XIT Ground rod
- Thread starter parks58
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- Chapel Hill, NC
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- Retired Electrical Contractor
parks58 said:
I believe these are what they call chemical ground rods. They fill them with salt. The bentonite is a clay that absorbs moisture. The idea is the salt attracts the water and the bentonite holds it there to ensure a moist soil for the rod.
They are very costly-- they are putting in 4 of them at one of my jobs and the cost for the rod alone is about $600. I doubt too many of use will use them.
You also have to auger a large hole to put the rod in and then fill the hole with water and pour in the bentonite. BTW, the rods have little holes around the perimeter to let the salt seep out.
Lyncole XIT Ground Rod is a chemical ground rod. It is used for special purposes like communication facilities or other such purposes where a very low impedance earth ground must be achieved with little to no maintenance. In highly resistant soil they can be economical over other methods.
As stated you have to core a hole to fit it into the ground and backfill with Bentonite clay. Bentonite clay has unique qualities. It is easy to prepare, non corrosive, and highly conductive. When mixed with water it will absorb up to 13x its dry volume and it becomes a thick paste. This consistency will stick to anything that it contacts. This consistence helps hold the Ground Rod in place and physically insulates it from the surrounding dirt.
In any and all environments Bentonite absorbs whatever moisture is present into its structure and it will maintain its consistency. In direct sunlight the top few inches will become hard and seal itself off, but the rest of the Bentonite stays moist and conductive.
Bentonite has a resistivity of 2.5 ohms-M at 300% moisture. This low resistance is a result of the electrolyte formed when water is added. The water held in the Bentonite clay allows the minerals in the clay (soda, potash, lime, magnesia and other material salts) to ionize. The result is a strong electrolyte with a pH as high as 10.
The rods are hallow and filled with a salt like substance like calcium chloride. As the salt leeches into the ground it reacts with the bentonite and for lack of better words grows roots deep into the soil over time so the impedance actually gets lower over time.
The only real maintenance is by replacing the salts every 5 to 10 years by removing the well cap and filling them up.
FWIW bentonite clay has many uses from medicine, kitty litter, drilling mud, and my favorite is just about any makeup your wife wears as it makes the base.
As stated you have to core a hole to fit it into the ground and backfill with Bentonite clay. Bentonite clay has unique qualities. It is easy to prepare, non corrosive, and highly conductive. When mixed with water it will absorb up to 13x its dry volume and it becomes a thick paste. This consistency will stick to anything that it contacts. This consistence helps hold the Ground Rod in place and physically insulates it from the surrounding dirt.
In any and all environments Bentonite absorbs whatever moisture is present into its structure and it will maintain its consistency. In direct sunlight the top few inches will become hard and seal itself off, but the rest of the Bentonite stays moist and conductive.
Bentonite has a resistivity of 2.5 ohms-M at 300% moisture. This low resistance is a result of the electrolyte formed when water is added. The water held in the Bentonite clay allows the minerals in the clay (soda, potash, lime, magnesia and other material salts) to ionize. The result is a strong electrolyte with a pH as high as 10.
The rods are hallow and filled with a salt like substance like calcium chloride. As the salt leeches into the ground it reacts with the bentonite and for lack of better words grows roots deep into the soil over time so the impedance actually gets lower over time.
The only real maintenance is by replacing the salts every 5 to 10 years by removing the well cap and filling them up.
FWIW bentonite clay has many uses from medicine, kitty litter, drilling mud, and my favorite is just about any makeup your wife wears as it makes the base.
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- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
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- Retired Electrical Contractor
You just had to show me up didn't you...:grin: It isn't hard to do.
macmikeman
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dereckbc said:
Forgot about splitting up large boulders when using jackhammers is not a good way to go.
brian john
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