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RE: Grounding Rod Troubles

I've driven these rods into all kinds of soil/rock and here's a trick..

- Dig a small hole first (6" deep x 6" wide)
- Fill the hole with water and have someone keep the water level up.
- Use a cheap air hammer (Harbor Freight $9.99) to drive the rod (use the
pointed bit and place it in the hole/depression in the end on the ground
rod).
- Stand on a ladder or a couple milk crates to get it started.

The water and the vibration of the rod causes liquefaction of the ground
immediately around the rod. This reduces friction and allows the pounding
force to be delivered to where it's needed (at the tip of the rod).

My .02 cents worth - Take or leave it as you wish...

Brian D. Basura




-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 28, 1999 4:07 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Grounding Rod Troubles


Original Poster: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com 

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