Doesn't sound like your setup is to code; or maybe your ground is a lot more
conductive than my stinky New England soil!
Since that ground rod represents both the safety earth protection (the
"Green Wire") AND your neutral return path to your local power co, I'd think
they have a vested interest in having a VERY good ground rod indeed. Again,
different areas of the country may do something different, but at least in
those states where I have lived, the ground rods and bonds between them and
the breaker panels has always been excellent; and whenever I've bought a
ground rod at an electric supply house, it's been very high quality.
Next time you question those power co guys, I'd say you need a couple big
hams with you!!
Good luck!
73, DE Jim N1RUI
-----Original Message-----
From: Dale L. Martin <kg5u@hal-pc.org>
To: towertalk@contesting.com <towertalk@contesting.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Date: Saturday, April 10, 1999 7:28 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Ground Rods
>
>>You need to use ground rods at least 8 feet long to be
>effective.
>>
>>Your best bet is to look (I don't mean dig it up - just look at
>the material
>>used; it's thickness and so forth) at the ground rod at your
>electrical
>>service entrance (close to your electric meter) and match its
>quality.
>
>I disagree, Jim. You should see the pieces of crap the local
>utilities used for ground rods at my house.
>
>I stopped the electricity truck while the crew was working next
>door and asked them to look at my electrical service ground rod
>and they found nothing wrong with it...Which is a laugh because
>there is no visible ground rod for the electrical service--I
>didn't point that out to them...the three of them were much, much
>bigger than me.
>
>The ground connection and rod may well be underground with the
>rest of the service, but you can't tell my what you see at the
>service entrance.
>
>However, there are two ground rods there: one is obviously a pipe
>pounded flat on the top (loose as a goose in the ground--wiggles
>easily under my hand), with a pipe clamp with rusted off nuts and
>just hanging there--connects to the telephone service entrance
>box; the other is a thin rod (no idea how long) about 5/16" or
>1/4" diameter and connected through a very rusted clamp to the
>ground/shield of the long-since disconnected cable TV feed.
>
>Over about 15 feet towards the middle of the back of the house is
>an aluminum pipe, again pounded flat on the top and clamped to a
>1" strap of some sort of metal (aluminum? steel? plate over
>copper? who knows?) which connects to the gas meter.
>
>The only "good" ground rods are those I have planted around and
>connected to my tower. All three of my ground rods are 8'
>copper-plated steel rods I bought at Home Depot or Builder's
>Square. In the last couple of years, I noticed they are also
>selling galvanized ground rods, too.
>
>Judging by what the "pro's" did in their installations, I think
>my ground rods are better than their's.
>
>Maybe I'll call the local electricity provider and find out why
>there ISN'T a visible ground rod or ground connection.
>
>
>73,
>dale, kg5u
>
>Did you hear about the two antennas who got married?
>The ceremony wasn't that good, but the reception was great.
>
>
>
>
>
>--
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>
>
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