What must be ensured about the resistance level of a grounding path?

Ensuring that the resistance level of a grounding path is lower than specified limits is crucial for maintaining electrical safety and system reliability. A grounding path with appropriate resistance facilitates effective fault current flow, allowing protective devices to operate correctly during fault conditions. This minimizes the risk of electric shock and reduces the likelihood of equipment damage.

Grounding systems are designed to have low resistance to effectively direct fault currents to the earth. If the grounding resistance is too high, it may not effectively dissipate fault currents, leading to dangerous conditions, equipment malfunction, or even fire hazards. Thus, maintaining the resistance below a set limit ensures that the grounding system performs its protective function effectively.

A resistance that is too high would impede the flow of fault current, rendering protective devices ineffective. Therefore, adherence to specified resistance limits is essential for the safety and functionality of electrical systems.