Grounding: The good, the bad and the stupid

The grounding of electrical systems has become commonplace with little or no thought given to the consequences of indiscriminate grounding. The study of the history of application of electricity with respect to grounding reveals that early procedures that solved the problem at hand resulted in dangerous and hazardous electrical conditions years later. Lessons that Edison learned and have been forgotten will be described along with the early grounding practices. The solution to lightning arresters functioning resulted in allowing not only the lightning current but primary neutral current to enter the majority of the homes in North America. The disadvantages of multi-grounded neutral distribution systems are listed. The error in spacing of equipment grounding electrodes and Ufer grounds along with equipotential planes are described. Proposals for the resolution of these electrical misjudgments are presented. The predominate source of information on the evolution of the electrical distribution systems in North America was the complete set of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers' (AIEE) transaction located at the University of Kansas.