What is an earth mat in electrical systems?

The way that an earthing mat works: When an electrical fault occurs in a circuit, the fault current will flow through the earth mat and into the ground. The earth mat is designed to have a very low resistance path to electrical current, which allows it to safely and efficiently dissipate the fault current into the ground. This helps to earth not only the fault current inside the system but also lightning, external voltage surges, etc which thereby protects from electrical shocks and prevents damage to the electrical system.

Earth mats are typically made of conductive materials such as iron, copper, or aluminum. Mostly it is made of iron since it is a cost-effective material for construction in larger areas. For the construction of earth mats iron rods are used to form mesh-like patterns installed in the ground around the electrical equipment which is then welded and connected to each other. They are connected to the electrical system through a series of grounding rods or other grounding devices, and they are usually coated with a layer of insulation to protect against corrosion and other types of damage.

Earth mats are an essential part of the electrical system, as they help to ensure the safe and reliable operation of electrical equipment and protect against the hazards associated with electrical faults.