What does "bonding" refer to in electrical installation?

Bonding in electrical installation refers to the electrical connection between conductive parts, which is crucial for safety in electrical systems. This connection helps ensure that all conductive objects that could potentially carry fault currents are linked together. The purpose of bonding is to minimize the risk of electric shock by providing a low-resistance path for fault currents to flow back to the source, allowing protective devices like circuit breakers or fuses to operate effectively.

This connection helps to equalize the electrical potentials of different conductive parts, reducing the risk of a person receiving an electric shock if they come into contact with two different parts that may have varying voltages. Proper bonding is essential in many settings, such as residential, commercial, and industrial installations, to ensure that a fault in one part of an electrical system does not create hazardous conditions elsewhere.

In contrast, the other options describe different aspects of electrical work. Connecting devices to a single power source relates to circuit design and power distribution rather than bonding. Reducing electromagnetic interference pertains to shielding and grounding practices, which are important but distinct from the goals of bonding. Insulating wires is focused on preventing unintentional contact with live parts, which is a separate concern from ensuring that conductive parts are safely interconnected. Understanding bonding is vital for any electrical apprentice