More grounding Qs

[WB4CMB]

This may not seem like an antenna Q at first but it is.
We are doing a kitchen remodel. In so doing, electrical work is required. I was looking around the breaker box and DID NOT see a ground rod. I have all underground utilities. There is a copper wire ground going fm the metal "pipe" that encloses the electrical input to house TO a copper water pipe which goes to all water piping in house.

1. Is this a good electrical ground?

2. I am setting up antenna/s and a shack. I plan to drive a gound rod (all ready have it, just not in ground yet) very close to where my coax enters the house (thru an entrance panel). Then I will run a heavy copper wire from this rod to the main electrical ground. That is why I asked Q #1.
Fm what I read, this wire should be a # 6 or larger.

3. If I put up a tower, I will ground it seperately.
Thanks Ray

[K4SAV]

I was looking around the breaker box and DID NOT see a ground rod. I have all underground utilities. There is a copper wire ground going fm the metal "pipe" that encloses the electrical input to house TO a copper water pipe which goes to all water piping in house.

Unless the house is really old, that wire is the ground for the plumbing, put there per code. It's not the other way around, i.e. ground for the electrical. There should be a ground rod somewhere near the electrical entrance. You probably haven't found it yet.

Jerry, K4SAV

[WB4CMB]

The house was built in 1971. I'll continue to search for a ground rod but it's nowhere in sight. There was a room addition built over just a foot or two fm the breaker box. The pipe that contains the electrical wires coming into the house fm underground is metal. Wouldn't this provide a ground? I could call the city Building code folks and ask if a rod is required. I'm trying to think back before the room addition but that was 25 years ago, thought there was a ground rod there at one time, but can't be sure. Don't guess it would hurt to drive another rod but would be mechanically difficult as there is a patio roof over the breaker box area. I do want to do this right and be legal as to code.
Thanks Ray

[WB4CMB]

I talked to the electrician and he said this is a good ground and meets code. I'm still not so sure.

1. I might drive a ground rod anyway by the electrical box altho it will be difficult physically as the patio where the breaker box is located is covered with a roof, even has a ceiling.

2. How deep must this rod be to be effective? The rod I have for putting beside my entrance panel is 8 ft, I'm assuming this is standard but it will be very difficult to drive an 8 ft rod with the ceiling there.

3. I was planning to run all coax to a metal entrance panel similar to the one sold by MFJ and then a short #6 wire to a ground rod very close to entrance panel.

4. If a use a ground mounted tower, I would use a seperate ground and connect it to my coax ground (entrance panel)

5. I am also considering a Glen Martin roof tower. What would be the proper way to ground it as it would be a long run to the earth ground surface?

6. Another thought hit me, I should ground my solar plumbing to all this other stuff. At one time it would have been grounded thru the hot water system but I have the hot water tank plumbing disconnected from the solar, I am only using the solar for space heating, works well, BTW.

Thanks Ray

[NA7U]

What are you trying to accomplish? RF ground, electrical ground, or lightning ground? Makes a big difference in the kind of answers you want. Just driving in single rods is not going to make much of a lightning ground, for instance, but certainly better than nothing.

[K8MHZ]

If the copper water pipe is electrically continuous to an underground metal pipe with at least 10 feet of earth contact, it is allowed to be used as a grounding electrode.

If you add any grounding electrode(s) to the premises they must all be effectively bonded together.

Ground rods are almost useless. First we needed one. That was no good. Then they (NEC) upped it to two. Still crap. Now (for new construction) we need to use the re-bar in the concrete floor as an electrode. That is actually good. It's called a 'Ufer' ground.

It's a myth that just randomly grounding stuff is better than not doing it at all. Outside the NEC requirements, one needs to consider what the purpose of additional grounding systems are intended for and realize that there are specific construction requirements to make a system anything more than a waste of money.