[TowerTalk] Exothermic/Cadwelds one shots etc...

[Keith Dutson]

I think the drilling method is okay.  It may not be good in arid climates,
but a few good rain showers will re-pack the dirt around the rod.  In dry
earth it's always good to use electrolyte to enhance conductivity.

Keith NM5G 

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Dudley Chapman
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 2:39 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Exothermic/Cadwelds one shots etc...

[snip]
To the List,

   As for the water-driving technique shown on the website offered a few
days ago, I have a question.  This technique is very clever, but I have read
that it's important to drive the rods into hard-packed soil so there is a
lot of contact between the rods and the soil.  Pre-drilling a hole for the
rods and then backfilling is explicitly not-recommended, unless you are
doping the soil with electrolytic stuff.  I would think that using the
water-drilling method would produce the same problem as a pre-drilled and
backfilled hole.  Does anyone have comments on this?  If I run into trouble
driving the rods, I would like to use the water method, but not if it makes
a poorly grounded rod.

Dudley - WA1X
[snip]