In article ,
dxAce wrote:

Count Floyd wrote:

I have heard a lot about grounding and using baluns, but I am using
the cold water faucet in the back yard, it has an old-fashioned strap
with a screw on the top that I put the ground wire in and tighten it
down. Is this any good, or would something else be better?

I recall something in the past about using water piping as a ground.
Perhaps it had something to do with electrolysis and the buildup of
deposits of minerals in the piping making that not such a good idea.

Perhaps someone else might chime in on this.

Personally, I use seperate 8' ground rods here.


There are actually several reasons for not using a cold water pipe.

1. It may appear to be iron pipe, but underground or in your foundation or
walls, it may convert to a run of PVC or other material.
2. If all iron pipe is present, washers, corroded fittings or pipe sealing
materials may make the ground a poor one or create a ground loop with the
electrical ground of the receiver.
3. In many cases, the "ground" is actually via the mineral content of the
water, not the pipe. In some areas, this is a lousy ground unless you are
running salt water through the pipes.
4. As Telemon suggests, a system of radials is best (that is why AM stations
use them, too).
5. It is a good idea to check if there is a ground loop or difference of
potential between your "real" ground made of rods or radials and the
electrical ground the neutral on the power plug connects to. A difference of
potential can manifest itself in many ways, including damaging the receiver,
hum and noise, etc.