EARTHING SYSTEMS

These have been designated in the IEE Regulations

using the letters: T, N, C and S.
These letters
stand for:
T - terre (French for earth) and meaning a direct
connection to earth.
N - neutral
C - combined
S - separate.
When these letters are grouped, they form the
classification of a type of system.
The first letter denotes how the supply source
is earthed.
The second denotes how the metalwork of an
installation is earthed. The third and fourth indicate
the functions of neutral and protectiveconductors.
TT SYSTEM
A TT system has a direct connection to the supply
source to earth and a direct connection of the
installation metalwork to earth. An example is an
overhead line supply with earth electrodes, and the
mass of earth as a return path as shown below.

Note that only single-phase systems have been shown

for simplicity.
TN-S SYSTEM
A TN-S system has the supply source directly connected
to earth, the installation metalwork connected to the
neutral of the supply source via the lead sheath of the
supply cable, and the neutral and protective conductors
throughout the whole system performing separate
functions.

The resistance around the loop P-B-N-E should be no

more than 0.8 ohms.
TN-C-S SYSTEM
A TN-C-S system is as the TN-S but the supply cable
sheath is also the neutral, i.e. it forms a combined
earth/neutral conductor known as aPEN (protective
earthed neutral) conductor.
The installation earth and neutral are separate
conductors.
This system is also known as PME (protective multiple
earthing).

The resistance around the P-B-N-N loop should be less

than 0.35 ohms.
SUMMARY OF EARTHING SYSTEMS
The TT method is used mostly in country areas with overhead
transmission lines. In contrast to the TN-S system there is no
metallic path from the consumer's terminals back to the substation transformer secondary windings. Because the earth
path may be of high resistance, a residual currentcircuit-breaker
(R.C.C.B.) is often fitted so that if a fault current flows in the
earth path then a trip disconnects the phase supply.
For protection against indirect contact in domestic premises,
every socket outlet requires an RCCB with a maximum rated
current of 30mA.
The TN-S system of wiring uses the incoming cable sheath as
the earth return path and the phase and neutral have separate

conductors. The neutral is then connected to earth back at the

transformer sub-station.
Remember in TN-S, the T stands for earth (terre), N for neutral
and S denotes that the protective (earth) and neutral
conductors are separate.
The TN-C-S system has only two conductors in the incoming
cable, one phase and the other neutral. The earth is linked to
the neutral at the consumer unit. The neutral therefore is really
a combined earth/neutral conductor hence the name PME.
In order to avoid the risk of serious electric shock, it is important
to provide a path for earth leakage currents to operate the
circuit protection, and to endeavour to maintain all metalwork
at the same potential. This is achieved by bonding together all
metalwork of electrical and non-electrical systems to earth.
The path for leakage currents would then be via the earth itself
in TT systems or by a metallic return path in TN-S or TN-C-S
systems.
NOTES
Older houses in towns use TNS (solid) i.e. separate
earth say cable sheath.
Around Towns new houses use (PME) TNCS i.e. neutral
and earth shared.
Single House in country with own transformer uses TT
i.e. own buried earth electrode.
Petrol stations, Swimming pools, Changing rooms etc.
are not allowed to be PME.