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Re: [TowerTalk] tower grounding

To: Spencer <k5gak@powerc.net>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] tower grounding
From: Grant Saviers <grants2@pacbell.net>
Date: Tue, 23 Jul 2013 22:20:11 -0700
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
My sailboat was at the wharf, plugged into shore power when a thunderstorm passed by about a 1/4 mile away. Each lightning flash was accompanied with an arc over SNAP in the 120v outlets. Scary how much voltage that takes. My exposed lead keel in salt water was tied to the shore power grounding lead. Concluding I was the best local power grid ground, I quickly disconnected from shore power.

Grant KZ1W


On 7/23/2013 6:38 PM, Spencer wrote:
I did some maintenance on a steel boat. The utility company had connected the ground to the hull when connected to shore power. There was serious corrosion problems. I measured the ground wire current with a amp-probe, 3 amps. I disconnected the ground and the problem went away. Your tower might be the ground connection for the electric utility company. The waveform is distorted and has a DC component that will cause big problems and a nice place for current flow
during a lightning strike.
Spencer
W1GAK

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