Protective earth conductor

Earth conductors are also referred to as earth or earth lines and are designated by the letters PE, which stand for "Protective Earth". They also have the green-and-yellow colour combination, whereby both colours are reserved for this conductor type, and offer protective earthing for people and animals as well as electrical installations.

Earth conductors in electrical installations are fitted such that the outer metallic housing is connected to the earth. If, in the event of a fault, the supply voltage can reach the outside parts of an electrical piece of operating equipment, the equipment must be disconnected from the voltage immediately. This occurs via residual current devices or overcurrent protective devices (e.g. fuse), depending on the type of supply. The time required for deactivation is between 0.1 and 5 seconds in line with the severity of the situation.