no earth

[Stroppy]

I was wondering about using my hammer drill while hammering it in, but couldn't think of anything suitable to use as a driver. If I have to do another one I'll get my thinking cap on and make something.

Just found a good home-made solution. I like the rubber hose sleeve to stop it slipping off! http://www.n4lcd.com/groundrod/

 

[Engineer54]

I was wondering about using my hammer drill while hammering it in, but couldn't think of anything suitable to use as a driver. If I have to do another one I'll get my thinking cap on and make something.

Just found a good home-made solution. I like the rubber hose sleeve to stop it slipping off! Easy Ground Rod Driver

Better still, weld a suitable sized socket (to fit the driving head bolt) to that chopped off SDS chisel. lol!!
Remember they don't seem to sell 8' (2.4m) rods that much in the UK anymore, they tend to be 1.2m extendable from what i can gather. So using your suggestion, will damage the rods threads, maybe to the point of making it impossible to couple another rod on to it!! Use a coupling screwed onto the rod with a driving bolt screwed into the other end of the coupler, and use my suggestion above to drive the rod into the ground!! lol!!

I have two such home made head drivers as described above for both 5/8'' and 3/4'' rods. Had them for a good 25 years now too!! lol!!

 

[Stroppy]

Ah that's a great idea with the socket and bolt. I have in my toolbox an already-damaged coupler which I used to avoid damaging the rod threads. Sometimes I love this forum!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Ah that's a great idea with the socket and bolt. I have in my toolbox an already-damaged coupler which I used to avoid damaging the rod threads. Sometimes I love this forum!

but never forget....dig a pit first where you intend to site rods....to ensure you wont be intercepting any services with the rods.....

 

[Engineer54]

I hope he's installed a decent earth inspection pit over the rod location he's just installed too!! ...lol!!

 

[Stroppy]

I've put a cardboard box over it, that should do!

 

[Guitarist]

I've put a cardboard box over it, that should do!

Properly varnished I hope...

 

[Engineer54]

I've put a cardboard box over it, that should do!

Does that mean you didn't install an earth pit then?? If so what have you used to protect the cable connection to the rod??

 

[Geordie Spark]

Does that mean you didn't install an earth pit then?? If so what have you used to protect the cable connection to the rod??

I saw one with half a bucket of cement tipped over it once.

There it was, in a corner of a backyard, a pile of hardened cement with a length of 6mm green/yellow protruding from it & running through a hole in the back wall of the house.

 

[Engineer54]

I wonder what they thought they were going to achieve by doing that?? lol!! The chemicals in the cement will probably be doing more harm than good to the connection!! lol!!

 

[Stroppy]

Does that mean you didn't install an earth pit then?? If so what have you used to protect the cable connection to the rod??

No I didn't. The rod has a green box on it, and the cable is protected from damage by going through a length of flexible conduit into the house.

 

[Engineer54]

No I didn't. The rod has a green box on it, and the cable is protected from damage by going through a length of flexible conduit into the house.

What do you mean by a green box?? It's the actual cable to rod connection that needs ''long time'' protection.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

What do you mean by a green box?? It's the actual cable to rod connection that needs ''long time'' protection.

what i cant understand as well is what a bit of copex is supposed to do against Mr. Fothergills spade?...

 

[stuartcourt]

what i cant understand as well is what a bit of copex is supposed to do against Mr. Fothergills spade?...

I think we should open up the depth in garden thread again, I never felt we drew a line under it anyway

 

[Geordie Spark]

I wonder what they thought they were going to achieve by doing that?? lol!! The chemicals in the cement will probably be doing more harm than good to the connection!! lol!!

I agree.

The job was done by a couple of blokes in a white Transit van with NICEIC plastered all over it.

 

[Stroppy]

What do you mean by a green box?? It's the actual cable to rod connection that needs ''long time'' protection.

One of these green boxes that say "safety electrical connection" on. Bearing in mind the distance from the rod to the wall is less than 30cm the probability of damage is minimal.

 

[Engineer54]

One of these green boxes that say "safety electrical connection" on. Bearing in mind the distance from the rod to the wall is less than 30cm the probability of damage is minimal.

You'll be lucky if you get 2 to 4 years from that load of crap!! They should ban those bloody things, they stand absolutely no chance of lasting the lifetime of the TT installation!! Which is minimum of 30 years, but in reality much longer... Do yourself a favour and throw that thing away and get a proven propriety flush to ground, concrete or heavy duty plastic earth pit!!

So you drove your rod in the worst area possible on a domestic, straight into all that old builders rubble, ...that was clever!! lol!! If you had gone a metre or so, away from the house walls, you would have probably got a better Ra value too...

 

[DPG]

Don't sit on the fence Eng, do you think it's a good job or not?? Daz

 

[telectrix]

surely that green box doesn't comply with current regs. it should be green/yellow, with neither colour taking over 70% of the surface.

 

[Stroppy]

It is in the same place as the old rod, and as my house was built in 1826 there is no rubble - it is thick clay soil which is giving me a reading of 44 ohms which should get better over time. If the new rod had given me a rubbish reading or encountered rubble (not likely as the original one didn't) then I would have tried further away, but it didn't so it would be totally pointless to go half way down the garden for no reason. When (eventually) I repave the path it will be treated to a proper concrete pit.