Earth Wire Purpose — FRCA Primary MCQ
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Correct answer: E — To provide a low-resistance path for fault current to earth tripping the circuit breaker before harm occurs
The earth (ground) wire provides a low-resistance pathway for current to flow safely to earth in the event of an insulation failure. This large fault current trips the circuit breaker or blows the fuse disconnecting the power before dangerous current can flow through the patient. Type BF and CF equipment have additional patient isolation to prevent microshock.
Reference: Al-Shaikh Stacey 2019 Essentials of Anaesthetic Equipment