What is the purpose of equipment grounding?

The purpose of equipment grounding is primarily to intentionally connect non-current carrying conductive parts to the ground. This practice serves multiple crucial functions, namely enhancing safety and ensuring proper functioning of electrical systems. By grounding these non-current carrying parts, any fault conditions that result in unintended currents can be redirected safely to the ground, minimizing the risk of electric shock to individuals and preventing potential fire hazards.

Grounding provides a path for electrical currents to follow in the event of a fault, ensuring that protective devices like circuit breakers or fuses will operate effectively to disconnect the power. Moreover, it helps stabilize voltage levels in electrical systems and protects sensitive equipment from voltage surges.

In contrast, boosting electrical current and creating electrical resistance are not objectives of grounding, as these functions pertain to the operation of electrical circuits rather than safety measures. Similarly, while reducing noise in electrical circuits can be a benefit of proper grounding in certain contexts, it is not the primary purpose. The main aim remains the safe dissipation of fault currents through a reliable connection to the ground.