FAQ - Grounded Kiwi Grounding Plug
Hey, Grounded Kiwi community, how are you? I hope your Grounding is going well. If you haven't tried it yet, stop reading this Blog and go outside barefoot right now to start!
But seriously, with our Indoor Grounding products, we frequently get asked many questions about Grounding Plugs & Grounding Rods. In this Blog, I want to clarify what they are, their safety, and how to use them.
First things first, only ever use the Grounded Kiwi Grounding Plug with your grounding mat or other product. We spent considerable time and expenese to ensure that out plug leads the world in safety and user benefit. Furthermore, ALL OTHER Grounding plugs are illegal to sell or import into New Zealand as they hold NO SAFETY STANDARDS.
OK, let's get into it.
Grounded Kiwi (GK) offers the world's largest range of Indoor Grounding products, including grounding mats, pillow covers, yoga mats, pads, blankets, pet beds, and more. To receive all the incredible and natural benefits of Grounding, you need to have these products directly connected to Earth itself.
GK supplies an NZ/AU Grounded Plug with every product; however, we also have separate Grounding Rods available to purchase if you prefer to connect to the Earth this way or need to due to your current living situation.
Why Choose Grounded Kiwi? Expertise and Quality You Can Trust
- Longevity Guarantee: Our Grounding Mats are made from highly conductive, durable, carbon-infused leatherette. This superior material ensures 100 % conductivity over the entire surface (not just 5% like silver) and guarantees your product will last for many years with minimal maintenance.
- Decades of Expertise: Grounded Kiwi has been New Zealand's trusted local grounding specialist and has been involved in this space for nearly a decade, connecting 25,000+ happy customers back to the Earth. Our extensive experience means we know what works best for the New Zealand and Australian environment.
- Local Support is Key: When a customer calls or emails, they reach a local Grounded Kiwi team member who understands grounding principles and can answer technical questions directly - overseas companies don't have a contact number! Goodluck trying to get hold of them when something goes wrong.
The Grounded Kiwi Grounding Plug - Worlds Safetst and ONLY proven safe plug
- Uses your standard NZ / AU powerpoint.
- Only the 'Earth' pin is metal.
- Connects to Earth via your home Grounding Rod buried in the ground.
- Does not matter if the power switch is on/off.
- Each grounding plug has two connection points, allowing you to connect two Grounding products simultaneously.
- Comes with a 4.5m coiled cord for extra safety, reducing the risk of tripping or entanglement.
- Has dual built-in safety protection inside both the plug and the cord. Each contains a resistor in series, providing a total resistance of 94k ohms. This dual resistor system ensures maximum safety and optimal Grounding benefits for the user.
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Tested and certified safe by an IANZ-accredited laboratory in Auckland, New Zealand.
- NO other grounding plug in the world has any safety certification and is therefore illegal to sell or import into New Zealand.
- Our Grounded Kiwi Grounding Plugs meet AS/NZS 3112:2017 + A1:2021 and AS/NZS 3100:2022 + A1:2023 for Plugs and sockets.
- Our confirmed sesitor resistance exceeds the safety requirements of the "electric shock curve and let-go curve." Meaning that in the event of a electrical fault or lightening strike on your homes earth system and your grounding mat was connected, just one of our resistors (we use two for extra safety) would reduce the charge to safe levels.
- Our Grounding plug and cord passed a rigorous Voltage Surge Test (10,000 volt charges 50 times over 5 minutes). At worst, our resistor capacity to reduce charge was reduced by only 0.6%, whereas an allowable 20% reduction was specified after 50 charges! proving its superior safety and resilience. All other Grounding Plugs have only one low-quality carbon-film resistor—the lowest-quality, lowest-cost resistor, often costing only 1-2 cents. Do you trust this? We don't, so we tested their plugs and found these resistors inside the cords failed. Also, their plugs don't have any protection inside, or if they do, the fuse is completely illegal and unsafe.
Picture below: Inside the Grounded Kiwi plug
The Grounding Rod (Optional)
- Placed into the soil outside your bedroom.
- Comes with a 12m cord. When combined with the 4.5m coiled product cord, this gives you the ability to get from the Earth (soil, grass, dirt, etc.) to your Grounding mat or other grounding product.
- The 30cm stainless steel rod is easy to push into the Earth, with one end pointed.
- Suitable for all weather conditions.
- A 2mm thick cord will easily pass through your window seal and allow the window to close.
- It can be used with 'splitters' to add more products to a single Grounding Rod.
- It has built-in protection in the product cord to make them absolutely safe.
Grounding Plug vs. Rod? Which one is Better?
They are the same in terms of their Grounding effect.
Most of our community prefers the Grounding Plug version, which we include with all grounding mats and grounding products. The Grounding Rod can be purchased as an alternative extra. Important note: Never use a Grounding plug with one product and at the same time a Grounding rod with another, this is dangerous as you could form a electrical unbalance between to seperate earths. All of your homes powersockets are connected to the one Earth rod connected to your home. Using multiple powerpoints for multiple products is ok.
When selecting the Grounding Plug version, we always recommend using the Grounded Kiwi Earth socket tester prior to Grounding. The Socket tester is a straightforward device that will ensure that the 'Earth' connection on any PowerPoint you want to use is correctly wired and connected to Earth, which ensures you will get the benefits of Grounding.
Rod vs. Plug Added Benefits:
The Plug offers convenience & portability. Grounding Plugs are convenient to travel with (always test an unfamiliar power socket with the Earth tester). They can be easily moved from room to room.
The Rod gives the benefit of 'mindset'; you can visibly see the connection to Earth. Great for use in a motorhome, camping or travelling overseas where you know you can connect to Earth safely.
A Deep Dive into Competitor Grounding Plugs
In our initial research, we systematically examined available grounding plugs from major companies including GroundingWell, Premium Grounding, Earthing OZ, and the original Earthing.com. Our goal was to understand the industry standard.
What we found was a consistent pattern of concerning issues:
1. A Questionable Lack of Safety Certification
Alarmingly, we found a universal absence of recognised electrical safety standards. This indicates that the products have not been independently tested to prove compliance with national electrical safety requirements. Furthermore, we found no publicly available testing to support the safety or performance claims being made in the slightest. Just a blanket response of 'It's only connected to the Earth, so nothing can go wrong". - This is not acceptable in any country.
2. Protection That Doesn't Protect
The internal electrical protection was either completely missing or poorly implemented. Where a safeguard existed, it was typically a fuse. A fuse in this application is problematic because if it fails, the user has no visible warning that the grounding path has been broken, creating a false sense of security. Also its illegal in NZ/AUS to have a fuse inside a plug.
3. A Critical Child Safety Hazard
We found that many plug designs lack internal protection (resistor) against foreign objects being inserted. This design flaw means anything (like a metal pin or toy) inserted into the plug's open ports could potentially create a connection to the live feed of the wall socket, posing an immediate and severe electrocution risk.
4. Low-Grade Components and No Backup
The vast majority of cords contained only one component for resistance: a single, low-quality, and untested carbon-film resistor. Relying on a sole, low-grade part provides zero redundancy. Should this one resistor fail, the entire safety mechanism is compromised.
5. Missing Compliance Markers
A final, consistent finding was the absence of mandatory product markings. These essential labels communicate regulatory compliance, traceability, and critical safety information, and their omission is a strong sign of regulatory non-adherence.
FAQ's
Grounding Rod
Q) How far does the Grounding rod need to go into the ground?
A) Halfway or more is best. As soon as the metal contacts Earth, it connects, but the Rod needs to be deep enough so it doesn't fall over.
Q) Is the Rod ok to get wet?
A) Yes, absolutely; the natural conductivity will increase.
Q) Can I use the Rod in a pot plant?
A) No, not unless there is a direct connection to Earth via the bottom of the pot.
Q) Can I close my window with the cord running through it?
A) Yes, the cord is only 2mm thick and easily passes through the window seal.
Grounding Plug
Q) Do I need to turn the power switch on or off?
A) It makes no difference; only the Grounding pin is metal and conductive.
Q) Can I use an extension lead or a multi-box?
A) Yes, providing that the lead / multi-box has the three pins, where the bottom pin is the 'Earth' pin, indicating it is Earthed. You can test for Earth using our 'Socket tester.'
Q) Do I need an electrician to test my power points?
A) Use the socket tester first. If you get any other reading than 'correct,' then YES, you must consult with an electrician.
Q) When I test the cord attached to the Plug with my multimeter, I get a reading telling me that it is faulty?
A) Both the Plug and the cord have the inbuilt safety resistors. It is not a broken connection; it is a safety feature.
Q) If the power goes out, will my Grounding product still work?
A) Yes, no Grounding product uses power. Only the Earth is connected.
Safety
Q) Can I use a plug for my pillow and a rod for my Grounding mat?
A) No. You should only ever use one Grounding connection (either a plug or a rod) when in contact with multiple Grounding products to prevent a 'ground loop.' Using two Grounding Plugs in the same room is fine, as they share the same house Rod.
Q) Can I be electrocuted during a lightning storm?
A) All GK products have inbuilt protection with two current limiting resistor in series system. Additonally, the wires within the cord are 'burn through' designed to melt and break in the event of surge. If you are worried, disconnect the product's dome connection while the storm passes.
Q) Can I put the Rod next to the existing electrical system rod buried in the ground?
A) You should put the Grounding Rod at least 6 meters away from your home/Office electrical system's Grounding Rod to prevent any 'loop.'
Pro Tip: The Grounded Kiwi Socket Tester
We always recommend using the Grounded Kiwi Earth socket tester prior to Grounding. It's a handy tool to have if you move home, use a different power socket, or for when you take a trip away. Pro tip: When you travel, take the Grounding pillow cover and socket tester with you for quick and easy Grounding whether in a hotel or Airbnb.
Instructions
Grounding Rod
- Place spike in soil/garden.
- Run 12m cord through the window/under the floor.
- Attach the male connector of the 'product coiled cord' to the 12m cord.
- Attach the dome connection to your GK Grounding product.
- You are now connected to Earth.
Grounding Plug
- Test power outlet with Socket tester (Recommended).
- Insert the male end of 'product' coiled cord into one of the two female connectors on the Plug.
- Connect the dome connector to your GK Grounding product.
- You are now connected to Earth.
We're Here to Help
As New Zealand's local Grounding company, we are here to help you on your Grounding journey. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
Phone: 022 510 7939
Email: hello@Groundedkiwi.nz
Note: While our main product is NZ/AU certified, we do have Grounding Plugs available for any country. Please enquire with us directly about your specific international plug requirements.