Earth Ground Symbol

What it means

Three horizontal lines of decreasing width (or a triangle with a line) indicate an earth/ground connection in circuit diagrams and on appliance labels. Grounding protects against electric shock by providing a safe fault path.

Where you will see it

Three-pin plugs, consumer unit labels, circuit diagrams, and appliance rating plates.

What you should do

Ensure earth connections are intact when installing or repairing equipment. Never remove the earth pin from a plug.

Common mistakes

• Using ungrounded adapters on equipment that requires an earth connection.
• Assuming double-insulated (Class II) appliances need an earth—they do not.

Tags

• electrical
• grounding
• safety
• wiring