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Re: [TowerTalk] grounding radials: solid or stranded?

To: "'William Q Meeker'" <wqmeeker@iastate.edu>,<towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] grounding radials: solid or stranded?
From: "N2TK, Tony" <tony.kaz@verizon.net>
Reply-to: N2TK@arrl.net
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 07:28:57 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
Hi Bill,
In the corrosive soil here in New York, #4 stranded copper wire lasted about
6-7 years before I could pull it off the cadweld. Exposed aluminum sheathed
hardline lasts even less.
Switched to solid #4 copper ground wire to the ground rods.  Hopefully that
lasts longer.
N2TK, Tony



-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of William Q Meeker
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 7:13 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] grounding radials: solid or stranded?


I am trying to work out a few details for my lightning protection system.

I have received and read (some in the TT archives) some conflicting
recommendations on whether to use solid or stranded copper wire for ground
radials (which will connect to ground rods, appropriately spaced along the
radials). The electrical service ground for our house uses #4 solid copper
wire.

It has been suggested that stranded copper wire would have little less
inductance and thus be more effective. I suppose, however that longevity of
stranded copper underground might be less, especially if the soil is acidic.

Is there a clear choice or is this the trade-off that one needs to consider?

I am planning to use copper strap to run from the first ground rod to each
of the tower legs.

73,

Bill
K0KT







William Q. Meeker
Department of Statistics
304C Snedecor Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
Phone: 515-294-5336
Fax: 515-294-4040
Home Fax: 515-232-1323
www.public.iastate.edu/~wqmeeker

_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
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_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

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