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Do ground rods? #7856401
04/30/23 10:02 AM
04/30/23 10:02 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
330-Trapper Online content OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Online Content OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
Do ground rods have to be solid copper or Galvanized?

I'm short on materials


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856403
04/30/23 10:05 AM
04/30/23 10:05 AM
Joined: Sep 2021
Minnesota
M
MNTrapper21 Offline
trapper
MNTrapper21  Offline
trapper
M

Joined: Sep 2021
Minnesota
Both will work. Galvanized will stand up better to corrosion.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856413
04/30/23 10:17 AM
04/30/23 10:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2011
Surry county, NC
G Hose Offline
trapper
G Hose  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2011
Surry county, NC
The ones that look to be solid copper are just copper coated. That’s what the power company uses.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856427
04/30/23 10:54 AM
04/30/23 10:54 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
330-Trapper Online content OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Online Content OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
So only bonified solid "ground rods" will work?


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856429
04/30/23 10:57 AM
04/30/23 10:57 AM
Joined: Sep 2013
Green County Wisconsin
G
GREENCOUNTYPETE Offline
trapper
GREENCOUNTYPETE  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Sep 2013
Green County Wisconsin
an all copper round rod would cost you a fortune
all the copper clad or coated rods are steel in the middle and are the common use in the unified electrical code
an all copper rod would not drive well , too soft


America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856432
04/30/23 11:00 AM
04/30/23 11:00 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Any conductive metal will "work" but some are better than others. Rebar will "work" but rust and corrosion can and will impede current flow and/or connections to ground wires. There is also a consideration of dissimilar metals and galvanic corrosion or differing expansion/contraction loosening connections, most notably aluminum/iron contact.


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Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856434
04/30/23 11:02 AM
04/30/23 11:02 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
The copper coat is more corrosion resistant than zinc.


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Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856446
04/30/23 11:22 AM
04/30/23 11:22 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Nebraska
T
Trapset Offline
trapper
Trapset  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jan 2009
Nebraska
I think some are burying a plate with a grounding wire attached. I haven’t seen it done but t guy wiring our cabin said something about it.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856448
04/30/23 11:24 AM
04/30/23 11:24 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
coastal ny
G
gcs Offline
trapper
gcs  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2006
coastal ny
On temporary battery powered chargers I just used 1/2" conduit driven in as far as I could, it worked, as good as a dedicated ground rod? don't know, ...trick is to get any ground rod or rods into moist soil.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856449
04/30/23 11:29 AM
04/30/23 11:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
330-Trapper Online content OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Online Content OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
I've usually not had problem finding while junking- and storing them till needed

The other day at Fleet farm I sa was them Only in a 3 pack for ov we r $70.00. CRAZY


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856451
04/30/23 11:30 AM
04/30/23 11:30 AM
Joined: Apr 2014
La.
G
Gator Foot Offline
trapper
Gator Foot  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Apr 2014
La.
I use galvanized on my electric fence and copper on my house, barns , shops.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856470
04/30/23 11:54 AM
04/30/23 11:54 AM
Joined: Mar 2018
Missouri
H
HayDay Offline
trapper
HayDay  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Mar 2018
Missouri
Now and then I'm forced to admit I don't know everything, but when it comes to ground rods for electric fencers, when I read some things floating around, I'm prone to calling BS on a lot of it.

An electric fence setup is simply a circuit.......hot wire side is the positive, earth ground.......literally the ground you stand upon is the ground.........animal touching both at same time is the switch that connects the two. As long as earth ground at the fencer is able to conduct same amount of juice at jolt point (thru animal), then circuit is complete and animal is going to feel it. That can be within line of sight or 50 miles away.

My point is when I read guys and instructions saying I have to pound in 3 or more ground rods at 20 foot intervals to get an electric fence to work is a stretch. I once took a charger into the Parmak office in KC (scary part of town), and while tec guys were repairing it, asked them to explain theory of all those ground rods and they couldn't do it. They just repeated the instructions.

For some temp fences, I hang the charger on a single steel post driven a foot or so in and attach ground wire to that with an alligator clip. My voltage tester still shows 13,000 volts........the max of the fence charger.......when I touch one lead to the fence and the other to earth. An animal doesn't have 20 feet of ground rod on his end either. There is good enough and once you get to there, more is not going to help.

Ground rod for electric service into a building is the same, but since that is a "love you long time" condition, where failure is not an option, that warrants the full meal deal.


Easy to vote your way into socialism, but impossible to vote your way out of it.
Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856472
04/30/23 11:55 AM
04/30/23 11:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2008
el vado, nm
T
Tom Fisher Offline
trapper
Tom Fisher  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2008
el vado, nm
We bonded to the rebar in our house. The company I worked for used a copper plate on the bottom of poles, then we went to galv. grd. rods.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856479
04/30/23 12:05 PM
04/30/23 12:05 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
coastal ny
G
gcs Offline
trapper
gcs  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2006
coastal ny
I believe the 2-3 ground rod thing is for sketchy dry ground, I guess they figure at least one may get into proper soil....

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: gcs] #7856494
04/30/23 12:26 PM
04/30/23 12:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Originally Posted by gcs
I believe the 2-3 ground rod thing is for sketchy dry ground, I guess they figure at least one may get into proper soil....


I suspect that your right on that. Advising folks for a worst case scenario keeping in mind the conditions found in drier parts of the country. For most of the country east of the rockies finding soil with good moisture isn't a huge issue. That and possible consideration for lightning protection though they usually recommend a separate ground for that.


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Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856498
04/30/23 12:33 PM
04/30/23 12:33 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Alaska and Washington State
W
waggler Offline
trapper
waggler  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2008
Alaska and Washington State
Galvanization will usually rapidly eroded away in the ground due to electrolysis, resulting in various kinds of corrosion. Temporary use would be fine though. Owner-builders just keep un mind; "there is nothing so permanent as temporary".


"My life is better than your vacation"
Re: Do ground rods? [Re: HayDay] #7856499
04/30/23 12:36 PM
04/30/23 12:36 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
330-Trapper Online content OP

trapper
330-Trapper  Online Content OP

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Minnesota
Originally Posted by HayDay
Now and then I'm forced to admit I don't know everything, but when it comes to ground rods for electric fencers, when I read some things floating around, I'm prone to calling BS on a lot of it.

An electric fence setup is simply a circuit.......hot wire side is the positive, earth ground.......literally the ground you stand upon is the ground.........animal touching both at same time is the switch that connects the two. As long as earth ground at the fencer is able to conduct same amount of juice at jolt point (thru animal), then circuit is complete and animal is going to feel it. That can be within line of sight or 50 miles away.

My point is when I read guys and instructions saying I have to pound in 3 or more ground rods at 20 foot intervals to get an electric fence to work is a stretch. I once took a charger into the Parmak office in KC (scary part of town), and while tec guys were repairing it, asked them to explain theory of all those ground rods and they couldn't do it. They just repeated the instructions.

For some temp fences, I hang the charger on a single steel post driven a foot or so in and attach ground wire to that with an alligator clip. My voltage tester still shows 13,000 volts........the max of the fence charger.......when I touch one lead to the fence and the other to earth. An animal doesn't have 20 feet of ground rod on his end either. There is good enough and once you get to there, more is not going to help.

Ground rod for electric service into a building is the same, but since that is a "love you long time" condition, where failure is not an option, that warrants the full meal deal.

It's not Just for animals....
It's more for transferring the lightning hit energy go into the Ground somewhere before getting to your Fencer box.

I had one 6 joule fencer box that lasted 16 years because of proper ground rod placement also Lightning diverters on the other end of the pasture from the box.


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: Do ground rods? [Re: GREENCOUNTYPETE] #7856533
04/30/23 01:20 PM
04/30/23 01:20 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
east central WI
D
Dirty D Offline
trapper
Dirty D  Offline
trapper
D

Joined: Nov 2014
east central WI
Originally Posted by GREENCOUNTYPETE
an all copper round rod would cost you a fortune
all the copper clad or coated rods are steel in the middle and are the common use in the unified electrical code
an all copper rod would not drive well , too soft


Solid copper rod 1/2 dia x 6ft long is about $150.
I have used solid copper rods and had no issues with pounding them in as long as you don't hit a rock.

Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856535
04/30/23 01:23 PM
04/30/23 01:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
West Central MN
20scout Offline
trapper
20scout  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2017
West Central MN
I have one I would give you but think the current price of gas might make that impractical.


Common sense is a not a vegetable that does well in everyone's garden.
Re: Do ground rods? [Re: 330-Trapper] #7856551
04/30/23 01:39 PM
04/30/23 01:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Could it be that the recommendation is based on the conductivity of materials?

Could someone more in the know chime in on the differences between copper and steel or aluminum in carrying current?


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