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1-4 of 4 messages
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Grounding the tower (newbie question)
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by KB3KTY on June 7, 2004
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Hi All,
What is the preferred method of connecting #8 copper wire from my ground rods to a galvanized tower? I understand that directly connecting the two metals may cause corrosion and structural failure through electrolysis.
I've heard someone mention stainless steel as an intermediate metal. If this is right, how might I create a good bond?
Thanks/73,
Mike
KB3KTY
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RE: Grounding the tower (newbie question)
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by KT8K on June 7, 2004
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Cadwelding or something similar is probably your best option. Search here on the elmer forum for other tower grounding discussions -- There is a lot of good information here.
Good luck & 73 de kt8k - Tim
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RE: Grounding the tower (newbie question)
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by KE4MOB on June 7, 2004
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You can also use bronze or brass clamps...
Good article is here:
http://www.k1ttt.net/technote/ground.html
One person suggests using the clamps used in residential electrical setups to clamp copper ground wires to cold water pipes. I've seen it done successfully, but the clamps must be checked every few months and retightened as needed.
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RE: Grounding the tower (newbie question)
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by AC5E on June 7, 2004
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Well there's two connections - one at each end of that wire from the tower.
A couple of the towers here have LARGE bolts between the tower proper and the tower base. On those, I generally find a grade 8 bolt the same size but a couple inches longer than stock to connect the ground wire to; along with some stainless steel "fender washers." I strip the ground wire, and pound it a bit flatter with a sledge hammer to give it more contact area. A stainless steel washer at the tower base, a wrap of ground wire around the bolt, another SS washer, and the nut torqued down to between 100 and 150 foot pounds to further crush the wire between the washers pretty well takes care of that end.
I have one tower I have had to wrap a leg with a few wraps of stainless steel shim stock. This is hose clamped in place. The ground wire is wrapped as tightly as possible between the hose clamps, and another layer of shim stock and a half dozen tight hose clamps over the wire takes care of that. If you go that route you will have to go back and tighten the clamps a few times until everything settles in.
Now, cadwelding, exothermic brazing or welding, works great at the ground rod. Rather than reinventing the wheel, there was an excellent and extensive discussion on the Tower Talk reflector at contesting.com. Sources, brands, and techniques were all covered so I would strongly suggest you look back a month or so over there.
Next comes grounding generally. Personally, I dig out the Deeprock well drilling rig and put a hole to below the water table in each tower base I dig. A 4 to 6 inch piece of "schedule 80" steel pipe serves as a really heavy duty ground rod and provides a lot of extra stiffening for the base. If that's not practical for you, www.polyphaser.com has a great deal of practical information on tower grounding generally.
Hope that helps
73 Pete Allen AC5E
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