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Grounding In Kailua Kona with lava rock. PLEASE HELP.

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Lamaku84

New User
Location
Kailua Kona
Occupation
Electrician
Having a hard extremely hard time getting the ground rod more then 3' in the ground. On the island of Hawaii in Kailua Kona where at about 3' deep you hit lava rock. Already burnt up one Hilti 6' 5/8 drill bit trying to get through it. Someone please help. digging 30" deep to bury a rod is out of the question already lava rock.
 
Joethemechanic

Joethemechanic

Senior Member
Location
Hazleton Pa
Occupation
Electro-Mechanical Technician. Industrial machinery

Not saying that one, Lots of sizes, two or four stroke engines, all kinds of prices if you look on Amazon
 
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hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Never driven one in lava rock, but I use a Bosch electric jackhammer with the rod driver bit. If you have an Orange box tool rental close by, they rent them. A rod in rock is pretty much worthless, but if that’s what ya’ got to do, then that’s what you got to do!
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I agree with Tom use a different electrode. A plate electrode requires a relatively small hole and only needs to be 30" deep. You would need two if the resistance is greater than 25 ohms.
 
Sea Nile

Sea Nile

Senior Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Electrician
If you can't dig down 30", would anyone have an issue if you dug down as far as you could, then added dirt until it was 30" deep.

What I'm about to say is not political.
Trump had a US flag at maralogo that was too tall for local ordinance.

Instead of lowering the height of the pole, he piled a hill of dirt around the pole to make the height above the ground within the limits.
 
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yesterlectric

Senior Member
Location
PA
Occupation
Electrician
Sounds like you must be working somewhere you don’t regularly work. What if you ask the inspector what people do in that area? Do you have a concrete foundation that you can install a concrete encased electrode in?
 
Sea Nile

Sea Nile

Senior Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Electrician
hbiss said:
I think for a better ground anywhere.

-Hal
Click to expand...
I would agree. But since earth grounding is pretty much useless anyway, what would be cheaper and easier. Adding dirt so it's 30" deep? Or pouring concrete over the minimum amount of rebar to qualify for a ufer?
 
M

macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
Not trying to be snarky, but this thread is making me sorta laugh. Old lava flows cover the Kona area , there is no soil to speak of in most places. A lot of it is what we call blue rock which is pretty difficult to penetrate , short of a big excavator. Oh, that and also that county's inspectors are let's say " a knowledgable and strict bunch."
 
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