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Re: [TowerTalk] Tower grounding connections and foundation

To: JVarney <jvarn359@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Tower grounding connections and foundation
From: Thomas Noel <tnoel@mac.com>
Date: Sat, 08 Aug 2015 12:38:36 -0700
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
I suspect the important aspect is the surface area interfacing with soil, not 
the volume of dirt under or surrounding the grounding system. That 6x6x6 cube 
has far more surface area in contact with the soil than does even a dozen 
ground rods and a radial field. Even if you compare just the surface area of 
the bonded rebar in the concrete, it is probably more surface area for 
transfer. I’ve never heard of a tower base exploding from the energy of a 
strike. Has anyone? 

Thomas W Noel
KF7RSF

> On Aug 8, 2015, at 10:32 AM, JVarney <jvarn359@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Again, I'm not aware of the committee's reasoning.  Just my personal
> opinion: I don't see how the math checks out for Ufer grounds for towers. A
> multiple radial and ground rod system might offer on the order of 10,000
> cubic feet of earth for lightning to dissipate to. With an Ufer on a tower
> with a 6x6x6 footing, that's only 216 cubic feet of volume available to
> dissipate one trillion joules of energy. If I'm building a tower I'd rather
> direct the lightning energy away from the tower versus concentrating it in
> the footing, IMHO.
> 
> 73 Jim K6OK

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