[Lowfer] Pounding in a ground rod - NOT FUN

[Stan, W1LE]

Hello Paul,

water drilling will certainly get the ground rod "mechanically" into the 
ground.
However, electrical performance may be degraded.

Water drilling washes out the fine particles. Leaving only the larger 
particles.
These fine particles provide the the best interface between the ground
and the ground rod surface.

Without these fine particles the resistance goes up.
May take a few months (years) for the fine particles to be washed back in.

Another option is to dig a hole with a fence post digger 2-3',
drive the ground rod into the center of the hole and back fill the hole 
with a
slurry of bentonite or coke breeze.

Bentonite does not require maintenance or refurbishment, install and forget,
with only a very casual visual inspection.

Bentonite is commonly available from water well drillers. Used to cap a 
well.
I have never found a bag of coke breeze on Cape Cod.
But it has been reported as available in steel refining areas.

I avoid ground system treatments that require maintenance, like "salted" 
ground rods.

Stan, W1LE


Paul Daulton wrote:
> A quick way to get a rod into the ground is to drill it with a water 
> drill. Take a section of 1/2 copper pipe and slip a cut off garden hose 
> over it and use water pressure to drill the ground. I used this method 
> to put my grounds in. I also used the water drill to run under my side 
> walk at the back of the house to run #8 three wire romex (burrial 
> rated) out to my wood shop. If you encounter a rock pull it up and move 
> over. You can either leave the copper pipe in the ground or pull it out 
> and replace it with a ground rod. 
>
> Codes here require 8ft grounds at the service entrance. I suspect most 
> were driven down and sawed off. Ground here is clay down three feet 
> then shale. I bought an 8ft ground rod and sawed it in half and have 
> two grounds about 3feet apart at the base of my verticle. 
>
> Another option is to catch a mole, tie a spool of wire to his hind leg 
> and let him pull it underground. But watch out for PETA and SPCA. 
>
> Paul
>
>
>
> Quoting "Charlie , W5COV" <cvest at cox.net>:
>   
>> 8 Foot rods are the standard and I think may be what is required in the code
>> . Haven't worked in that field in long enough to know the current codes . 
>>
>> Don't waste your time with those 4 foot or 6 foot ones that Radio Shack and
>> other places sell . 
>>
>> Besides hopefully it is not something that you are going to be doing for a
>> living so go for the 8 foot ones . 
>>
>> I get mine for free . When our power company takes out an installation or
>> completely does one over , they just pull the old ground rods and put them
>> in their "pit" for scrap . They aren't worth anything to thieves , because
>> they are copper clad steel . 
>>
>>  I carry 2 or 3 in the back of my truck all the time , and you would be
>> surprised how many I give away to hams that aren't using one !!
>>
>> Charlie , W5COV
>>
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>>     
>
> Paul Daulton K5WMS
> beacon WMS 187.492 khz qrss30/slow 24/7
> Jacksonville,Ar 72076
> em34wu
>
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