PS Magazine - TB 43-PS-633
PS, The Preventative Maintenance Monthly
ISSUE 633
AUGUST 2005
Grounding Plates
PS 633
AUG 05
46
Since sand is
easy
to move,
grounding
plates
can be
a good idea in
the desert.
To make a ground
plate, start with a
clean, bare metal
plate or sheet 1/4
inch thick.
Do not use aluminum. The plate
should have at least 3 square
feet of surface contact with the
ground. The larger the plate,
the lower the resistance and
the better the ground.
Dig a hole
so that
the plate
can be
buried
vertically,
the top
edge
about
5 feet
below the
surface.
Pour your mixture
of water and salt
into the soil
around the plate
to further increase
conductivity.
They also give
you a large,
metallic area
that is in
contact with
the soil.
The ground
plates—use
two to four—
should be
spaced at
least 10 feet
apart.
Couplings
Clamp
Terminal lug
No.6 AWG wire
Rods
it’s easier to bury the
plate vertically and
still ensure good soil
contact on both sides
of the plate.
if they’re
not
tight, when you
drive in the rod, you’ll
damage
the coupling sleeve threads.
if possible,
use a
slide
hammer
when
installing a
sectioned
ground rod.
For driving rods into very
hard desert ground, use
a 12-lb sledge hammer,
NSN 5120-00-293-088
7
.
Slide hammer, NSN 5120-01-
013-16
7
6, makes it easier
to drive rods, and easier
to get them out, too.
if
three rods
are used, drive
them in a
triangle
pattern.
Use a driving
bolt on the
top section
and make sure
it’s
tight.
A loose bolt
will break off.
Don’t
hit the
threaded end of
the rod with the
hammer.
This will damage
the
threads,
too.
if you cannot reach the
water table with a single
ground rod or one with
extensions, use multiple
grounds and the salt-
water mixture.
Drive in the additional
rods two to four rod
lengths apart.
if
four or
more
rods are
used, put them in
a
straight line
or a
star pattern.
When using
multiple rods
always
connect all
the rods
together,
the final
rod being
connected
to the
equipment
to be
grounded.
if you
can’t
drive a
ground rod
more than
4 feet, bury
the rod
horizontally
1
1
/
2
feet deep.
Then add the
salt-water
mixture.
don’t
damage
the
threads,
man!
When adding rod extensions make
sure each section is tightly
connected to the previous one.
Along with the plate you’ll need a
metal bolt,
nut
and
lock washer
to attach the ground wire.
Drill a hole in
the center of
the plate just
large enough
for the bolt.
ordering the Ground
rod assembly, NSN
59
7
5-00-8
7
8-3
7
91, gets
you the following…
Drive/head stud
633.46-47(C).qxd
7/2/05
11:57 AM
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