To prevent damage from environmental electrical discharges, PLCs must be properly ______.

To prevent damage from environmental electrical discharges, PLCs must be properly ______.

• A. Grounded
• B. Insulated
• C. Shielded
• D. Bonded

Answer: (A)

Environmental discharges inject unwanted voltages into control gear, so giving the PLC a solid path to earth keeps its chassis and I/O at a safe reference potential. Proper grounding provides a low-impedance route for stray currents, which minimizes voltage spikes that could damage the PLC’s electronics. Bonding and shielding help reduce potential differences and noise, but they rely on a good earth ground to drain energy effectively. Insulation alone doesn’t provide a discharge path or a stable reference. So to prevent damage from environmental electrical discharges, the PLC must be properly grounded.

Environmental discharges inject unwanted voltages into control gear, so giving the PLC a solid path to earth keeps its chassis and I/O at a safe reference potential. Proper grounding provides a low-impedance route for stray currents, which minimizes voltage spikes that could damage the PLC’s electronics. Bonding and shielding help reduce potential differences and noise, but they rely on a good earth ground to drain energy effectively. Insulation alone doesn’t provide a discharge path or a stable reference. So to prevent damage from environmental electrical discharges, the PLC must be properly grounded.