Re: console gounding question

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: console gounding question
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 22:48:52 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	randy-at-gte-dot-net[SMTP:randy-at-gte-dot-net]
Sent: 	Friday, October 31, 1997 2:44 AM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: console gounding question

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> From:   Thornton, Russ #CSR2000[SMTP:ThorntoR-at-rc.pafb.af.mil]
> Sent:   Thursday, October 30, 1997 6:36 AM
> To:     'Tesla discussion Group'
> Subject:        RE: console gounding question
> 
> George,
> Contrary to what we sometimes assume or hope for, the ground below us is
> far from homogeneous.  Try this experiment next time you are outside
> with your VOM.  Stick each probe in the ground around 4 feet apart.
> Unless you are in a very dry area, you will be able to measure a voltage
> differential.  Some places can get over 1 volt. If the earth(surface
> dirt were a perfect earth ground then you should read an equal potential
> or no voltage on the VOM.  That is why salt helps.  I should have a
> pretty good ground where my water softener discharges.<g>
> I am a EE but I learned this stuff in explosives training in the oil
> field.
> 
> Russ
> >
> >From:  George W. Ensley[SMTP:erc-at-coastalnet-dot-com]
> >Sent:  Tuesday, October 28, 1997 7:16 AM
> >To:    Tesla List
> >Subject:       Re: console gounding question
> >
> >Jim,
> >
> >I have a separate 6ft salted rod about 2feet from my pig and variac. It just
> >seemed like a good idea. Maybe some of the EE's can tell us why. My theories
> >is that you can never have too much ground.
> >
> >
> >>
> >>To all you guys with the "power beasts"
> >>
> >>Do you run a separate wire to RF ground from the metal
> >>control console or do you rely on ac ground only at this point?
> >>
> >>thanks
> >>Jim M
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >george............
> >
> >
> >Russ Thornton
> >CSR 2040,
> >Building 989, Rm.  A1-N20
> >Phone: (407) 494-6430
> >Email: thorntor-at-rs.pafb.af.mil
> >

Bear in mind that, according to what I have read, soil resistance checks
are best done measuring the AC resistance of the soil, as it acts
electrolytically, i.e. a DC voltage will "charge" each grounded probe
like the two plates of a capacitor. This is supposedly why one good
3' ground rod isn't of much use for lightning purposes; during the event
the surrounding earth charges like any good dielectric, and when it is
"full" the rest of the juice goes to the next available target.
I am not an explosives expert, nor EE, but I have inadvertantly blown up
numerous electronic items...once sent forty diodes to thier graves 
simultaneously, leaving only their leads to show that(aside from the 
charred circuit board) that anything had ever been there. Made quite a
bit of noise too.
Randy