Preferred Method of Driving Ground Rods

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Haven't seen anyone mention this one yet...

An 8 lb sledge with the wooden handle cut off flush. Weld a 3/4" steel pipe handle on perpendicular to the old handle hole. Presto, a ground rod driver/sledge.

If that doesn't work, it's Hilti time.
 
infinity said:
The guys writing those local codes need to get a grip.:-?
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I agree. Once the soil has dried around the newly installed ground rod, it will consolidate naturally and provide just as good a ground as if the hole wasn't watered. IMHO.:smile:
 
One size fits all rod driver

One size fits all rod driver

I would like to purchase a ground rod driver for my Hilti TE 76. My Question is can you by a attachment that will work for different size grounding rods??
Or do need a bit for each sze rod?:-?
 
Hammer Time

Hammer Time

Still drive them in wv with 12 inch slege hammer, arms feel like rubber the next day. Would like to invest in a good electric driver. what are some of the better models.
 
I use a 2lb hammer but we're in swampland so it's usually pretty easy. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes, but if I'm lucky it goes in with about 25 swings. Sometimes I can push it in by hand a few feet. Other times I give it 25 whacks and have to measure to see if it moved.

Dave
 
searlest said:
I would like to purchase a ground rod driver for my Hilti TE 76. My Question is can you by a attachment that will work for different size grounding rods??
Or do need a bit for each sze rod?:-?
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Fill it with greese, place over rod, and pull the trigger.
 
electricalperson said:
my preferred method of driving a ground rod is giving the hammer to the helper and watching:grin:
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Give new meaning to the phrase "To be installed by a qualified electrician only!" :grin: :grin:
 
walkerj said:
We use water and our hands. Takes about four or five good thrusts and then stand on it the last foot or so. :grin:
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I would like to see you try that in some parts of Washington State! :mad:

The spanaway area of Washington State is nothing but rocks. Heck, even the Hilti I use doesn't work 1/2 the time.
 
What do you do when you hit a big stone 4' down? It's pretty hard to pull the thing out again. . .I'd rather dig trenches.
 
langjahr@comcast.net said:
What do you do when you hit a big stone 4' down? It's pretty hard to pull the thing out again. . .I'd rather dig trenches.
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cut it off and drive another

I drink 2 cans of redbull and grab my helper
 
I hav e done alot of cell towers. A ingersoll rand screw compressor and a bosch jack hammer with adapter work great. I have had to go 110 feet at the corners of the ring in south florida.
 
langjahr@comcast.net said:
What do you do when you hit a big stone 4' down? It's pretty hard to pull the thing out again. . .I'd rather dig trenches.
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You're not permitted to lay it in a trench until you have first failed at pounding it in. 250.53(G).
 
langjahr@comcast.net said:
What do you do when you hit a big stone 4' down? It's pretty hard to pull the thing out again. . .I'd rather dig trenches.
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Did a lake house that was built on rock. Tried driving 3 rods, and could not even get a good trench going. So, took the hammer drill and broke up the concrete bellow the panel and connected a #4 to the rebar. Explained it to the inspector when I called for inspection. GC pitched a fit, cause I told him on the phone that he was to do the pour back. I said, "Hey, you should have turned me up a piece of rebar in the 1st place."
 
Nice one.... kinda like engineers. "All there is to it is to draw it up. Make it happen."

I'm not afraid of work. I could watch it all day.:grin:
 
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