Just imagine: your dream home is under construction, and the mason asks you to procure ‘salt’ alongside the usual list of bricks, gravel, and cement. Isn’t that surprising? You would naturally wonder what role salt plays in house construction; after all, mixing it into the cement mixture would likely ruin the entire batch.
However, until a few years ago, salt was indeed a standard item on the masons’ list of materials. What exactly did the masons of the past do with this salt? It wasn’t a superstition; rather, a fascinating and age-old scientific principle was at play—one designed to protect both you and your home from electric shocks. Let’s explore this unique, traditional method of ‘earthing’ in detail.
A Traditional and Unique Earthing Method
In the past, salt was used to create an ‘earthing’ system to safeguard homes against short circuits and electric shocks. To achieve this, a pit—8 to 10 feet deep or even deeper—was dug outside the house. A GI (galvanized iron) pipe or a copper plate was placed inside the pit, surrounded by thick layers of charcoal and salt. Water was periodically poured into the setup from above to maintain constant moisture in the soil. The combination of salt and charcoal made the soil conductive, allowing electricity to flow easily into the ground. Consequently, if any electrical current leaked from the house’s wiring, it would dissipate directly into the earth instead of shocking a person.
Why Did This Indigenous Method Fall Out of Use?
While this old technique was effective, it tended to lose its efficacy over time. The issue was that the salt in the pit would gradually dissolve and wash away due to rainfall and the water poured in from the surface. The biggest issue was that the salt caused the metal pipes to rust very quickly. Consequently, the effectiveness of the earthing system would diminish within a few years, failing to provide long-term reliability.
**Modern and Durable Technology Now in Use**
Today, ‘maintenance-free’ technology has replaced the traditional salt-based earthing method. In high-quality installations, copper-bonded or GI earthing rods are driven deep into the ground. Instead of the conventional salt-and-coal mixture, the surrounding space is filled with specialized chemical compounds such as ‘Bentonite’ or ‘EEC’.
The advantage of these new materials is that they retain moisture in the soil for extended periods without the need for salt and facilitate the efficient transfer of electrical current into the ground. This modern approach also significantly reduces corrosion on the rod, ensuring the earthing system functions optimally for years without requiring extensive maintenance.
