Fence grounding & transmission line
- Thread starter cornbread
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LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Well?
dbuckley
Senior Member
- Location
- Canterbury, New Zealand
Is a "rail line" a railway line?
Unless you know something specific to the contrary, don't do anything to the railway line, as all sorts of things could go wrong. Starting with track circuiting, which is how the railway control systems know where the train is...
Unless you know something specific to the contrary, don't do anything to the railway line, as all sorts of things could go wrong. Starting with track circuiting, which is how the railway control systems know where the train is...
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
There should not be a need for grounding unless the fence is running parallel to the lines. There are issues with metal objects that run parallel to the high voltage lines.
I understand that fences running parrallel need grounding but are there no concrens if a power line should drop on a metal fence? I would think you would want to have grounds on the fence, one on each side of overhead power line, providing a good ground path? I would also think this should apply to rail tracks? I don't want a fence line or rail track to become a conductor if they should come in contact with a power line. I'm I off base in my thinking?
renosteinke
Senior Member
- Location
- NE Arkansas
Adding grounds rods to either a fence or a rail makes as much sense as adding them to ships at sea, airplanes, and space craft.
I mean- just where will the electricity go,and how will a ground rod help clear a fault?
The only place electricity wants to go is 'home,' back to where it was made. In the case of power lines, that's back to the last transformer.
If, for some reason, you have current induced into a piece of metal and you want to get rid of it .... about all you can do is put a resistor in the circuit and burn it off.
I mean- just where will the electricity go,and how will a ground rod help clear a fault?
The only place electricity wants to go is 'home,' back to where it was made. In the case of power lines, that's back to the last transformer.
If, for some reason, you have current induced into a piece of metal and you want to get rid of it .... about all you can do is put a resistor in the circuit and burn it off.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
Think about a typical chain link fence.
It has big steel posts that are sunk maybe 4 feet into the ground in a chunk of concrete every 10 feet or so of length, although sometimes posts are just pushed into the ground (which may or may not be a "better" earthing connection). The wire mesh is tied to the posts with multiple metal ties.
How does it get any better grounded than that?
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mivey
Senior Member
If this a fence that is extending under an existing transmission line, then you need to consult the POCO. Depending on the voltage level and clearance, there may be additional grounding needed to ensure the effects of the electrostatic field produce currents less than 5 milliamperes (see NESC rule 232D3c).
If it is an existing fence, the transmission line should have been built with adequate clearance to avoid the field problems or required adequate grounding of objects under it.
If it is an existing fence, the transmission line should have been built with adequate clearance to avoid the field problems or required adequate grounding of objects under it.
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