On 7/13/2010 9:52 AM, John Ferrell wrote:
I don't remember the sources but I have concluded that the Grounding
wire should be no smaller than #6.

More than 8 feet of ground rod is of little consequence.

All ground rods should be tied together. Don't put your house between
two electrodes!

The ground rods are better directly under the structure that they are
protecting.

The system does not absorb massive high energy strikes. It starts
bleeding off the energy before the strike builds and thus minmiizes
the effect.


Exactly! May often see during an electrical disturbance little spikes
off the top point of a lightning rod doing its job.

I've been through many 'lightning events' in my day with the closest
direct strike to a neighbor's tree. Also a former wife in my old house
that was hit after she and new husband had cut all the leads to my
ground rods from high TV antennas.

Marv
W5MTV

Home improvement stores sell #6 wire, ground rods and connectors.