be allowed if special chemicals or salts are added to the ground
to improve the Earth resistance values.

Note: where possible and practical, method 1 should be used to measure the resistance of an Earth
Electrode

Earth Pit Earth Test Spike

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A19.(a) Continued…

Method 2: measurement using dedicated stakeless Earth Electrode tester

i) This method uses an Earth clamp-based tester without the need to disconnect the
Earthing Conductor.
ii) This method is used when there are a number of Earth Electrodes and it is not possible
to use Method 1.
iii) The larger the number of Earth Electrodes, the closer the measurement would be to
the electrode under test as the measurement is the Earth Electrode under test in series
with all other Earth paths in parallel.
iv) It is important to highlight that for this method to be effective, there must be a loop
resistance to measure and the Earth mass must be part of the measurement.

Method 3: measurement using an Earth Fault Loop Impedance tester

Refer to Appendix A19(b) and A19(c).

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A19.(b) Measurement of Distribution Company supply impedance (Ze)

Note 1: caution: this test is carried out under live conditions but with the main isolator secured
in the off position.

Note 2: Ze may be measured directly at the Electricity Intake with a specialist Earth Loop
Impedance tester. Such devices apply a resistance (typically 10 ohms) between a
phase conductor and the earth conductor of the incoming supply. The test draws a
current of around 20A but is only applied for a few cycles (e.g. 40ms). The device
measures the drawn current and divides this into the measured supply voltage to give
the loop impedance (the test resistance applied by the device is subtracted).

Note 3: as an alternative Ze may be calculated from measurement of the total Earth Fault Loop
Impedance measured within the Electrical Installation (see A19(c)) using the formula:

Where:
Zs = total earth Fault Loop Impedance
Ze = Distribution Company supply impedance
ZR1+R2 = impedance of the longest circuit in the Installation, taken by measuring a circuit
phase conductor impedance R1, and the same circuit’s Earthing Conductor impedance R2.

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A19.(b) Continued...
Note 4: For further advice see reference book “Advanced Testing Technique”.
Test should be repeated for the Earth Electrode.

Note 5: Test should be repeated for the Earth Electrode.

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A19.(c) Measurement of total Earth Fault Loop Impedance (Zs)

Note 1: caution: this test is carried out under live conditions with the circuits under test energised
but no load is connected.

Note 2: a specialist instrument is used which measures the total Earth Loop Impedance Zs
using a similar principle as described in A19(b). The instrument must not operate any
RCD in circuit.

Note 3: the instrument may be directly connected to a socket-outlet (using the test plug
provided) and should be used at the farthest point on a radial circuit or the midpoint of
a ring circuit. Alternatively, the instrument may be used at an Accessory connection
point (e.g. lighting ceiling rose) with the appropriate test probes.

Note 4: for further advice, see reference book “Testing Electrical Installations”.

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A19.(d) Circuit continuity, (R1+R2) and (R1+Rn) tests

Radial Circuits and lighting Circuits:

1. This method tests the combined phase and Earth resistance (R1+R2) and phase
and neutral resistance (R1+Rn) for each Circuit by applying short leads (not at the
same time) at the Distribution Board, and measuring from the terminals of the
farthest connection point or socket-outlet.
2. The polarity can be checked at each Accessory (i.e. only one of the live / neutral
terminals should show continuity to Earth, and there should be no continuity
between live and neutral).
3. If an Accessory has been wired incorrectly from another phase or neutral conductor,
the test will not work (e.g. crossed Circuits or “borrowed neutral”).
4. For lighting Circuits, the light switches should be ON to test the wire through the
switch.
5. For metal conduit Circuits the CEC at the conduit/ back-box should be disconnected
in order to accurately measure R1+R2.

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A19.(d) Continued…

Ring Circuits

1. For Ring Circuits, the test consists of two stages:

(a) the measurement of end to end resistance of each conductor.
(b) the measurements of R1+R2, R1+Rn and checking there are no ‘bridges’ in the
ring.

2. For part 1(a), measurement of the phase and neutral loops should give equal values. The
Earth loop may be of slightly higher resistance if it is wired with a smaller conductor.

3. For part 1(b), measurement at any point on the ring between phase and neutral gives ½
the value measured in part 1(a).

4. To measure R1+Rn for a Ring Circuit, the two phase and neutral conductors from the ring
are cross connected. The measurement at any point on the ring between phase and neutral
should give ½ the value measured in part 1(a). If equal resistances are not observed around
the ring, then this indicates the presence of a bridge or wrong cross-connections at the FDB
end of the Circuit.

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A19.(d) Continued…
5. To measure R1+R2 for a Ring Circuit the two phase and Earth conductors from the ring
are cross connected. The readings at each point in the ring may vary slightly for a very long
circuit (since the CEC is a smaller cross-section).

6. The highest value obtained represents the maximum R1+R2 value for the Circuit, and
should be recorded on the test form

Note 1: these tests are carried out on dead Circuits. The main isolator must be secured in the off
position.

Note 2: for new Electrical Installations, these tests should be carried out when Accessories are in
position but prior to energising the Electrical Installation.

Note 3: Circuit continuity tests must be measured for all Circuits and the resistance values recorded on
the test report, see Appendix A20(d).

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A19.(e) Lamp holder Circuit polarity tests

Note 1: this test is carried out on dead Circuits. The main isolator must be secured in the OFF position.

Note 2: the polarity test is required to confirm that all single pole devices, and lamp holders with an
outer neutral contact (i.e. ES screw type) are correctly connected.

Note 3: single pole devices ( e.g. light switches ) must only be connected in the live conductor.

Note 4: the test is carried out by measuring continuity between the Earth terminal and live terminal at
an Accessory such as an ES pendant light fitting, after a shorting cable has been applied
between the relevant phase conductor and Earth bar at the Final Distribution Board.

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A19.(f) Segregation and insulation resistance tests

Circuit Nominal Voltage Test Voltage (DC) Minimum insulation

resistance (MΩ)

SELV and PELV 250 0.25

up to 500 V 500 0.5

1. Insulation resistance should be checked between all live conductors, and between live
conductors and Earth. For SELV and PELV systems, insulation resistance should be
measured between the Extra-Low Voltage and higher Voltage conductors at a DC test
Voltage of 500V.

2. The test instrument should be capable of producing a DC test Voltage of 500V when loaded
to 1mA and be capable of measurement of up to 200 MΩ.

3. The minimum acceptable value of insulation resistance for any test is 0.5 MΩ for LV
systems and 0.25 MΩ for SELV and PELV systems.

4. The supply should be disconnected and all current-using equipment switched off (including
neon indicator lamps, Luminaires, voltmeters, electronic devices such as dimmer switches,
starters, RCDs with amplifiers etc.). Alternatively, a limited test can be carried with the
phase and neutral conductors connected together and testing to Earth.

5. The method of testing requires the connection of all three phases and neutral bar to Earth
using temporary Earth wires.

6. The test measures the insulation resistance of each conductor wire with all other
conductors connected to Earth. The test is done with all phase wires, all neutral wires and
all Earth wires and the values recorded in installation testing report, refer to Appendix
A20(d).

7. This test method checks the segregation of the conductor from all other wires. Care is to
be taken when testing the insulation resistance of the Earth connections to ensure that
there is no continuity between the equipment and containment systems.

8. Insulation measurements should be made at each Distribution Board.

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A19.(f) Continued…

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A19.(g) Sequence of testing for new Electrical Installations

Correct sequence for safe testing

Before supply is connected:

1. Continuity of Earth Conductors (Main Earth Conductors

and Circuit Earth Conductors)
2. Continuity of main and supplementary bonding conductors
3. Continuity of Ring Circuit conductors
4. Polarity tests of all Circuits
5. Segregation and insulation resistance measurements of all
conductors
6. Earth Electrode resistance

After supply is connected:

1. Distribution Company Earth Fault Loop Impedance measurement

2. Re-confirm polarity
3. Total Earth Fault Loop Impedance measurements
4. Prospective fault current measurements
5. Operation of RCD and Earth fault devices
6. Operation of switches and isolators

Note 1: safety precautions must be observed during testing, including locking off isolators and switches,
safeguarding against contact with test voltages, replacement of test links and removal of tools
after completion. The order of test sequence must be observed, in particular testing of Earth
Conductors (dangerous test voltages can appear on the installation metalwork if Earth
Conductors are inadvertently disconnected or broken).

Note 2: testing of RCDs must include measurement of the operating time (ms) at In and at 5 x In, as
well as check of non-operation at 50% x In at both 0º and 180º.

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A5.(h) Earth Fault Loop Impedance values required for MCBs (at 230V)

5(h) Device rating (A) MCB MCB MCB

type B type C type D

3 14.57 - -

6 7.28 3.64 1.82

10 4.37 2.19 1.09

16
2.73 1.37 0.68
20 2.19 1.09 0.55

25
1.75 0.87 0.44
32 1.37 0.68 0.34

40 1.09 0.55 0.27

50 0.87 0.44 0.22

63 0.69 0.35 0.17

[from table 41.3 of BS 7671]

Note 1: the above values are given for conductor temperatures of 70˚C. As measurements are
normally taken at room temperature the measured values must be approximately 20% less
than tabulated above.

Note 2: the above values are used as an alternative to calculating the disconnection time for each
specific situation, i.e. MCBs will operate in the instantaneous mode if the Earth Fault Loop
Impedance value is kept below the above, levels. For impedance values higher than shown
above, it is still possible to comply with the requirement of 0.4s disconnection for all Circuits
in an Electrical Installation if a check is made against the manufacturer’s time- current
performance chart.

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