In article ,
"Fpbear II" wrote:

I am extending the ground for the service panel with two 8' rods because the
pipes were re-done in PVC. I plan to attach #4 wire to the end of the
existing #6 wire with two copper split-bolt connectors and make the
connection real tight. I have been reading that the copper ground wire
should be one continuous wire. However I pefer not to mess with high
voltage and take apart the service panel to make it one continuous ground
wire. Are the split bolt connectors sufficient or is there some "physics"
reason it must be one wire? Or is it to prevent someone from accidentally
un-screwing the bolt?

It's due to the destructive power of a lightning strike.
The idea is to make it as easy as possible for the lightning to get to
ground without damaging anything. There aren't supposed to be sharp
bends in the wire to the ground rod either. The wire isn't supposed to
be wrapped around anything. It's supposed to be as straight as
possible. #6 is specified since a ground rod can handle only so much
current anyhow. Going to a larger size wire won't help a whole bunch.

Dean

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