Re: [TCML] Grounding Coil to Water Pipe

[Ashumate3 <ashumate3@xxxxxxx>]

The answer to driving ground rods is a steel post driver. If you can weld you can build your own or you can buy one at Tractor Supply or Amazon.com. I have a large electric rotary hammer for this kind of stuff and I did use a tractor mounted post driver for a large job. A steel post driver will work great and when you get the post head close to the ground use your sledge hammer.

A comment about using water pipes, watch for stray currents coming from a faulty appliance in your house or from a neighbors house. I had a problem with a neighbors faulty water heater.

Al Shumate
Dublin, VA



-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Mastroianni <joe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, Sep 1, 2010 6:35 pm
Subject: Re: [TCML] Grounding Coil to Water Pipe


Re: Pounding in ground rods - 
 
As I mentioned I'm using a separate 8' ground rod just for my coil. (Connecting to it via stranded jumper cable wire I salvaged from an old set of Sears Jumper Cables) 
 
Here in NoCal in the hills the soil is very rocky, so I was worried about being able to pound in a ground rod at all. 
 
I have a Bosch electric SDS rotary hammer I use for home upgrade and repair - mostly for drilling holes in big rocks to run wires, or to crack rocks when I'm trying to sink a fence post, or to demo stubborn parts of my house. They actually sell a ground rod pounder attachment for the thing. 
 
The thing was worthless in getting the rod past (or through) the rocks. Yes, I got 11 slams a second. But the rod never moved. 
 
I switched to my 8lb sledge, and first I had to stand on a ladder to get any sort of angle on the thing. But it got through the rocks, and down to the point where there was only about 3" showing. 
 
My arms were somewhat useless for the rest of the day, afterward. But arm power beat the SDS jackhammer. 
 
Cheers, 
Joe 
 
 
On 9/1/2010 6:29 AM, Brandon Hendershot wrote: 
> Alright, 
> Briefly returning to the initial subject; 
> So what I've learned is that it's a very bad idea to ground to the water pipe partialy because it may be connected to the "green wire ground" at the water heater. Also because the underground pipes may convert to non/conductive PVC piping, destroying any ground potential. 
> BUT, assuming that the electrical system doesn't comply with code and doesn't connect back to safety ground at the water heater, and that the pipe leading underground doesn't switch over to PVC, I *could* get a solid ground connection without pounding down a new pipe or frying any in home electronics? 
> Thanks Guys, 
> Brandon_______________________________________________ 
> Tesla mailing list 
> Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx 
> http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla 
> 
 
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