[TowerTalk] 4 awg copper wire and Amp locks

[Michael Tope]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux at earthlink.net>

>>
>>And just to put it all in perspective, consider how all the utililties
>>entering your house are grounded. Is it an array of ground rods
>>bussed together 00 cooper and Cadwelded connections? No, its a
>>single 8ft ground rod with a compression clamp. And that's the
>>electrical utility ground. Look at the CATV ground. It's a puny little
>>ground block with a #12 AWG wire clamped through a #10 screw
>>(if your lucky). Same for the telephone ground.
>>
>>73, Mike W4EF....................................
>
> Good point, Mike.  However, the utility grounds are really designed more
> for handling fault currents from inadvertent line/ground shorts and the 
> like.
>

Yes, that's my point, Jim. There are thousands of homes with above ground
utilities in lightning prone Florida that have nothing more in the way of 
lightning
protection between the long wire antenna that is the service drop and the
electronic devices inside than a simple 8ft ground rod connected to the 
service
panel via a compression clamp, yet you don't see insurance companies forcing
people to install an array of Cadwelded perimeter interconnected ground
rods in order to get coverage for lightning damage. Most people are willing
to accept the risks associated with little or no protection. IOW, the 
present
cost of the assumed risks are lower than the cost of the fancy lightning
protection schemes that offer substantive protection over the minimal NEC
8ft ground rod requirement for a residence.

73, Mike W4EF..........................