Driving Ground Rods with Water, CPM, GEOS, GEM & APRS

Absolutely correct. The NEC specifically says UNDISTURBED SOIL, and for a good reason. I'm surprised the moderators on QRZ let this disinformation stay up.

 

Notice they didn't use a garden hose to bore the hole. Just a watering can to soften the soil and the vertical action dives the rod in a bit at a time. Although if you have a hammer drill, it would probably be faster, 2 mins. vice 30 mins as he said in the video.

73, Chuck
N0NC

 

Sounds like they need to brush up on their Louisiana Cajun Folklore. The " Rougarou".

 

Way too much BSing. Get to the dang point of your videos. Guess you guys just like to hear yourselves talk

 

Guys who install "serious" radio/television towers will tell you to always drive rods into undisturbed ground. Drilled holes, no matter the method, don't force the soil out of the way so there is not SERIOUS contact with the rod after it's said and done.

 

Master Electrician/ Electrical Contractor here. Nothing in the code states "undisturbed soil" BUT it does say that a ground rod SHALL be driven which excludes boring a hole with water and placing the ground rod in it and back filling. NEC 250.53 (G) The exception to driving a ground rod would be that one of the alternative acceptable grounding methods is burying an 8 foot ground rod horizontally at least 30" deep.

 

Seems like if the soil is so soft and loose that a ground rod can be pushed/twisted in by hand with a few dribbles of water in 30 minutes, then it could probably just driven in with a hammer in 3 minutes, without water.

 

Rent a 349 Cat with the ground rod attachment. Too easy.

 

I haven't used *that* water method. But when I was setting up a station at my 1st house, I used copper water pipe, sweated a brass hose adapter onto it so I could screw it right onto the end of the garden hose.

Turn on the hose, and push. It slipped right in. Well, hit a rock, pulled up, changed the angle a hair, and THEN it pushed right in. It was awesome.

 

Can't do that here in mountains of NW, NNJ.

Mostly granite rock, need a hammer drill to get it down anywhere and you would be lucky to get 6 feet in the ground.

Most of the rods, have to be put in in an angle.

 

I used to be a construction inspector, but am retired now. Jetting ground rods in was totally unacceptable according FDOT standards. The installers on my jobs always used electric, or pneumatic drivers to get them down.
Jetting or pre-drilling were no-no's.
That being said, I jetted-down three of my own ground rods in my yard.
Don't tell anybody

 

=======================

======THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR


AND WHEN U WANT TO IMPROVE UR GROUND
GIVE THIS A TRY



IF YOU CAN'T CADWELD THE CABLE TO
THE GROUND ROD, PLEASE USE A
BURIAL RATED CLAMP.

What is CAD Welding? - Welding Headquarters

73 ES KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON YOU PUPS WHEN THEY
ARE OUT IN THE YARD.

HAVE A HAPPY WEEKEND

 

Grounding Electrodes: NEC article 250.52.... says nothing about "undisturbed soil", the soil will eventually adhere to the rod. The article does explain use of alternates to an 8' rod, such as a 2'x2'x 1/4" plate placed not less than 30" below the surface. So you have alternative in case you can't properly put in an 8' rod. Oh , don't use Aluminum for grounding electrode.
I prefer using the hammer drill method with a "cup" bit.

 

I've used the water method for pushing rods/pipes into the ground, except I used a garden hose continually feeding water to the hole. It's a very effective way to insert grounding rods.