[SMCARA] Semi-Easy Ground Rod Insertion

[Bill Jones]

Just used it to install my ground rods. Just got a little wet on occasion.
There are a lot of videos on the Internet on this also. But parts are ;

10' 5/8ths O.D. emt conduit

1 5/8" Water hose repair kit which  uses the Brass Connector and tapered
end for inserting into the hose

1 5/8" Adapter with a turn valve to turn the water on and off

About 8 to 10 dollars in parts.

Had a neighbor heat one end of the conduit and hammer it in place using
scrap 2x4 piece then once in and lucky for me he has an air-compressor used
an air hammer to get it the rest of way in. The other way we were going to
do it once it was in far enough was to use a plumbers torch kit you buy
just about anywhere and solder the two together together but this worked
well.  I also marked from hose end 3 marks with a marker, one for 9', one
for 8' and then 2" so that I could add the clamps and wire and then due to
soft soil hammer the rest of way in but no beating it or go to 8' mark and
then hold rod in place. Next hook a hose to the end and turn water on at
main. Then using a ladder place the conduit into position in a small hole I
started to keep pipe below ground. Turn on the water and pump the rod up
and down and let water do the work. Depending on ground it took me 20 min
on first and 15 on the other. No beating it. Have run the ground wire (#4
Solid)  from crawlspace with enough slack to run up to room. Then ran that
to the first and second rod. Still need to connect to the power ground but
may drop one more rod first. But so far it not too much headache. Just a
little wet now and then and kneeling in wet soil. Wear old clothes. Of
course as per working outside the house exercise caution and know where the
power and cable, telephone, etc is. Contact Miss Utility if you need to. No
need to irritate a neighbor or have a bad day with hitting something you
should not. If anybody wishes to borrow this tool, its available for use
once I get the last rod in tomorrow or Monday.

Bill

KC3DEZ