Driving ground rods, power vs sledge

[Mule]

Ok, Ive never driven a ground rod with a rotary hammer....So, how long does it take in average soil? vs a sledge......Im shopping for hammer drills....thanks Mule

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The rotary hammer save a little time but more importantly it save me the hard work. At almost 58 I find it difficult to drive the rods. The rotary hammer makes life easy. If that was all I needed the rotary for I wouldn't have bought it but I use it often for other tasks.

 

[walkerj]

I really feel for you guys

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

I bought a cheap jack hammer ,takes about a minute to drive the rod

 

[480sparky]

I've never spent more than 30 seconds, regardless of dirt, soil, frost, rocks, water pipes, etc.

Hilti TE905AVR.

 

[iaov]

Whats the model number on that beast Ken?

 

[480sparky]

Whats the model number on that beast Ken?

Link is at bottom. TE905.

Here's how it works.

 

[iaov]

Thanx Ken. That looks like a realy slick system. Will that driver work with another rotary tool like a Bosch Bull Dog?

 

[480sparky]

Thanx Ken. That looks like a realy slick system. Will that driver work with another rotary tool like a Bosch Bull Dog?

No. The bits for it are proprietary. They only work on the 805 and 905.

 

[iaov]

I guess an 805 or a 905 goes on my wish list then. Thanx for the info!:smile:

 

[electricmanscott]

So, how long does it take in average soil?

Still waiting to find some average soil.

I use the binford 3000 automatic rock detecting ground rods. Haven't missed a rock yet! :grin:

 

[480sparky]

I guess an 805 or a 905 goes on my wish list then. Thanx for the info!:smile:

The ground rod kits are hard to find. i got lucky and bought the whole kit from a lineman neighbor who didn't need his any more. He had only used it 2 or 3 times, so it was next to new.

Now I'm gonna make you ill.... I paid him $600 for it all.

 

[LarryFine]

So, how long does it take in average soil?

Typically 30 to 45 seconds. About 2 minutes was the longest. I have a Bosch SDS-Max rotary hammer. I'm not sure of the model number.

I have a driver bit for 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" rods. I had a 1/2" galvanized rod get stuck in the driver once, but I got it out. Copper fits great.

It's also great for drilling and boring 3/4""-and-up holes in masonry and concrete. Core bits (basically percussion carbide holesaws) are the greatest.

Imagine making an all-but-polished 4" hole through a 1'-thick concrete or brick wall, or through a concrete floor.

 

[B4T]

I have always used a hammer drill to drive ground rods without the rod driver.. they were not always around. Can you harm your hammer drill doing that?? My Bosch still works great, BUT I could of been lucky :grin:

 

[Fulthrotl]

I've never spent more than 30 seconds, regardless of dirt, soil, frost, rocks, water pipes, etc.

Hilti TE905AVR.

these two are what's in my toolbox. i never got the spiffy doodle
lever operated ground rod grippie thingie.

however, i do have a number of fun toys for it... clay spade, concrete
bushing hammer, 6x6 soil tamper, and a number of chisels.

they make a spring steel scraper for taking up vinyl flooring i wished i had
today... but i promised myself never to do anything like this again, so
i'll never need it....

i got mine used off of ebay for $380, and it's got some miles, but quite
serviceable..... altho not as shiny and purty as yours is....

a word of warning to prospective purchasers... this tool takes only hilti
tools, and hilti, judging by the pricing, makes them out of pure
unobtanium or something. a clay spade for any generic jackhammer, $75.

for this fine example of german pricing, $275.

you have been warned. even at that, it's an excellent tool. it'll drive a
8' ground rod in 30 seconds or so, just like the man says.... if you need
to drive it thru a 12" concrete fire main, allow another 15 seconds.

 

[480sparky]

.....
however, i do have a number of fun toys for it... clay spade, concrete
bushing hammer, 6x6 soil tamper, and a number of chisels.

they make a spring steel scraper for taking up vinyl flooring i wished i had
today... but i promised myself never to do anything like this again, so
i'll never need it....

.......

I loaned mine to a builder one time to pull up a floor just like your pix. He bought the scraper, and gave it to me when he was done. I think I came out ahead on that deal!

I've got the clay spade and several chisels, some of which have never been used. Got a good deal on them on fleabay, and couldn't pass 'em up.

 

[frenchelectrican]

I think I can able snag one in European area but the #1 issue is the voltage unless I can able get a 120v verison of it and bring it back to state and use it.


Yeah I did have it here in France I borrowed from one of the electrician and dangbat it work better than I expected to drive a 4 meter rod in and it took me 3 min flat and all done with it.

Merci,Marc

Not sure price is about $1000 Euro. I can able dig it up for excat price

 

[Fulthrotl]

I loaned mine to a builder one time to pull up a floor just like your pix. He bought the scraper, and gave it to me when he was done. I think I came out ahead on that deal!

thanks. rub it in. i think i hate you now.

of course, i could get over it and become your newest best friend if you
lent it to me if i ever have to do this again......

however, it wasn't all bad... jill was grumbling about having to build excel
spreadsheets for work, so i had her come in and scrape a couple 4" passes.
she did it for 5 minutes, announced "this sucks. you're crazy to do this",
and went back to her spreadsheets, happy as a clam to be doing them
instead of the floor.


randy

 

[masterinbama]

You all have to remember 480sparky is in central Iowa. I have more rocks in my front flower bed than he will find in a 40 acre field. They don't call it Limestone County Alabama for nothing.

 

[Kdog76]

I've been on both sides of the equation. Summit County, CO you couldn't really go more then 3-4" in some spots w/o hitting BIG ROCKS. Mostly driven in by hand with a sledge. Now, here in WI I've used the Dewalt corded rotary hammer w/ the driver bit. There too, it can still hang up on rocks & such, but will usually break on thru after a while. Had one with a rock shelf going from about 4' down. Inspector told us there's a big rock shelf in that area, that no one could pound an 8' rod in that part of the county...
We tried anyway, we failed...