I have a ground rod that has become corroded. My VOM measures no
continuity between the rod and the ground wire.
Is there and easy spray-on cleaner of some kind that would make the
ground rod shiney and conductive again, where I attach the ground
wire? (I don't think I can pull the rod out to replace it; it'd be
easier to fix what I have.)
Most of the ground rods I've seen are steel, with a thin copper
plating. If your rod has corroded enough that you've lost continuity
with the ground wire, I'd guess that your rod's copper plating is
probably gone or is badly degraded. This has two implications:
- You may not be able to clean it enough to re-establish a good contact
- The copper may be gone from the portion of the rod which is beneath
the soil surface, and hence your ground conductivity may be shot.
The best fix would be to pull out the existing rod (I know, it's a
pain... using some sort of hoist or jack might be the best way to get
it out), hammer in a new one, and then use a NEC-approved
corrosion-proof way of bonding the grounding wire to the new rod (this
usually means welding it, I believe).
--
Dave Platt AE6EO
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