[TowerTalk] #2 solid or stranded for tower leg grounds

[John Elsik]

Thanks for the info Gene.
 
With out having the tower, it is pretty difficult to decide exactly how I will terminate the wire to the tower yet.
 
I will stay with the #2 solid.  Keep it simple.  I just want to get all the ground work done soon.  I will leave plenty of slack for connection to the tower.
 
John wa5zup



> Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:28:04 -0500> From: ersmar at verizon.net> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] #2 solid or stranded for tower leg grounds> To: wa5zup at msn.com; towertalk at contesting.com> > John:> > Most of us here on TT recommend your using solid rather than stranded #2. This will eliminate corrosion from between strands, maintaining the electrical properties of the grounding wire.> > As for connecting to the tower, you might consider connecting to the flat steel elements at the base of the tower using these model 213 clamps from Harger: http://www.harger.com/products/grdcmp/mech/bc/bc.cfm . I use them to connect my shunt-feed wires and my coax shield ground wires to the flat elements of my Trylon tower. I also use their model 222T clamps http://www.harger.com/products/lpcmp/blp/bl/BL/bl.cfm to connect my ground wires to pre-drilled holes in the Trylon's legs.> > A final word of advice: You ought to connect your ground wires higher up along the tower than right atop the concrete base. This right-angle turn in the grounding path represents a greater inductance to lightning energy than a gentle curve you get from connecting up higher along the tower legs. You can protect this piece of ground wire with a piece of garden hose that extends a few inches into the dirt and above the top of the concrete base.> > 73 de> Gene Smar AD3F> > > From: John Elsik <wa5zup at msn.com>> Date: 2007/09/13 Thu AM 09:29:00 CDT> To: towertalk at contesting.com> Subject: [TowerTalk] #2 solid or stranded for tower leg grounds> > I acquired 250' of #2 bare copper and 15 ground rods left over from a job at work. So that is a start on what I am using for my ground system for a new LM-354HD crank up tower installation. Base is installed, waiting for the concrete to cure. Tower is not here yet.> I have to get more wire and rods. I have most of the exothermic one-shots, but of course, need more of them too. I am pretty much committed to using #2 for everything.> The plan is to just pigtail up the #2, for now, to each tower leg.> I have a choice of either #2 tinned solid copper or #2 stranded for these pigtails. The one-shots should work with either one by spec. At the moment, I am not sure how I will attach the fat #2 to the tower legs. I was thinking of using stranded for that because it would be somewhat more flexible.> Is that a good idea, or should I just stay with the solid?> John wa5zup> _______________________________________________> > > > _______________________________________________> TowerTalk mailing list> TowerTalk at contesting.com> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk>