[TowerTalk] Shack to service entrance ground

[Lux, Jim]

On 8/18/23 8:32 AM, K8ZM wrote:
> I am getting close to my project of completely re-doing all coax and control
> cables entering the shack and "finally" have almost everything.  I'll be
> installing an 8 Ft (5/8" Dia) ground rod at the shack entrance and need to
> tie that to my service entrance ground however my service entrance is 100 Ft
> from the shack so extending that and burying it will be a PITA but necessary
> none-the-less.  Loaned or misplaced my NEC book but I had planned running 6
> Ga stranded copper wire to tie both ground rods together.  Is code 6 Ga or 4
> Ga ??
>
>   

OK - you're in sort of an interesting situation, because your "shack 
ground" electrode isn't part of the required grounding for your house - 
that is, it's not a supplemental grounding electrode.

Nor is it part of a lightning grounding/dissipation system, so all those 
rules don't matter.

In general NEC calls for a AWG6 copper or AWG4 aluminum to connect the 
grounding electrode to the panel.  So it seems that's an Upper Bound on 
the size you need. There's no requirement for burial (which is why the 
conductor is so big, for mechanical durability more than fault current 
capability.

But what you're really doing here is trying to tie physically separated 
grounding domains together.  do you have AC receptacles in your shack 
that have a ground pin? What's that connected to?

I'd take a gander at Jim's grounding and bonding book.



>
> Funny but I keep thinking this will end up being an "exercise" as everything
> works like a champ as it is, just changing coax lengths I fear will cause
> all kinds of grief..it shouldn't but..
>
>   
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brad, K8ZM
>
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