FW: [TowerTalk] Sinking ground rods

[Paul Finch]

Hello,

An electrician friend showed me a way to start ground rods and get them
down to a level where you can get to them safely with a hammer or other
device, at least if you have sand or clay soil.  This will not work if the
ground has big rocks!  I have both sand as well as clay, about 12 inches of
sand on top of clay in Texas.

I have used this method many times while putting in the ground system for my
500 foot tower and the house I built, it works.

Make a small hole where you want the rod to hold a small pool of water, turn
a little water on from a hose and run it into the hole, put the rod in the
pool of water and start working it up and down, wear gloves.  Make sure
water runs down into the hole as you work the rod up and down.  It takes
about 5 minutes or so to get a 8 foot rod in my soil.  It is hard work but
it is easier than trying to stand on a ladder with a sledge hammer or heavy
jack hammer.  When I used this method in the past I normally get the rod
down to where there is only about 18 to 24 inches still out of the ground.
I then use a 16 pound sledge hammer to get it the rest of the way.

My friend tells me he has seen a large electrician friend of his put in 8
foot ground rods in with only a coke bottle full of water.  Insert flames
here, but try it, it works!

Paul
WB5IDM





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