On 27 Nov 2003 17:02:33 GMT, Mike Ekholm wrote:

I will be puting a intenna mast up on the roof, and I plan on
running a wire from the mast to a grounding rod. My house is grounded
via just the water pipe, as far as I can tell, no grounding rod connects
to my electrial service. Do I need to run a wire from the grounding rod
to my water pipe to prevent a grounding loop?


Based on my personal experience:

I would verify that you don't have a electrical system ground. If you
don't, then add one post haste. The number, size, and spacing vary
according to soil conditions and the size of your electrical service.
It's for your own safety. The water pipes/system should be considered
as a safety backup.

" Check the electrical codes for your area", or get to know an
electrician. Here the code required I have two, 8' ground rods six
feet apart connected with #6 wire for the electrical service for
*both* the house and the shop. Although fed from the same transformer
they have their own meters and breakers. The TV mast and small
satellite dish required their own 8' ground rod and only a #10 wire
for grounding. BTW we are also required to tie the electrical service
ground to gas pipes and water pipes. Which in our case is strange as
the water system is all plastic except for the water meter.

What size wire should I use from the mast to the rod? and from the rod
to the water pipe, if it is required?

You didn't say what type of soil you have in your area, but most
would be using bare, solid (or stranded), #6 or #8. As I noted above,
the TV antenna mast and satellite dish use only a #10. I use #2 and
have everything tied together for the ham station, but I have a large
antenna system that gets struck by lightening fairly often.

You'll have to fix the return add due to dumb virus checkers, not spam
Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair?)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Thanks!



-Mike Ekholm