The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!

73, SR!

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

Be careful what you ground or you may get a very costly surprise. Solder
would be unnecessary, but the "bus" grounding arrangement should be alright.
Multistrand insulated bell wire would be OK - if something blasts the line
with current make sure the line can handle it without getting hot, melting
or burning something . I'm not sure a meter would show anything actually -
others here with much more technical knowledge than I would have to answer
that. V.

"SR" wrote in message
...
I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in one
room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down to
the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the Cold
Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!

73, SR!

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

If your cold water pipe connects anywhere to a plastic pipe in the
plumbing system,you can not use it for grounding.
cuhulin

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

In article , SR
wrote:

I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!

A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

Their is a plastic pipe for the drain. But I do not see any plastic on
the cold water pipe. However, I live in an apartment and out side of my
bathroom, I do not know if their is any other plastic pipe connected to
that cold water pipe!

I do have a (heat) radiator which is like a pipe.

SR!

wrote:
If your cold water pipe connects anywhere to a plastic pipe in the
plumbing system,you can not use it for grounding.
cuhulin

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

Telamon wrote:

In article , SR
wrote:


I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!


A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.


It is not so much the antena, it is the radio that need grounded. So
lets start with that.

THX, SR

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

SR wrote:
Telamon wrote:

In article , SR
wrote:


I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is
in one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach
the little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing
to clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp
down to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to
the Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!



A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.


It is not so much the antena, it is the radio that need grounded. So
lets start with that.

THX, SR
If you have a VOM check between the cold water pipe and the ground pin
socket on the nearest electrical outlet.
this should tell you if your water pipe is grounded.
The ground pin is the D shaped hole on the outlet. DON'T use either of
the two slots the outlet
73,
Chuck

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

In article , SR
wrote:

Telamon wrote:

In article , SR
wrote:


I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!


A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.


It is not so much the antena, it is the radio that need grounded. So
lets start with that.

Do you have a three wire plug or two wires? If you have a three wire
plug the third wire is ground. I don't think using a cold water pipe is
an appropriate ground path for electrical devices.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

Telamon wrote:

In article , SR
wrote:


Telamon wrote:


In article , SR
wrote:



I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!


A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.


It is not so much the antena, it is the radio that need grounded. So
lets start with that.


Do you have a three wire plug or two wires? If you have a three wire
plug the third wire is ground. I don't think using a cold water pipe is
an appropriate ground path for electrical devices.


My apartment has 3 hole electric sockets. And since I use power surges
for most of my radio and computer things. Then I must be grounded.

73, Steven.

The Old Cold Water Pipe
 

In article , SR
wrote:

Telamon wrote:

In article , SR
wrote:


Telamon wrote:


In article , SR
wrote:



I live in an apartment building. Around the 4th floor. My shack is in
one room and the nearest Cold Water Pipe is in the bathroom.

It would take about 20 feet of wire to go around the wall to reach the
little Cold Water pipe in the bathroom under the sink.

I am not sure which gauge of wire to buy, or must it be 100% copper?

As for clamps: What would be a good type to use? The largest thing to
clamp would be a PL259 coax connector.

What about soldering each clamps to the wire?

I have a few radios & things and maybe even an antenna that I want to
bring to a common ground.

Is their some kind of copper pipe that I could have in a horizontal
position behind the radios on my desk area, everything then clamp down
to the horizontal copper pipe, then to the 20 feet wire, then to the
Cold Water Pipe?

Is their a meter that I could also have in this line, to watch any
grounding fluctuation? I think that would be fun to watch!


A ground may or may not make any difference. It depends on the antenna
you are using. Being 40 foot off the ground the water pipe will behave
like a wire instead of ground so connecting to it is of little
consequence.


It is not so much the antena, it is the radio that need grounded. So
lets start with that.


Do you have a three wire plug or two wires? If you have a three wire
plug the third wire is ground. I don't think using a cold water pipe is
an appropriate ground path for electrical devices.


My apartment has 3 hole electric sockets. And since I use power surges
for most of my radio and computer things. Then I must be grounded.

Yes, the third prong is earth ground.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California