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1-7 of 7 messages
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Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by DALFOLLO on November 21, 2008
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I am looking to build out my grounding system for the new shack, and I am trying to find decent pricing(or at least better than I have found so far).
I am looking for the proverbial:
- Cu Stap (1.5-2" x 10' x .011" or thicker)
- Cu Sheet (~15" x 10" x .063" or thicker)
- Cu Clamps - one maybe two are needed
Maybe you have some suggestions for places that carry these besides ham radio places....they can be on the steep side.
Appreciate any feedback if you have dealt with anyone that had good pricing.
Thanks!
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RE: Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by N5LRZ on November 21, 2008
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Just being completely honest....
Have you checked out the price of just common #14 solid wire/500 ft spools at your local home improvment big box store?
I hate to tell ya this but the price of copper anything has at the very minimum DOUBLED in the last year or so.
And in complete and total honesty I do not expect the retail cost of copper anything to go down in the near future, but rather UP is more likely the reality.
Steep costs are very likely going to be damn expensive costs.
Might I suggest Aluminum or some other type of metal for your use.
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RE: Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by WA3SKN on November 21, 2008
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You could use stainless steel hose clamps. But the price of copper is up!
73s.
-Mike.
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RE: Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by K9KJM on November 21, 2008
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Check with upscale ROOFING companies, Also continous gutter installers, For scraps. While copper prices WERE WAY up recently, Prices are now back to a reasonable level, And those types of installers are always looking for top dollar for "scraps" (And a case of beer will sometimes get you some nice "scraps" that are exactly the size you need.
If those places dont work out, Home supply stores sell copper roof flashing, But those prices always seem to lag way behind market price of copper.
Most such copper is about .022-.026 or so thick. Perfect for grounding.
(Commercial tower sites use several runs of 6 inch wide strap)
Besides clamping with heavy copper buss bar, Outdoors bond with true "hard" silver solder (Sillfoss, Silvalloy, etc) Available from air conditioner repair people. Flow with MAPP gas in a small hand held torch. (Do NOT use plumbing "soft" silver solder, Or even worse, Plain lead/tin solder!) The rod I am talking about is actually a silver/copper/nickel brazing rod.
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RE: Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by W8ATA on November 21, 2008
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With the world economy and some traded comodities dropping, it is correct that copper continues to climb.
On the best pricing for 2" copper strap .011-.012" I find GeorgiaCopper.com or Metal-Cable.com to have the best prices. I buy from Metal-Cable just because of it proximately to where I live as shipping is less than from Georgia.
The copper clamps from PolyPhaser are pricey, about $30 each, but they are good. They are distributed by Georgia Copper, DX Engineering and others. I use the acorn nut clamps my self. I get the 3/4" and use two next to each other giving me a wider clamping surface against the strap which I have molded around the rod. I also use a copper paste which is similar to the stuff we use on aluminum antenna joints, but formulated just for copper to copper joints. I get it from ICE, Inc.
A piece of copper plate for a common point entrance panel can be very expensive. Expect to pay around $14 a pound. A piece of copper roof flashing which is around .025" thick, some is heavier, may suit you for an entrance panel if bonded to a ridgid surface. Others may have comment on that possibility.
The 14ga wire suggested is way under size for grounding. OK for radials, but not shack and house grounding. Many hams seem to use #6 solid at a minimum. However, the 2" flat strap should provide a lower impedance path vs the solid round cable. And the single point ground for everything coming into your house, antennas, electric power, telephone, TV cable, etc. is critical.
73 and best to you,
Russ
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RE: Copper Stap, Sheet,; Clamps: Best Pricing??
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by DALFOLLO on November 22, 2008
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All,
Thanks for your feedback. I will check with roofing company, and the other retailers.
Also, because they (roofers) might just allow me to buy just what I need. Most places sell 25' length, but i really only need 10' to reach between my flat ground plate on the inside, and the first two ground rods on the outside.
What about using copper pipe? If remember my surface calculation for a cylinder (diam x 3.14 x height)...a 1/2" tube has a "width" of 1.57"....however there may be some issues because electricity would want to travel on the outside of the tube only, right? Also there may be issues with curves, true? Maybe the pipe isn't so much of an option.....
I guess I am lucky in some ways in that my ham shack shares a wall with the various wires and grounds on the outside of the house:
- TV Cable comes in and is grounded to the outside 3' away
- Telephone service comes in 5' away and should be grounded to either water pipe or one of the ground wires
- power service comes in with two ground rods
- I have added another ground rod that is as close as possible to the hole in the wall for the radios....~2' from hole in wall to Cu ground rod
I plan on tieing together all the incoming wires to the nearest ground rods, and connecting all the ground rods to keep everything balanced. I am thinking that I will tie the ground rods together with super heavy copper that I have....it is uncovered 1/8" or thicker copper wire
I will add a request to the classified section to see if anyone has 10" left over for sale...
Thanks again to everyone!!
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