"John G" wrote in message
...

I use a rotary hammer with an SDS Max ground rod driver attachment.
Conditions in my area are rocky and shale. Very difficult to drive a rod
in even with a power tool. I found that alternating between the rotary
hammer and sledge hammer works best for these conditions.

I remember many years ago doing a service change. I had two rods to
install, I had the rotary hammer set up, but the soil was so loose I was
able to push the rods in half way.

Isn't there something in the code about putting the rods in sideways or
something if the ground is rocky and difficult to drive the rods in ? I
don't do electrical work for a living so not up on the codes. There are
some areas around the area I live in are almost all rock. I help keep up a
local ham radio repeater. A while back a new tower was going up and the
crew had a big power rod driver . Looked like a small air hammer except it
was electric. The thing worked well for about the first 4 feet , then hit
rocks and would not drive it any more. As this was not anything that needed
to be inspected, we quit trying to drive the rods in any deeper. The same
thing hapened to all 5 of the rode we tried to drive in at different places.