[TowerTalk] Ground wire between tower and ground stakes (corrected)

[Dick's]

(Corrected due to typos)

Hello Chris:

As we write, I am presently connecting all my 10 ground rods with 2 awg stranded Cu using Harger cad welds. I received a lot of input from people and have looked at products that allow one to bolt wires to the tower base as well as clamping systems.

I chose to go with using thin Cu sheeting 3” wide clamped onto each tower leg and gently arced down to the ground rod at each tower leg. The reason I chose to do that was because lighting doesn’t like to take 90 degree turns as would happen if wires or sheeting were attached at the bottom bolts. 

KF7P sells all kinds of clamps and Cu sheeting to do that.

My plan, while ungainly (especially when I have to lower my tower horizontally to work on the antenna array) will have the Cu sheeting attach to the ground rod below the cad weld. I plan to surround the tower concrete with gravel so I can access the copper sheeting clamps in the future to inspect the connection.

If you decide to go in this direction, make sure you put stainless shim stock between the copper sheeting and the tower as well as anti corrosion paste before clamping.

It sure won’t be pretty, but I’m a functional guy. 


Dick, K0CAT
        

——-
> 
> 
> 
> I am getting ready to order my ground wire. I have seen conflicting
> information about the type of wire to go between the tower and the ground
> rods.
> 
> 
> 
> I had been planning on going with Solid AWG 2, but then I saw some pictures
> of folks using stranded.
> 
> 
> 
> Could I get a vote on which type of wire is commonly used for most amateur
> tower applications
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> 
> W7MI
> 
> Chris Hoelzle 
> choelzle at cox.net 
> Bandon, OR
> 
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