[TowerTalk] Grounding wire choices

[Grant Saviers]

Agree that #2 is "standard", at least it was for a cell tower 
subcontractor that sold me a spool of tinned solid in his going out of 
business sale.  IIRC the NFPA code recently changed to #2. Solid is the 
choice if buried.  Harger also makes exothermic (copper thermite) 
welding kits (K7FP stocks them) and has an informative web site:  harger.com

Grant KZ1W

On 10/7/2018 9:43 AM, Dick Green WC1M wrote:
> I'm a little late to the party, but my recollection is that #2 solid is the
> industry standard. Could be wrong about that, but worth checking.
>
> Definitely go with solid. I used 1/0 stranded, which is overkill size-wise,
> something of a bear to work with, and probably not a great choice in terms
> of potential loss of continuity between the strands.
>
> I strongly urge you to Cadweld the wire to the rods, rather than using
> clamps. It's well worth the cost.
>
> Definitely no need to run a ground wire from the remote antenna to the
> shack. My understanding is that's true as long as the distance is 75-feet or
> more. That said, even though the roof-mounted antenna is 100 feet away, I'd
> still bond it to the single-point-ground, breaker box, etc.
>
> 73, Dick WC1M
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary Smith <Gary at ka1j.com>
> Sent: Sunday, October 7, 2018 12:55 AM
> To: Towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Grounding wire choices
>
> Thanks, From the comments I've received,
> #4 solid is what I'll be using. That's
> what I needed to know.
>
> 73,
>
> Gary
> KA1J
>
>> I agree with Chick, my references say that #6 will survive a strike
>> without fusing but it may come close.  I use #6 solid but have a few
>> parallel paths so the current is spread out.  Have noticed that it
>> seems common practice to use a coarse braided ground line in the south
>> but don't know why.  Skin effect resistance might be lower but
>> inductive reactance dominates the impedance so that shouldn't help
>> much.-Mike-WA6ZTY
>>
>>        From: Chick Allen via TowerTalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
>>   To: Gary at ka1j.com; towertalk at contesting.com
>>   Sent: Saturday, October 6, 2018 5:50 PM
>>   Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Grounding wire choices
>>
>> Take a look at Motorola R56 guideline for grounding.  Great
>> publication.  If you can, include intermediate ground rods as R56 will
>> show.  In MHO, #6 is ok, but #4 would be better.  Stick with solid
>> copper wire for grounding. GL 73 de Chick, NW3Y
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Gary Smith <Gary at ka1j.com>
>> To: towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
>> Sent: Sun, Oct 7, 2018 1:15 am
>> Subject: [TowerTalk] Grounding wire choices
>>
>> I am in the process of pounding in
>> grounding rods between the breaker box, the roof mounted antenna
>> ground wire and the coax entrance. I will be bonding all together.
>>
>> The choice of wire I'm not sure about. #4 or # 6, solid or stranded.
>> I'll be using about 100' of it. It seems like the thicker, the better
>> but maybe #6 is fine?
>> I have no idea about stranded or solid, seems like for this, solid
>> would have greater mass & be better? I have no idea.
>>
>> #6 is a pick-up, #4 is an order.
>>
>> The remote antenna is 370' away so I won't be running it to there.
>>
>> Thoughts?
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Gary
>> KA1J
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TowerTalk mailing list
>> TowerTalk at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>