[Elecraft] I need some grounding-strap guidance, if'n you please

[Rich]

I have installed quite a few power poles, you may call them telephone poles,
but they carried electrical power.  That ground wire that goes down the side
of the pole is simply coiled (I think they called it "flaked" in sailor
terms) in a spiral fashion at the bottom of the pole. That's it.  Once on a
trouble call for low voltage we found that both sides measured 120 VAC
unloaded at the transformer and at the entrance box. with load it dropped a
few volts with a heavy load it dropped about 5 volts. eventfully we
discovered that there was a hidden break in the ground wire and the house
was getting close to proper voltage with the lousy ground at the bottom of
the pole and the house ground rod. Go Figure!  


Not only does that illustrate how a lousy ground can carry quite a bit of
current, but also why it is important to have a good ground rod at your
house.  I would NEVER place a ESD ground strap on the ground of a power
outlet or even the metal case of the outlet. (I think I read somewhere in a
Navy manual that this was forbidden.) I have seen to many not grounded even
though they have a grounding outlet and ground wires not terminated at the
fuse panel, AND fuse panels not bonded to a ground rod - simply relying on
the center tap of the ac feed, and I just told you how that is grounded at
the pole.  DON'T DO IT!  Your cheap hardware store testers will be fooled.


You are only trying to neutralize static electricity, not ground lightning. 





      

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