Why does my main breaker box have a shared ground/neutral?

Unless you can prove 25 ohms or less ground resistance with only one rod. As a practical matter, you end up driving the second rod...:)

Bob Weiss N2IXK

| snipped-for-privacy@ipal.net wrote: |> On Tue, 11 May 2004 18:09:41 GMT Cougercat wrote: |> |> | The neutral and ground are usually tied together in the CB panel or fuse |> | panel of a residence. A #4 copper wire should go from the neutral bar to a |> | 8 foot ground stake that has been pounded into the ground someplace. |> |> Two ground stakes are now required. |> | | Unless you can prove 25 ohms or less ground resistance with only one | rod. As a practical matter, you end up driving the second rod...:) | | Bob Weiss N2IXK

For the house I will be building, I'll be doing an even more significant level of grounding. As a fellow ham op, you might understand this.

I have done some radio shacks for the state of Fla. Generally they will use 4 ground rods on the corners, driven into the water table, a buried ground ring around the building and a Ufer ground in the foundation/slab. That seems to do the trick. Radio towers do seem to be a lightning collection terminal here tho.

| I have done some radio shacks for the state of Fla. Generally they will use 4 | ground rods on the corners, driven into the water table, a buried ground ring | around the building and a Ufer ground in the foundation/slab. That seems to do | the trick. | Radio towers do seem to be a lightning collection terminal here tho.

Good grounding a lightning arrestors can only go so far to prevent a strike. They actually create an area of less potential, but to a storm moving across, it can also be an area of "closer" ground potential. At some point you just have to deal with getting a strike, try your best to route it away from any valuable parts, and mitigate what exposure you do have.