Consensus on powering and grounding sensitive electronic equipment

Abstract

As sensitive electronic processing systems proliferate in our facilities so do power-related problems. Efforts to alleviate these problems have ranged from installing expensive power conditioning equipment to applying special grounding techniques not found in conventional safe grounding practice. Understanding of what is actually going on has been lacking. We find elaborate power systems, modified from basic practice to the extent of being unsafe, that continue to be plagued with powering- and grounding-related problems. Out of this chaos we are persuaded to study and understand the complexities of the problem and to begin developing good practices. This is the objective of the IEEE Working Group on Powering and Grounding Sensitive Electronic Equipment, Standards Project P1100. We will introduce Project P1100, preview its scope and technical content and, most importantly, invite participation in this seriously needed consensus standard activity.