Jim Brown wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Jun 2010 07:31:57 -0700, jimlux wrote:
>
>> Gary Schafer wrote:
>>> I would stay a few feet away from the house. The ground right near the
>>> foundation is dryer than it is out away from the house. Where the rain drips
>>> off the roof may not be a bad place as it gets more moisture when it rains,
>>> the time you also worry about lightning.
>>>
>
>> Good point... Although, the whole discussion strikes me as a
>> "overthinking" the problem a bit.. A few feet one way or another
>> probably doesn't make much difference.
>
> I don't see this as "over-thinking" at all -- rather I see it as quite
> practical advice. I have flowers and shrubs close to my house, and those that
> are protected by some sort of roof overhang get a LOT less moisture than the
> soil only a foot or so away that is not protected.
>
> Overall, Gary's advice is pretty much on target. He's found the fundamentally
> sound grain of truth in the often over-blown and mis-applied single point
> ground concept. Well done!
>
>
I was thinking more about overthinking the "lightning protection
performance" aspect of where you put it. Convenience, durability, etc,
probably are bigger factors than the (probably) small performance
difference between a couple feed away. Sure, plants under the eaves
grow differently, and depending on the climate that could be because of
stuff dripping, but is the *soil conductivity* that much different?
Enough to actually make any difference lightning protection wise?
Remember, this was for a bonding conductor connecting two grounding
points, so the "expected" current flow is along the cable, and the soil
resistance might make no difference at all.
If it were me, digging the trench, I'd probably put it away from the
house, because damp soil is softer and less likely to have construction
junk than right up against the footing. If it were me, having someone
else dig the trench, I'd go for close to the footing, because it reduces
the risk of accidentally damaging the conductor when changing plantings.
Of course, if *I* were digging the trench (in the softer damp soil)
I'd also probably throw scrap 2x4s or cheap concrete bricks over the
wire so that if I *did* forget where it was, and was digging a hole I'd
hit the barrier first. (and realistically, that wouldn't help either..
I've run a trencher through a buried PVC conduit that I forgot was
there.. ooops)
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