Tinned Earth Bars - Advantages & Applications By Kingsmill Earthing

By Jack Nottidge on 30th June, 2014

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Tinned Earth Bars - Advantages & Applications By Kingsmill Earthing

Kingsmill Earthing And Lightning Protection Solutions

T&D thank Jason Leatherland (UK Sales & Business Development Manager) for providing the following Guest Blog today.

T&D distribute Kingsmill earthing and lightning protection products. As the leading manufacturer of specialist earthing and lightning protection products, Kingsmill aims to provide the highest quality product without ever compromising on price. Quality assurance is intergral to Kingsmill and to ensure this practice continues, all Kingsmill earthing and lightning products are manufactured to stringent British and international standards. 

Due to the different standards that have to be met together with the codes of practice explaining how products can be designedearthing  to meet these standards, there can be design limits with earthing systems. There are a number of differences in the design limits that apply to consumer and industry installations. Reference should always be made to the correct standard to check the limits which apply in each situation.

The most important difference is that the earthing system is designed to ensure that potentials in its vicinity are below appropriate limits. These potentials are referred to as:

• Step Potential (the potential difference between two points on the surface of the soil which are 1m apart).
• Touch Potential (the potential difference during fault conditions between exposed metalwork and a point on the soil surface).
• Transfer Potential (the potential difference between as insulated cable connected to a remote earth reference and the earth rod).

 

Pictured : Kingsmill Earthing can manufacture Tinned Copper Earth Bars from 6 way up to 30 way on short lead times in standard, single link or twin-disconnection link design.

 

The Applications And Necessity Of Tinned Earth Bars By Kingsmill

Earth bars provide a convenient common earthing point for electrical installations - copper earth bars are available with single or twin disconnecting links which means the earth bars can be isolated for testing. 

Tinned earth bars could be used in external applications or where atmospheric conditions are more severe than normal i.e. high moisture content areas.

Tinning protects the copper and protects the earth bars from the formation of copper oxide, tin effectively prevents oxidation!

Earth bars are an efficient and convenient way of providing a common earth point, and integral disconnecting links allow easy isolation for testing purposes.

Why Should Earth Bars Be Tinned?

Tin, a soft white metal can easily be polished, scratch brushed or flow melted to give a bright finish. It is non-toxic and is not greatly affected by the organic acids. Sulphur compounds do not readily tarnish tin. It is not impaired by either air or water, but reacts with hydrochloric acid to form stannous chloride. Tin is one of the less susceptible metals to corrosion attack. Tin-plated copper earth bars protects against atmospheric corrosion and hence provides longer life when exposed to corrosive atmospheres.

Tin plating is an excellent solution practically speaking, because it protects the copper, increases longevity and has reasonably low resistance.

A tinned earth bar resists water corrosion and provides enhanced conductivity, due to its improved water resistance. Tinned copper earth bars are often used in various marine projects.

Kingsmill are the UK leading manufacturer of both standard and customised copper earth bars.

 

 

2014 Kingsmill Product Catalogue (Edition 6)

Category:  Earthing & Lightning Protection

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