$500.00 ground rod

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SmithBuilt said:
Interesting how many ground rod violations were in this newsletter. Must be the latest inspection department topic.

Ryan I take it there is no way to check the length without pulling it?

Maybe an ultrasound?
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I don't know about any way to check length, BUT if you keep back issues of IAEI, in the March/April 2006- pages 20-22 describe how to identify counterfiet rods by looking for the UL listing marking- which is always stamped within 12" of the top of the rod per UL 467.

This marking is ONLY on the top 12" of the rod. While this does not stop a contractor from cutting the rod, only the top piece will have the UL stamp on it.

So by visual inspection, you would be able to verify that the rod meets the UL standard, and that it is the TOP of a rod. While this does not PREVENT anybody from cutting a rod, it does make it impossible to make an installation look like it should (by NOT having the UL stamp and info within the top 12" of the rod). If ALL inspectors follow this guideline, then any pieces cut would be rendered useless, and could help eliminate this problem.

This is probably the best/fastest way to ensure the installation meets code visually.
 
i put this post up so i can say i responded and am a part of it.
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Well, it was definutely a mixed bag in this thread. :D

Bulldog1401 21
roger 18
LarryFine 12
iwire 10
georgestolz 8
stickboy1375 8
Brady Electric
Rockyd 5
don_resqcapt19 4
Dennis Alwon
ceknight 4
cschmid 3
ceb 3
hockeyoligist2 3
ryan_618
petersonra 3
480sparky 2
mdshunk 2
chris kennedy 2
JohnConnolly 2
growler 2
tallguy 2
Minuteman 2
satcom 1
augie47 1
Nickkbsparky 1
David Channell 1
andinator 1
SmithBuilt 1
brother 1
hardworkingstiff 1
wirenut3 1
ItsHot 1
mtnelect 1
lcauthen 1
chris500
tom baker 1
dSilanskas 1
SPDsk8er 1
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I'm on this forum pretty regularly and I don't know how I missed this discussion.

I don't have anything to add other than....

The way that I read the code is...If I drive 2 ground rods, I don't have to worry about the 25 Ohm issue, I just pound them in and forget about it.

I will admit that I've occasionally thought;) about cutting off a ground rod or two.
Sometimes they just won't go in (even at 45 degrees), and with the soil (and rock) around here, they are (nearly) impossible to pull out.

I make it a point, if possible, to get a UFER in the footer, but usually, the footer is in before I even get the job.
Everyone's using plastic water lines these days, so that's a moot point too.

Anyway, good post.
steve
 
and oh one more thing, it is my understanding that you ONLY have to drive the 2 rods also, and then go home, no need to worry about the 25ohms anymore after the 2 rods. I use to believe you HAD to be below 25 ohms no matter what years ago when i was an apprentice UNTIL i actually read the code. Most jobs i been on we have been able to measure the resistance it was less than 25 ohms when we drove though. so it was all good.

this kinda reminds me of my other posts, how many actually pull a ground wire in their conduits to help open the ocpd in a fault. ;)
 
I pull ground wire in my conduits just because I have seen to many damaged conduits..I find that the whole ground rod issue kind of ironic..I have never even thought of cutting off a rod but i live in the sand country so driving screw together rods happen quite often just to get good ground..there are some really rocky areas where lying the rod in the trench with the wire was the method used..wonder how you would do 2 of them must be 2 trenchs..I buy my rods from the suppliers and do not remember any markings on them but I never looked (until recently) and never had an inspector look either..
 
We had a rash of 4' ground rods around here for awhile (temp power company) so one day I went on an inspection and gave one a tug and up it started to come, I thought, ahh haa, nice try. Next thing I know I have 8' of ground rod in my hand. It was a very embarassing call, telling them they needed to come back and reinstall it.
 
cowboyjwc said:
We had a rash of 4' ground rods around here for awhile (temp power company) so one day I went on an inspection and gave one a tug and up it started to come, I thought, ahh haa, nice try. Next thing I know I have 8' of ground rod in my hand. It was a very embarassing call, telling them they needed to come back and reinstall it.
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Thats funny, but if you pulled it, you'd be reinstalling it...;) j/k...
 
cowboyjwc said:
We had a rash of 4' ground rods around here for awhile (temp power company) so one day I went on an inspection and gave one a tug and up it started to come, I thought, ahh haa, nice try. Next thing I know I have 8' of ground rod in my hand. It was a very embarassing call, telling them they needed to come back and reinstall it.
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If you can pull it by hand you are an animal or the ground rod was not effective anyway..no risistance in the earth means high resistance to ground..hope the ufer ground was installed otherwise water piping does it all..
 
cschmid said:
If you can pull it by hand you are an animal or the ground rod was not effective anyway..no risistance in the earth means high resistance to ground..hope the ufer ground was installed otherwise water piping does it all..
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Does what all? I still don't know what a ground rod does...:D
 
Water piping and that big ole ground on the utility neutral. Has any one on this site ever heard of Stone Mountain. It is this monstrous piece of exposed granite NE of ATL. Heck on ground rods..:D
 
it keeps you safe when the primary side of the transformer takes a lightening strike..you know the one that more likely to happen than us winning the lottery..I am still believer in the rod as stabilizing the voltage of the transformer and the 25 ohms to ground..I had an apartment building that was continually blowing out bulbs changed them every 3 weeks. had some other quirk little things as well the only thing I could find was that the only ground was one rod and it had 5 200 amp panels..So I Installed three rod and got the ohms to under 25 ohms and the quirks disapeared..Bulb now last almost a year in the common areas..service calls down to couple a year...
 
andinator said:
Water piping and that big ole ground on the utility neutral. Has any one on this site ever heard of Stone Mountain. It is this monstrous piece of exposed granite NE of ATL. Heck on ground rods..:D
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Sweat little place you go up on the tram or did you walk it..
 
cschmid said:
it keeps you safe when the primary side of the transformer takes a lightening strike..you know the one that more likely to happen than us winning the lottery..I am still believer in the rod as stabilizing the voltage of the transformer and the 25 ohms to ground..I had an apartment building that was continually blowing out bulbs changed them every 3 weeks. had some other quirk little things as well the only thing I could find was that the only ground was one rod and it had 5 200 amp panels..So I Installed three rod and got the ohms to under 25 ohms and the quirks disapeared..Bulb now last almost a year in the common areas..service calls down to couple a year...
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Sure you just didn't buy rough service or 130v bulbs? :grin: :grin: :grin:
 
cowboyjwc said:
We had a rash of 4' ground rods around here for awhile (temp power company) so one day I went on an inspection and gave one a tug and up it started to come, I thought, ahh haa, nice try. Next thing I know I have 8' of ground rod in my hand. It was a very embarassing call, telling them they needed to come back and reinstall it.
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I hope by "they" had to come back and reinstall you mean "you" reinstalled it.
 
electricmanscott said:
I hope by "they" had to come back and reinstall you mean "you" reinstalled it.
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No I mean "they", I'm just an inspector and it's hard to drive a ground rod with a 10 in 1 or a tape measure :grin: Besides as cschmid said, they needed to come back and install a second one anyways.
 
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