Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

[Gulf]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

One last suggestion. If depth is a problem, why not use the same idea of the coil. But, with a liile bit of a twist. Make a larger coil, but bury it shallower. I don't really think that it has to be deep. It just has to have enough surface area sufficently underground to complete the ground. Since you are not having to follow a code that I remember you mentioning, why not bury the ground rod on it's side?

[kebwi]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

One last suggestion. If depth is a problem, why not use the same idea of the coil. But, with a liile bit of a twist. Make a larger coil, but bury it shallower. I don't really think that it has to be deep. It just has to have enough surface area sufficently underground to complete the ground. Since you are not having to follow a code that I remember you mentioning, why not bury the ground rod on it's side?

I'm planning on angling or otherwise putting the rod on its side somewhat, as required by the hole I dig. I think the reason rods are intended to go deep is because the top of the soil (one or two feet) dries out and doesn't conduct as well.

But yeah, putting it on its side with the same overall rod-to-ground contact has occurred to me.

Cheers!

[kebwi]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

FYI, ebay -- which is sometimes a good place to get stuff -- has pretty bad deals on grounding rods. You can get a 5/8" (that's the thicker kind, compared to 3/8" the other popular diameter), 8' long (compared to 4' which is common on ebay) copper-plated steel grounding rod and Home Depot or Lowes for around $11. ebay, for 3/8" x 4' is around $10-$15. Crummy by comparison.

Any idea what gauge copper wire I should use to connect the base of the pole to the rod buried in the ground? The distance will only be a couple of feet. I might also run a similar wire across the support arm from the stove-pipe to the support pole on the off chance that the support arm is not of sufficient manliness to properly channel a lightening strike, so that would be about four feet in length.

Does copper wire like this need to be coated or is bare wire, exposed to the world, fine?

Cheers!

[Gulf]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

"FYI, ebay -- which is sometimes a good place to get stuff -- has pretty bad deals on grounding rods."

It's not as much the grounding the rod that costs so much, It is that 1" X 1" X 8 foot box that drives the price up .

All residential grounding wire that I am familiar with is bare. I don't remember what size is code down here but, I think it is 4 ought. An electrical supply would be able to answer that question and should be able to sell it to you by the exact the exact footage that you need.

[Neil2]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

Do you actually get lightning strikes in Seattle ?

I must be like 1:10,0000,000

Maybe what you need is a tinfoil hat for when you are cooking.

[kebwi]

Re: Any thoughts on electrically ground a tall stove-pipe (and support pole)?

Do you actually get lightning strikes in Seattle ?

I must be like 1:10,0000,000

Maybe what you need is a tinfoil hat for when you are cooking.

Thunder is infrequent enough that people really sit up and notice it. In all honesty, this thing will never be hit by lightening, what with the nearby tall trees and the rarity of lightening...but of course I have to take it seriously.