Re: Grounding Rod Troubles

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Grounding Rod Troubles
From: "afa2fg" <afa2fg-at-email.msn-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 17:12:48 -0600
Approved: twf-at-verinet-dot-com

Adam,
   One possible answer is a chemical ground rod. These are fairly simple to
make. Get a 1 1/2 inch piece of copper pipe about 10 ft. long and bend a 90
degree section on the  end about 12 inches long. Solder a screw cap on the
12 inch end and a end cap on the other. Drill about 20   1/4 inch holes
around the long section of pipe. Now, dig a trench about 10 ft. long and 1
ft. deep and bury the pipe, leaving the short end sticking above ground. You
could solder a tab of some sort on this end to attach your connections to.
Cover the pipe and then fill the tube with Epsom Salt. Pour in some water to
wash the Epsom Salt down into the tube. Continue to do this until you have
put in several pounds of Epsom Salt. The holes in the pipe allow the
solution into the ground making it very conductive. Every so often, it is a
good idea to add more Epsom salt and water to keep the ground active.
   Give it a try. I think you will like it.

   George
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Monday, April 26, 1999 1:50 PM
Subject: Grounding Rod Troubles


>Original Poster: Adam <psycho-at-tradewind-dot-net>
>
>Today I tried to drive a 5/8" by 8' bonded copper ground rod into the
>ground.  I tried digging, soaking, soaking, digging, cursing, digging,
>cursing, swearing, and soaking, and it simply would not go in far enough
>(only three feet).  My soil is way too rocky for this.
>
>the guy at home depot, however, told me that an electrical ground
>doesn't have to go straight down, it can be bent, angled, and twisted in
>all three dimensions:  all that matters is that the rod is 8 ft. long.
>
>Is this true?  Can I just shape the rod into something like this:
>
>|
>|------Ground level
>|        |------|     |
>|-----|         |----|
>
>Or does anyone know a better way to do it (there must be one)?
>
>I'm in Northern New Jersey, and I know there are a couple other coilers
>around here, so what do you guys do?
>
>Thanks a lot,
>Adam
>