What does the bonding of electrical equipment ensure?

The bonding of electrical equipment is crucial because it ensures that all metal parts are at the same electrical potential. This is important for safety reasons; when all conductive parts are bonded together, it minimizes the risk of someone receiving an electric shock if they touch a metal part of the equipment. If there were a fault or a failure within the system, such as a short circuit, the bonding creates a low-resistance path for fault current to flow, which helps in tripping protective devices like circuit breakers or fuses. This action helps to prevent dangerous voltage differentials from occurring between various metal parts, reducing the likelihood of electric shock hazards.

While the bonding does contribute to equipment longevity by potentially preventing some types of damage related to electrical imbalances, its primary function is safety through maintaining consistent electrical potential across all bonded components.