as a result of very rocky soil , I plan to install my 200 amp service ground rod 30 inches deep , 8 ft. long and 5/8 thick copper rod laid in trench horizontally. Will this require two 8 ft. rods laid horizontal and how far apart should rods be spaced from each other ?
grounding rod placed horizontally
- Thread starter franko
- Start date
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
retired from textile factory ( maintenance and electrical work)
Eddie702
Licensed Electrician
- Location
- Western Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrician
The rods must be at least 6' apart, can be more.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Seems innocuous enough to answer. 6'+ apart as said above.
The closest points should be 6'+ apart, if other than parallel.
The closest points should be 6'+ apart, if other than parallel.
qcroanoke
Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
- Location
- Roanoke, VA.
- Occupation
- Sorta retired........
Are y
Are you saying they can be in the same trench side by side if he runs 2 grounding electrode conductors? 1 to each rod?
Rick 0920
Senior Member
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Occupation
- Electrical Instructor
If you perform a ground megger test and your resistance is 25 ohms or less, then a supplemental electrode is not required. when we don't perform megger tests, a second electrode placed at least 6' apart will suffice. With rocky soil, your probably not going to be able to get your ohms down unless you use Bentonite or a similar product designed to decrease resistance.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
'No, I'm saying that two rods can be end to end in the same trench as long as the nearest ends are at least six feet apart, and they can be connected together with a jumper as usual, and one GEC run.
In other words, a single trench for two rods would need to be at least (8 + 6 + 8) 22 feet long. By parallel I meant in a pair of trenches at least six feet apart.
2 trenches 8 ft. long ( 6 ft. apart ) will work for me !!!