[TowerTalk] Copper Pipe Ground Rods - Driving them in - How ?

[Jim Lux]

On 5/25/11 8:56 AM, Orcena Lyle wrote:
> I pounded on one end of the copper pipe so that the edges went together into
> sort of a flat point.  That worked pretty well.  The ground was loam for
> about 18 in., then sand below that.  It went in easily but mushroomed at the
> top.  I did a lot of filing to get it to where I could put an acorn over it.
> I can't remember why I had the bright idea of using pipe but since then, I
> have used real ground rods.
>


and it's not like you need a particularly low conductivity or solid 
conductor (skin effect and all that). The copper clad steel is a good 
solution: mechanically rugged, cheap, etc



Watch out for those lame 8 foot rods at the local discount store. 
Pretty darn hard to meet the code requirement of 8 feet buried with a 
rod that's 8 feet long.  If you're looking for code compliance, check 
the diameter too: a galvanized rod has to be 5/8", but a copper clad can 
be 0.500" diameter, if UL listed.

Gotta have a clamp that matches the rod, too.


Oh, and there were counterfeit rods being sold a few years back.. bogus 
UL marking, cladding too thin, rod too small.  A real listed rod has the 
marking stamped into the top 12" of the rod.


BTW, the 2011 code has some changes in grounding rules, but none that 
are likely to affect most hams.