On 2 Apr 2007 13:36:08 -0700, "
wrote:
On Apr 2, 3:57?pm, "SMcK" wrote:
Saturday, while roto-tilling a neglected area next to our house, I
accidentally severed the ground wire coming from the house to the
metal pole that's sunk down into the ground. here's more wire
running from the first pole to a second. hat wire is intact, but
that's meaningless since the first section is severed. went to
Lowe's and picked up one of the clamps shown in the lower right of
this pictu
http://www.endtimesreport.com/pictur...und_clamps.jpg
My initial thought was that I could put the two ends of the broken
cable through this and clamp them together. he hole was too big so I
flipped the lower piece to form a nested V shape and clamped the cable
together between the Vs. he two cables touch where they overlap, and
(one assumes) are also electrically connected by the clamp itself. o
I *think* the house is back to being grounded.
Eventually I'll get an electrician out to see if I can get some more
slack in that cable - I want to put a deck in that area and I can't do
it with a ground wire stretched from the house to the pole, suspended
a few inches above the ground as it is currently.
Do any of you electrical experts see this as a problem that needs to
be addressed more expertly and immediately?
nyone think it's
something I can handle myself?
-Scott
code calls for ONE continious piece from main panel to all ground
rods.
I would just install a new main ground system, you cant pull the old
ground rods, splicing isnt code approved, and the existing rods are
likely mushroomed on the top from being driven in years ago. way
easier to start over.
a friend has this exact trouble were removing planters and widening
his driveway, he wants to pull the old rods and reuse the copper
lines, he is certifiably insane
I was not aware of the code on this, but a split bolt connection
indoors surely wont hurt anything. Just another assenine law that
serves no purpose. A tight clamp is surely a good ground connection.
This sure beats being without grounds till an electrician comes. I'd
just replace the whole thing, but the OP did not sound like he was
willing to do this himself, even though it's really not dangerous as
long as he keeps hands away from the hot stuff in the panel. But if he
dont want to get an electrician right now, at least do this splice.
The split bolt and wire will only cost around $10. Thats much cheaper
than having lightning fry the computers, tvs, microwave and whatever
else.
Why replace the rods? If they are 30 years old or more, I could see
that, but the OP did not state the age of them. They might only be a
few years old. If they are copper clad, they last a very long time.
One other thing, ground rods CAN be pulled out easily with the right
equipment. I can pull them easily with my tractor loader. I've done
it several times. I also pulled one indoors using a handyjack under
the clamp with a tight vice grips above the clamp. Part of the trick
is to soak the soil first. The indoor one I pulled had been in the
ground for 6 years, outside my barn. I built an addition onto the
barn and that rod ended up inside and was a thing to always trip on.
I pulled it and moved it back outdoors next to the addition. Now that
I think about it, I have the wire going to it spliced inside the barn
with a splitbolt. I suppose the electrical inspectors will come and
lock me in prison for code violations, even though I have a solid
connection to ground which has been proven several times when lighning
zapped my electric fences.