I have never been a big fan of driving ground rods without knowing what lies below. I have a job coming up where i have to add 400 amps to an existing service on the back of a shopping mall. The asphault goes right up to the building. I will hammer drill through the asphault then drive my rod. Any suggestions or tips on how thick my gloves should be or better yet how long a handle i need on my sledge lol. Im sure many of you have done this before hoping their wasnt a sewer line or worse a primary lying below YIKES!
Driving ground rods can be scary
- Thread starter pushpenny
- Start date
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kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
You should call your local underground utility underground locating service before driving anything in such an area.... (we call it Miss Utility around here)
I believe that the nationwide number is 811.
If you don't and then damage something that could have been avoided, there are plenty of fines and penalties that can be assessed, in addition to repair costs.
I believe that the nationwide number is 811.
If you don't and then damage something that could have been avoided, there are plenty of fines and penalties that can be assessed, in addition to repair costs.
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
Yes, they locate thru anything. They are also free. Just don't expect them to locate "customer owned utilities".
Mark
Mark
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
They will not tell you depth nor will they guarantee exactly where ______ is.
This is where having your own locator will make you money. You can not only locate for yourself, you can locate for others who cannot see the economy of owning the right equipment.
With that said, why bother or will the locate protect you in some way if something were to be struck?
Standard here is you have 18" on either side of a locate. Outside of that, you're good.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
- Occupation
- Electrician - but not by NC Law.
Well I would call "no-cuts" or your local power company and possibly be on site or completely explain the situation of where you want an area Sweeped to the mall's Rep! No-cuts needs some directions, just make sure they don't sweep alone.
Since it is a Mall, and it's in the mall and not an out-parcel there will be a good source of information right in the owner office, the Building plans! The Site Plan will show a lot of the underground work and the Foundation Plan with show the size of the Footer sitting underneath the outside wall! Beside the footer details you might have building drain lines or even a French trench drain that is that close to a building. Both should hopefully show up on the original construction plans.
Now granted some of the drawings might be out date or the area could have been reworked due to multiple occupants. But in most cases unless a restaurant is involved due to a grease pit as an example nothing ever changed in respects to what is underground outside!
Since it is a Mall, and it's in the mall and not an out-parcel there will be a good source of information right in the owner office, the Building plans! The Site Plan will show a lot of the underground work and the Foundation Plan with show the size of the Footer sitting underneath the outside wall! Beside the footer details you might have building drain lines or even a French trench drain that is that close to a building. Both should hopefully show up on the original construction plans.
Now granted some of the drawings might be out date or the area could have been reworked due to multiple occupants. But in most cases unless a restaurant is involved due to a grease pit as an example nothing ever changed in respects to what is underground outside!
I have seen this set up many time an those feeder conduits could be close to the exterior of the building meaning hugging the outside walls depends a lot on the footers and how deep they actually put the feeder conduits , be careful.
are you saying that if you dig or in my case drive within 18 inches of each side of the paint and hit something its my problem but if im outside of that range and hit something im protected or covered not to have to fix it?
Thats exactly what I pictured that they were right next to the footer since its an exterior wall. Id have to come out away from the building at least 12 to 18 inches to feel remotely comfortable about driving a rod 8 feet long which I know none of it is that deep.
If you do here, yes. Your mileage may vary.
From the Iowa One Call site:
"Q. What is the tolerance zone digging around markings? A. Facility operators mark the horizontal location of underground facilities but do not locate for depth. "Horizontal location of any underground facility" is defined as including an area 18 inches on either side of the underground facility."
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After miss utility comes out I believe I would have to get a post hole digger an dig down at least 2 feet to be pretty sure nothing was there.
Very Good Idea! Im gonna do just that thanks
they are leaving the disconnects through a conduit into the asphault, dont have a clue where the rods are located.
paul
Senior Member
- Location
- Snohomish, WA
Why can't you attach to the existing wire? Does the inspector wish to see the tops of the ground rods?
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