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Re: Grounding Rod Troubles
In a message dated 4/26/99 9:12:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:
> 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
>
Adam,
You are correct, the rod doesn't need to go straight down. I have the same
problem that you do and rented an electric jack hammer. The copper clad
steel ground rod fits into the socket on the hammer where the tool usually
goes. It will drive them in with some work.
Ed Sonderman