Abstract
This paper presents impulse tests results on a zinc oxide (ZnO) surge arrester connected to four ground electrodes, with its resistance values ranging from 17 Ω to 104 Ω. It has been noted that when in series with various ground resistance values, the voltage−current characteristics of the zinc oxide (ZnO) surge arrester are far from the one tested using a common grounding, which is a standard measurement method described in IEC 60060-1. This paper clarifies the relationship between the surge arrester with various ground electrodes and its performance when tested with a common practice, based on IEC 60060-1. The tests carried out on a 15 kV ZnO surge arrester, under high-impulse conditions by field measurements, provide important information on the characteristics and ability of the surge arrester to adequately function in various ground electrodes.