Ground Bar Question

[Robert11]

Hello:

If I purchase a 6 foot length of 3/4 inch O.D. Copper water pipe (and drive
it into the ground), would it be as effective (or better ?) than the 3/4
inch copper-plated-on-steel types they seem to sell expressly for this
purpose ?

Why ?

(This would just be for grounding a Balun for a receive only application)

Thanks,
Bob

[bpnjensen]

It would probably work OK, if you didn't mash it up - copper is pretty
soft; that's why they plate it onto steel for pounding into ground.
Why not use a rod? They're cheap enough, and most any hardware store
will have 'em....

BJ

[Larry Naumann]

Here in Missouri I use 1/2 inch copper water pipe for ground rods.
I dig a small hole maybe 6 inches deep and pour water into it, then I start
working the pipe into the ground adding water as needed to keep the pipe wet
and lubed. I can usually get 8 to 9 feet into the ground with no problem.
Of course if your ground is rocky this will not work.
Being an electrician I also use this trick on regular copper plate ground
rods also.
Larry Naumann N0SA
"Robert11" <rgs...@notme.com> wrote in message
news:uZWdnceexZi9r1Xe...@comcast.com...

[Telamon]

In article <uZWdnceexZi9r1Xe...@comcast.com>,
"Robert11" <rgs...@notme.com> wrote:

Like bpnjensen already posted a typical ground rod is copper plated
steel. Steel for strength pounding the rod into the ground and the
copper plating on the outside for conductivity.

If you already have the pipe and the ground is soft enough by all means
use it.

If you are having trouble pounding it in one trick is to buy or thread
the pipe on the top and connect a hose to it pumping water into the
ground to soften it up.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

[m II]

Telamon wrote:

> Like bpnjensen already posted a typical ground rod is copper plated
> steel. Steel for strength pounding the rod into the ground and the
> copper plating on the outside for conductivity.

Nope...

I have a feeling that the copper plating is for delaying the onset of
corrosion.

and a few hundred web sites agree with that opinion.

http://www.comm-omni.com/polyweb/coppergrrods.htm

mike

[RHF]

For One and All,

Building a Solid Copper Ground Pipe {Tube} with an Solid Iron Core.
[ Also - Water Drilling a Solid Copper Pipe for a Ground Rod. ]

Located and identify the placement of your Ground Rod.

Take a piece of Copper Pipe 8-10 Foot long.

Cut the Bottom Tip of the Copper Pipe at a 45 Degree Angle
-or- Cross-Cut the Bottom Tip about a Half Inch at 0*-180*
and 90*-270* and bend the four edges inward at an Angle
to form a Water {Cutting} Jet.

Near the Bottom about One Inch Drill a Through-and-Through
set of opposed 1/8" Holes; and then go up and Inch at 60*
and do the same; and next go up and Inch at 120* and do
the same again.

Use a common Water Hose Fitting on the Top End
of the Copper Pipe; with a Water Hose connected
to it; to Hydro-Drill the Copper Pipe into the Ground.
Turn-on-the-Water and start you Hydro-Drilling.

The Remove the common Water Hose Fitting from
the Top End of the Copper Pipe.

Note - Improving Ground Rod Conductivity :
Use a small funnel to pour a dry of wet Mixture
of : 1/2 Epsom Salt; and 1/4 Copper Sulfate and
1/4 common Iodized {Table} Salt down into the
Copper Pipe. About a Cup of two will do.
This will help the Ground Conductivity of your
Ground Rod.

* Magnesium Sulfate = Epsom Salt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epsom_salt
* Copper Sulfate = Copper Sulphate = Blue Vitriol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_sulfate
* Common Iodized {Table} Salt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodized_salt
http://www.saltinstitute.org/37.html

Take a Piece of Re-Bar (Iron Construction Bar)
Stick the piece of Re-Bar inside the Copper Pipe (Tube)
as long as the Copper Pipe.

You now have a Ground Rod made-up-of-a :
Solid Copper Ground Pipe {Tube} with a Solid Iron Core.

FWIW - Of course there is always the Ready-Made
Plated Copper-on-Iron Ground Rods that can be found
in most Hardware Stores.

hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
.
.
. .
.

[David]

On 15 Jan 2006 01:54:39 -0800, "RHF" <rhf-new...@pacbell.net>
wrote:

>Solid Copper Ground Pipe {Tube}

> .
>. .
> .
>
Pipe is solid or it's tube.

[DXSa...@degen.com]

David,
I suggest you double check your assertion.

DXSavant

[David]

A tube is either solid or it's pipe.

My ''assertion'' (who talks like that?) is that if it's solid it's not
pipe, it's rodular.

[DXSa...@degen.com]

David,
You are wrong. Suggest you check a few sources, easiest is the
dictionary and another would be the machinists handbook, or even go to
this website and see how the terminology is used within industry:
http://www.uspipe.com/Main/

As to your flip retorts, you should keep in mind the civil nature in
which I brought this to your attention without resorting to calling
you a "tard" or PlayinG with FunnY use of CapitaliZation: DaviD not
everyone is out to get you.

DXSavant

[cuh...@webtv.net]

UGH,burry Tomahawk.Heap Wampum.Smoke um Peace Pipe.

Kemo Sabe,Lone Ranger.
cuhulin

[RHF]

DaviD - "it's rodular." - Rodular ?
Do You Mean : Round Metal Rod Stock ?
-or- a Round Metal Rod Blank ?

DaviD - a pipe, Is A Pipe. IS A PIPE ! :
a Hollow Cylinder some times called a Tube.

A Solid Copper Pipe refers to :
'a' Solid {The Nature of the Material} Copper
in the form of a Pipe. The Metal is All Copper
Material.

A PVC Pipe is made of a plastic "PVC" Material.

A Copper "Clad" Metal Pipe : Would be a Pipe made
of Metal Materials with a Outer Surface of Copper.

pipe are Pipe the World Around -and- anyway you
look at it the World is Round - since it is basically
a Sphere {Ball} "Globe" .

DaviD - Some people say - Pie Are Square ;-}
Then Again most people say - Cakes are Square
and Pies are Round :o)

DaviD - I Am Not Trying To Confuse 'you' - That's 'your' Job !

david - i am glad we had this little chat ~ RHF

[David]

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 10:09:50 -0800, DXSa...@degen.com wrote:

>David,
>You are wrong. Suggest you check a few sources, easiest is the
>dictionary and another would be the machinists handbook, or even go to
>this website and see how the terminology is used within industry:
>http://www.uspipe.com/Main/
>
>As to your flip retorts, you should keep in mind the civil nature in
>which I brought this to your attention without resorting to calling
>you a "tard" or PlayinG with FunnY use of CapitaliZation: DaviD not
>everyone is out to get you.
>
>
>DXSavant

2 : a long tube or hollow body for conducting a liquid, gas, or finely
divided solid or for structural purposes

[cuh...@webtv.net]

I have seen round cakes and square (that old saying thingy,You have to
be there to be square) cakes before,but I have never seen a square pie
before.
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

Some pipes were made of clay and wood,long long ago.The Romans had pipes
made of lead and they got lead poisioning too.
cuhulin

[RHF]

Cuhulin,

I have made so called "Tamale Pie" in a Square Pan.
[ Tamale Pie a Tex-Mex Casserole ]
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/texmex/tamale.htm
http://www.rimjournal.com/recipes/mains/tamalpie.htm
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,tamale_pie,FF.html
http://www.memorableplaces.com/recipies/momstamalepie.html
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/255/1940s_Tamale_Pie46674.shtml

so... what's cooking ? ~ RHF

[cuh...@webtv.net]

Whatever your favorite search engine is,Old Southern Pie Recipes
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

After all of that,favorite magazine and upstairs to the toilet,just like
Al Bundy.
cuhulin

[m II]

cuh...@webtv.net wrote:

Are there many, many, many lead pipes in Jackson Miss. ? I think there
must be.

mike

[cuh...@webtv.net]

If I want a copperized eight feet long iron/steel (whatever they are
made of) ground rod,there is a Home Depot store (and one or two or three
more Home Depot stores around here too) about seven tenths of a mile
from me on Robinson Road Ext where I can hop over there and buy one.Just
like the 37 year old blonde Bell South woman next door to me did.I own a
sledgehammer to pound it into the ground too.
cuhulin

[cuh...@webtv.net]

All of my water pipes are the plastic freezeproof kind of water pipes,
(all the way from the water meter in my front yard and all the way into
my house) same kind of plastic water pipes that is used in Alaska.
cuhulin

[m II]

cuh...@webtv.net wrote:

It's a good thing you changed over from lead. It should have been done
MUCH sooner, however...

http://general-medicine.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/1990/116/1
.

mike

[cuh...@webtv.net]

I never heard of anybody using lead pipes before in America.Before
plastic,my water pipes were iron water pipes just like (no lead) iron
water pipes just like in millions of houses and buildings all over
America.A couple of them are copper water pipes connected to my electric
hot water heater.Those old iron water pipes rust out and clog up really
bad after a number of years.Plastic water pipes are much,much better
than iron water pipes.
cuhulin,the plumbing expert

[Rick]

The first house I moved into after I got out of collage and started
working back in the early 70's was built around 1920. This is in
California; it had all steel plumbing for fresh water and cast iron for
waste water. All steel and Iron, except for the elbow fitting between
the cast iron 4 inch diameter waste line and the toilet. That was cast
lead and a push fit into the ceramic bowl and the iron pipe. There was
not even a closet flange. Man, did it leak......

When I moved in I had to re-plumb everything, so it all became plastic
and copper.
It was ok, though, because unlike many houses in California it had a
basement and you could get access to the pipes without lying on the
dirt and working in a tiny crawlspace.