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[TowerTalk] Sinking ground rods

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] Sinking ground rods
From: W9UI@SprintMail.com (Bob & Traudel Eslaire)
Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 22:18:24 -0500
I use the water "boring" method with a difference.  I use a 1/2" galvanized 
pipe as the borer and a
5/8" (or 3/4", if that is a better fit) copper pipe as the ground rod. The 
oversized copper pipe
makes good contact with the sides of the hole.

Bob, W9UI.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
[mailto:owner-towertalk@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Bill Coleman
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 10:17 AM
To: Avila, Edward; 'Jim McDonald'; 'towertalk@contesting.com'
Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] Sinking ground rods


On 1/16/01 11:50 AM, Avila, Edward at EAvila@caiso.com wrote:

>There was an short article in QST years ago that described solution....dig
>as wide and deep a hole as you can, then pour a small amount of water into
>hole, let it soak in then start driving the ground into the ground.....when
>it stops going easily, repeater the water soaking and drive the rod down
>some more until it stops going easily.
>
>Jim, since I read this idea I've been very successful installing 8' rods in
>nasty hardpan in our part of the world with a lot less effort and pain!

This has been brought up over and over on TowerTalk.

While using water methods (either the puddle technique described above,
or the attach-a-hose-to-copper-pipe and push it in method) may be an easy
way to install a ground rod -- it suffers from one failing: the water
displaces the soil, which destroys the effective contact of the rod with
the ground.

The whole idea of putting in a ground rod is to get good contact with the
soil. Since this method destroys contact with the soil, I wouldn't
recommend it.

I've built a ground-rod driver using a 12" steel nipple, some fittings
and some hand weights and collars from a weight set. It allows you to
drive the ground rod in without missing. When you get it within 1 foot of
the surface, drive it the rest of the way with a sledgehammer.

The alternatives of using a jackhammer, hammer drill or other power
driver, or even a fence post driver will ensure much better soil contact
with the rod compared with the water methods, and they aren't any harder.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr@arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901


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