[PCR-1000] grounding

[mikea]

On Wed, Feb 26, 2003 at 12:02:00PM -0500, Al Simcoe wrote:
> A "sono tube" is made from a specially treated paper product. It is very
> rigid and water proof. A "sono tube" is always circular and comes in 6,
> 8, 10, & 12 inch diameters. They come in 4, 6 & 8 ft lengths. The "sono
> tube" is used as a form when you wish to set a pole or a "Light
> Standard" in the ground. You normally pour concrete in it. When the
> comcrete sets, you just tear away the "sono tube".  The concrete ends up
> sticking about 6 to 12 inches out of the ground and usually goes below
> the frost line (about 3 ft). Sono tubes can be purchased at any Building
> Supply Center. Eg Home Depot etc

> Yes it would end up below the slurry because you want to pound the rod
> to below ground level just to not trip on it when walking on the grass
> or working in the garden. The ground clamp would be connected on about 4
> to 6 inches from the top of the rod.
> So the slurry would probably cover it but is not critical.

> Yes  yes, wait for the spring. I would have to use dynamite if I was to
> do it now, I live in Northern Ontario in Canada. It is -40 degrees
> right now. Just figure where my frost level depth. 

> As I said, you will need between 2 and 3 LARGE bags of the kitty litter.
> A hole that is 8 inches by 3 feet takes a fair amount of litter. This is
> a great way to ensure conductivity between the ground rod and the earth
> around it. The chemical make up of the Clumping Kitty Litter has this
> electrical property.

> Remember, jam a rod through each level of the slurry, down to the bottom
> of the hole many many times. You want to ensure that the water MUST soak
> into ALL of the kitty litter. As you get near to the top of the hole, it
> may become tough slugging. Deal with it!! It only hurts for a little
> while.   :)   Us communication people and other assorted Hams are a
> tough breed. 

> If you need more help, just shout at me.

> Go for it and enjoy many hours of good listening, knowing that you have
> done your best to provide a good ground !!

It occurs to me that having the hose in the hole before you start
filling it with kitty litter may be a useful solution to the problem
of getting the water all the way to the bottom. It would be nice
to have it more-or-less centered if the hole is big, but that just
requires someone to hold the hose until the end is fixed in place by
the first bag or so, and then to hold the hose vertical while the
remaining litter is poured in.

Once the hole is full, one starts the water flowing and waits. I don't
know whether to wait until water is visible at the top, or the litter
is moist, or what, One could put the rod in place next to the hose,
too, possibly with some loose cord tying them together, with slipknots
every 6 inches or so, so the hose could be released just by pulling
the cord.

If you're in northern Ontario, it's not really a matter of how deep
the frost level is, so much as how deep a hole you have to blast
through the rock. For those not in the know, there's an awful lot of
Canadian Shield up there, and not as much vegetation as we're used to,
down here in Oklahoma and the other Far-Southern Provinces. I learned
this when I got a cottage in central Ontario, not far from Midland, on
the eastern shore of Lake Huron.

-- 
Mike Andrews
mikea@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin since 1964