ground rods

[Charlie Bob]

I've always used correr ground rods.Today i went to get supplies for a new service job, and i couldn't find copper kind, they gave me sainles steel ( i call it that but look like galvanized) I noticed they are thicker than copper ones.

-Can i hook them the same way as copper ones, i mean, use copper clamps and hook #4 bare copper wire to it.?
- should i use some kind of anti corrosion product ?
- What are they exactly made of?

thanks.

 

[1793]

I've always used correr ground rods.Today i went to get supplies for a new service job, and ... Can i hook them the same way as copper ones, i mean, use copper clamps and hook #4 bare copper wire to it.?
- should i use some kind of anti corrosion product ?
- What are they exactly made of?

thanks.

Why are you using #4 to Ground rod(s)? I think a #6 is all you need. I'll look for Article in a moment.

Look at 250.53(E)

 

[Volta]

Stainless and galvanized both exist. If they were cheaper than the copper you usually get, they're galvanized. Probably last about ten years, instead of the fourty or fifty you usually get with the copper clad.

If they are stainless, they will probably last a very long time.

 

[Volta]

I think the bronze clamps are fine. They are all steel rods as far as I know. Either galvanized, or clad with stainless or copper. The # 4 is nice for resistance to damage.

Check out this link to a report on the life of rods.

 

[Charlie Bob]

thanks volta.

 

[Charlie Bob]

1793, I use them both.
My supplyer runs out of #6 often.
But i like using # 4 , the difference in price is minimum.

 

[ceb58]

In another life I worked for a galvanizing company, along with galvanizing steel products for customers we made ground rods. We galvanized and copper coated them. The thickness of the zinc on the galvanized ones is thicker than the plating on copper. But never less the rods were both made from the same hot rolled steel rods.

 

[480sparky]

Why are you using #4 to Ground rod(s)? I think a #6 is all you need. I'll look for Article in a moment.

Look at 250.53(E)

Maybe he, like me, is in an area where the POCOs and/or AHJs have a local amendment to require #4 if the GEC is not protected from physical damage.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Maybe he, like me, is in an area where the POCOs and/or AHJs have a local amendment to require #4 if the GEC is not protected from physical damage.

Me too, Isn't their a code reference for that ?

 

[1793]

Me too, Isn't their a code reference for that ?

Are you thinking of 250.64(B)?

 

[Doug S.]

Check out this link to a report on the life of rods.

Thanks Volta, that was an interesting read. It leads me to wonder why they still opt. to sell galvanized rods? How many rods have you driven that you know are "only going to be there for 5 - 10 years" ?

Any opposing views out there? ( IE galvanized is the way to go? )


Doug S.

 

[gndrod]

Is it too late for a UFER?

 

[Speedskater]

Most, but not all Stainless Steels are non-magnetic (or very weak magnetic). I use a magnetic to sort our boating hardware, because the regular hardware likes to mingle.