Fpbear II wrote:
Thank you Bob, I'll braze the split bolt connector. I have a torch that I
used years ago to fix a copper water pipe. I don't remember how to solder
with it but I think I can find some crash course on the net. Still a bit
curious how this affects the physical properties of the electricity running
through the wire.

Please don't do that. No offense, but you'll probably just make a mess
of it. Even if you can make a decent braze, brazing is not accepted by
NEC. Here is an acceptable ground clamp, readily available at Home
Depot:
http://www.idealindustries.com/IDEAL...2?OpenDocument

Usually referred to an "acorn nut," the one in the link is for 1/2"
ground rods. They are also available for 5/8" rods. It helps to slide
the acorn nut(s) onto the the ground rod _before_ driving it, if using
a sledge hammer, as the head tends to mushroom, making it a PITA to
install the acorn nut after the fact.

Pete C and gfretwell had some good suggestions. If I were doing it, I
would drive the first ground rod as close to the electric service as
possible, preferably 18" away from the house so it is at or outside of
the roof drip line. Drive the second rod one rod length away from the
first rod and trench between the rods. The deeper the better. I use
#4 bare copper since it is not required to be protected. As Tom Horne
has stated in other threads in this NG, if you're going to do all that,
it would be better and about as much work to establish a "ground ring"
while you're at it. A minimum ground ring would require using #2 bare
copper at least 20 feet long and buried at least 30 inches.

After driving the rods (preferably 5/8" copper), run the wire from the
panel to the first rod, through the acorn nut without slice then on the
the next rod. Then working your way back to the panel, connect the
wire to the second rod, tighten the ground clamp at the first rod, then
connect to the panel. De-energize the main panel breaker before
removing the original grounding system wiring.

If you still insist on using a split bolt, which is not acceptable by
NEC if the splice is before the first rod, at least use one that is
listed for the purpose, which usually means using one made of brass,
overlap the wires about one foot and use two split bolts.