Prevention of Earth Faults
Earth faults can be readily detected, but may be difficult to locate and clear; consequently by the correct
choice of equipment and regular maintenance their occurrence can be minimised. This can be summarised as follows:
Equipment
a) Suitable types of enclosures to prevent ingress of moisture, dirt, oil, etc., and to ensure
protection against mechanical damage.
b) Correct rating to avoid excessive temperature rise.
c) Type of insulation chosen to suit the environment
d) Correct glands and seals are to be used on cable ends.
Maintenance
a) Insulation tests are to be performed on a regular basis and always after overhauls
b) Equipment to be maintained as clean as possible
c) Equipment to be dried out after possible ingress of moisture. Most modern deck machinery
have electric heaters fitted. To facilitate this, bags of silica gel crystals may also be enclosed
to absorb small quantities of moisture.
