When installing an earth rod, should it be buried at a certain depth and should it have a proper cover on it to protect it rather just be stuck out of the ground? Never really had much to do with them before and come accross what looked badly installed today thats all
earth rod
- Thread starter ml1936
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holmslaw
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When a fault is present the earth around the earth rod will have a gradient at to it's voltage and touching the earth at two different points within the gradient could cause a shock.
It is therefore normal to have some form of cover so the ground can't be accessed very close to the rod how much would depend on the current the rod is likely to carry.
Using rods for special items like radio transmitters may also have special rules.
As to depth I would want at least a meter but wanting and getting are two different things and I have used a petrol driven band jack to drive in the rods and lifting them place them on a 1.2 meter rod is not easy.
I was provided with a proper meter and I ran out my cables and measured each rod as they went in. I required an 8 ohm reading on each rod but domestic is likely a lot higher. Also all the rods I drove in were then connected together so I did not have a gradient problem. I used over 500 rods on the site took 6 months to fit them all. It was a gas terminal.
When fitting one in a domestic often one can't run the 30 meters of test cable out and one has to use an earth loop impedance tester during the test the voltage at the rod can rise to dangerous levels so again some method of stopping anyone touching the rod is required.
But in use they often operate a RCD rather than carry enough current to blow a fuse so in use the voltages may be within safety limits.
Since you have not said where and for what the rod is for I have only given general guide lines. More information will be found in guidance book 3.
It is therefore normal to have some form of cover so the ground can't be accessed very close to the rod how much would depend on the current the rod is likely to carry.
Using rods for special items like radio transmitters may also have special rules.
As to depth I would want at least a meter but wanting and getting are two different things and I have used a petrol driven band jack to drive in the rods and lifting them place them on a 1.2 meter rod is not easy.
I was provided with a proper meter and I ran out my cables and measured each rod as they went in. I required an 8 ohm reading on each rod but domestic is likely a lot higher. Also all the rods I drove in were then connected together so I did not have a gradient problem. I used over 500 rods on the site took 6 months to fit them all. It was a gas terminal.
When fitting one in a domestic often one can't run the 30 meters of test cable out and one has to use an earth loop impedance tester during the test the voltage at the rod can rise to dangerous levels so again some method of stopping anyone touching the rod is required.
But in use they often operate a RCD rather than carry enough current to blow a fuse so in use the voltages may be within safety limits.
Since you have not said where and for what the rod is for I have only given general guide lines. More information will be found in guidance book 3.
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Bare soil or not, you need a cover. Without it, the connection to the rod will get damaged or buried out of sight.
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16092/Electrical-Supplies/Earthing/Plastic-Inspection-Earth-Pit
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16092/Electrical-Supplies/Earthing/Plastic-Inspection-Earth-Pit
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