Ground Rod Installation (without a hammer drill handy)

Here's how you can use a piece of scrap lumber to assist ground rod installation.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• James
• Glass
• construction
• real
• estate
• roanoke
• va

[JamesGlassProperties]

Yes, a 3/4" or 7/8" hole in a 3' to 4' board works pretty good. I drill the hole at least 6 to 12" from the ends so the 2x4 won't split if you accidentally smack it with a hammer. The first part is to use a fence driver to get the rod to about 24" exposed, then use the board trick to drive it the rest of the way.

[cheekieweekie]

What if the subsoil were solid rock and a ground rod did not "drive", how would you achieve a proper ground?

[JamesGlassProperties]

@cheekieweekie We're lucky here that we don't have to deal with solid rock, but there are areas of the country that have this problem and the NEC addresses it. There are a couple options: if you're doing a slab on grade building you can ground thru the rebar in the concrete per NEC. This happens around here on commercial properties even tho we have ample soil. I've also heard that NEC allows you to drill holes in the rock and fill them with sand. I don't have any experience with this option.

[JamesGlassProperties]

I a GC without electricial, but I only sub out for customers. On my own properties, I prefer to to it myself because I can better guarantee quality. I've finally found a decent electrician, but I like neat as well as above code! Thanks for the nice words. Virginian is a Dillion rule state, so localites can't require more than two rods, but I like to lower the resistance ASAP and the extra rods do that for so little money.

[JamesGlassProperties]

One rod < 25 ohms or two rods 5/8" thick + 8' long six feet apart is minimum code, but I always go above min. code and install 3-4 ground rods. This is one of three ground rods for this house (all connected of course). For main panel ground I like to use 4 gauge instead of min code 6 gauge also. I also try to install all my ground rods in the wettest areas for lowest resistance. Grounding right will save your life!!

[JamesGlassProperties]

You can either cold weld or clamp the ground wire to the 5/8" rods. I use direct burial clamps because I am not a fan of the exothermic bonding as it gets brittle and can break. You can't just use any ground rod clamp though--it has to be approved for direct burial. While I am a licensed contractor, I am not sub licensed in electrical, so while I know a lot, you shouldn't consider me an expert, but the NEC requires at least two ground rods placed six feet apart for residential applications.

[612to410]

@c4science The NEC requires that the supplemental grounding electrode (ground rod) be at least 6' apart; there is an informational note in the 2011 edition that says that a good practice is to have 2x the length of the ground rod between them. eg 8' rods should be 16' apart

[pl747]

What size hole do you drill in the 2x and what length is it ? I know if the hole is too little or too large it won't work right and also the length has a bearing on the hole size. Board looks to be about 4 ft with the hole being maybe 3 1/2 ft from the "foot" end? 3/4" hole? Great idea!

[MGiants82]

That's a great idea, as I have driven many grounds before and they are a pain to do. As a fellow licensed electrical contractor myself, I find it interesting that you drive in 3 or 4 ground rods. The only reason I can think that you do this is there is no main copper water pipe from the street, which is the main ground and your 2 ground rods are supplemental. I'm not criticizing you, I just never saw anyone do that.

[c4science]

Shouldn't they be a _minimum_ of six feet apart? e.g. seven or eight feet?

Nice driving!