Earth grounding is vital to protect our life and electrical facilities. It helps eliminate losses due to faulty installation and reduces damage from lightning strikes and induced voltages. It covers and improves the performance of our electrical equipment and home appliances. Over time, ground systems can degrade or become ineffective. Corrosion and weather influences exert mechanical strain on ground rods and cause metallic corrosion. Catastrophic events like lightning strikes or large fault currents can cause instant degradation to our systems. The risks from ground system deterioration may lead to severe electrical shock, equipment damage, disruption in the performance of sensitive equipment and heat build-up on issues.

Keeping an adequate low resistance ground connection is essential to the protection and performance of our electrical system. To practise earth resistance testing should be regularly on installation and preventive service. In addition, soil resistivity tests can be used in prospecting, locating, and designing new grounding electrodes and systems. It can help make healthy environmental conditions and create different ground system needs.

BST's new ER-80 series 4-terminal ground testing instrument includes two models with automatic and manual operation testing flexibility. Both models (ER-80A and ER-80M) employ measuring functions for ART (Attached Rod Technique) testing capabilities. The basic kit includes the test leads, connectors/adapters, stakes and a rugged carry case – everything you need to start testing in one package.

The ER-80A can automatically measure resistance from 0.030 Ω to 20 kΩ; it is also capable of soil resistivity testing (ρ). The ER-80A is powered by eight 1.5V R14SG Type C batteries, which are widely available. The tester is rated IP54 for outdoor use with a safety design to CAT III 300 V.

Features:

- Earth rod technique (2, 3, 4 points) to automatically calculate earth resistance

- Precision four-wire measurement of earth resistance or soil resistivity

- Standard three-wire measurement of earth resistance

- Simple two-wire measurement of earth resistance

- Ultra-wide viewing angle large screen FSTN LCD to display multiple measurement results

- LED Backlight for easy readout in dim-lit environments

- A wide range of test frequencies can be selected automatically or manually (94 Hz / 105 Hz / 111 Hz / 128 Hz)

- Compensate test cable resistance Rk function

- Can store 999 groups of data to check in real-time on display or computer download via USB for further analysis

- Automatic shutdown (No operation for 10 minutes)

- Powered by 1.5V R14SG Type C x 8 Pcs.

- IP54 for outdoor environments

- EN-61010-1 CAT III 300V safety