Need Help - grounding rod install

[ThomasH]

Well, now that i am calmer here is what is happening.

We are on a LUD (Local Utility) for water. High arsenic in the water has led the county to provide (at a substantial fee) a water district for 25 homes, ours being one of them. To get arsenic and Iron out of the water, a chlorine and some other things are added to the water.

Well, last year our water tank failed. OK. Bummer. It happens. Then later toward winter our pump fails. Did it freeze? Couldn't find the crack but looked like it had rusted a lot. Bummer. Last week I open our water pump house up and water is spraying everywhere. 6 year old galvanized pipe has failed. Plumber comes out, and he says "Look, all of your galvanized is failing". So we call the county, they come out. Eyup, something is amiss. 24 hours later they send up an electrician. He says maybe our galvanized is acting as a ground. He pulls his meter out, tells me how we are going to see voltage on the gavanized pipe and NOTHING. Pipe is wet, ground is contacted. yet nothing is conducting. Now he is stumped. I reitterate it is the water. So long story short, I have to install 2 grounding rods for both our panel and sub panel at the pump. They are paying for the pipes to be replaced. I asked another electrican, he says the way our house is set up it is code, but this would improve the risks associated with our setup.

Chlorine can be pretty corrosive, but I wouldn't think that the small quantities of it used in a public water system would cause this.

I am not sure what you mean by "yet nothing is conducting". If the water pipe was not conductive to ground, chances are that there would be at least a small voltage on it (or more, depending on the circumstances). If it is conductive to ground, it can cause corrosion (to varying degrees depending on the soil) where it is buried.

I don't think it's a good idea at all to use water piping for a ground, I would always advocate for at least one ground rod with proper conductance (less than a 25 ohm differential at the grounding rod to true ground) and if it takes multiple grounds to do that they should be 6 feet (minimum) apart.

 

[Cord]

Fence post pounder works great for the first 7' or so. After that I'll switch to a sledge. If you have a big hammer drill, they work well too. Just don't chuck the rod directly into the drill. Sucks when the rod flattens out and you can't remove the drill.

The main panel should have two ground rods with a #6 copper conductor. There would also be a ground connected to the water system. If you have a meter, it's tied on both sides. The disconnect in the pump house should have a ground back to the main panel.

 

[ace10]

Available for SDS+ and SDS Max is a bit called a "Ground Rod Driver"

But if you're only sinking a couple, then I suggest finding a couple feet of black pipe, cap off one end, slip it over the rod, and take out your frustrations on it with a 5 lb hammer. Primal scream style.

$0.02

 

[orezok]

Out here in the desert with sand and dry conditions, sometimes you can't get a ground by just driving a rod. We then have to use chemical grounds.

 

[RalphVa]

I cut the ground rods in half. Just not tall enough nor strong enough to hammer that long thing into the ground. I hammered 2 or 3 half length rods into the ground and linked them with some wire.

Ralph

 

[Ken45101]

I agree with the tee-post pounder. I need to try the hammer drill idea.

 

[caver]

Dig a small hole about the size of your hands cupped. Take the ground rod and stab it into the small hole. Pull it out and fill hole with water. Keep pile driving with hands and adding water. I've driven
8' rods maybe 3/4's of the way in using this method. Much easier than swinging a sledge. First time it was shown to me when I was a young electrician.....I was skeptical. It won't work in all soil types. It works just like the old water well pounder (percussion) rigs.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Well. Report is in.

Air hammer no bueno. Water Method frustrating (We have clay so I don't think it worked the way it should). Sledge hammer was the eventual answer after using a very old and heavy fence post pounder. Momentary panick when about 3 feet down I come to a stop. Suddenly realize I am on the line from my power pole to my utilty box (ie I am pounding the ground through my electrical cable). Take a moment. Realize I am wrong.. Pound away. All is good and done.

Thank you everyone.

 

[jones6780]

Have you tested the PH of your water? I have acid/soft water and anything metal will corrode and fail.

 

[2458n]

Hilti Hammer Drill, even if you only have two to do. They make a holder for driving ground rods. Takes longer to drag out the cord than it takes to do the job. Rent one.