---- Tim <tahr...@swtexas.net> wrote:
> This has been a very interesting thread to watch, and most of the
> installations that I've done have been 'add-ons' to existing well
> designed systems.
>
> On a different note, I'm now working on a solar powered system,
> and was wondering about the grounding there. Everything will
> be mounted on a single pole, which will be several feet in the ground.
>
> I had planned to make a ground system in a 3 or 4 'spoke' design,
> with a ground rod at each end of the spoke. There will also be a
> ground rod within several inches of the pole. Each spoke and
> the pole will be tied together at a common point.
>
> I haven't put any of the rods into the ground here... I use the term
> 'ground' somewhat loosely.. there is a LOT of rock on the tops
> of these hills here. Not sure I'll be able to get them all the desired
> depth.
>
> Anyhow, suggestions and comments are welcome. The pole will
> not be the tallest thing on the hill, there are several Oak trees that
> will be higher. Provide any cover?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Tim
Tim , when I needed to add ground rods in rocks "soil" I use a 1/2 inch
masonary drill bit with 2 or 3 18 inch bit extensions and a CORDLESS drill.
The cordless drill lets you add a small amount of water to the"hole" as you
drill. By using a 1/2 inch bit, the 5/8 inch ground rods are still in tight
contact with the sides of the hole, as you drive them in. Remember to space
the ground rods apart a distance equal to their length. An 8 foot rod will need
8 foot from each ground rod AND the center rod. Personally, I use bare, tinned
#8 or larger wire and complete the ring around the furthest ground rods buried
below the frost line. I have done this for many years, including a solar site
I built near Bloomfield, NM. I went to check it after a bad storm, as a
precaution. My site had survived ok with just a little brush on the panels. The
commerical site next door on commerical power was like an ant bed with all of
the techs crawling over each other to fix their equipment.
Jeff N5SXQ
