# Driving ground rods



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I know that there was a cable guy just blew himself and a couple houses up driving a ground rod a few months back. Let me see if I can dig up that article.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

http://indianapolis.injuryboard.com...wrongful-death-lawsuit-over-gas-explosion.php


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

What I do is look in the basement or crawl to see if any utilities come in where I want to drive rods. I also look for curb stops and do a line of site from the curb stops to the house to see if there might be any contradictions. Yes, rightfully, we should call for a locate before we drive rods. I'm 99% sure nobody does.


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## HighWirey (Sep 17, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> What I do is look in the basement or crawl to see if any utilities come in where I want to drive rods. I also look for curb stops and do a line of site from the curb stops to the house to see if there might be any contradictions. Yes, rightfully, we should call for a locate before we drive rods. I'm 99% sure nobody does.


I disaree. Only a fool would not 'call before you dig' , now-a-days.

Can you afford to be burned bad $


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

I am one of those fools. We take all the normal precautions mentiontioned earlier, plus ask homeowner or gc but we usually just get after it. I did make a big mistake years ago on a custom home built next to a river in a high ground water area. The gc put in a pond liner and then built a wood foundation house on top of that, and then wrapped the pond liner up the sides of the house to ground level. When I went to pound ground rods I pounded them right through the pond liner on top of the wood foundation and on through the bottom of the liner into the dirt below. The gc was all over me when he saw how close to the house the rods were. He guessed, correctly, that I had committed a mortal sin and wanted me to dig the whole thing up and repair it. The only way I got out of it was to point out that he had never given me a set of plans and how was I to know there was a pond liner there. Nevertheless, I did stick around and help with the repair.
P.S. I HATE ground rods.


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## HighWirey (Sep 17, 2007)

I hate ground rods, too. At least if you call first, you have that 'clearence paper' to wave at them in the emergency room! . . .

BTW, I've found that it is difficult to get a hard copy of the 'dig clearance' from any locater. Phone clearance is about all you get, plus the paint on the grass. Admissable, I doubt it . . .

Recently had a sub 'locate' a 25 pair telephone with his trencher, after having a 'so called' dig clearance issued.
Probably be in court for years . . .


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

I do new houses, no gas or tel run yet, most of the time no underground power run either. Just set up the big hammerdrill and squeeze.


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## HighWirey (Sep 17, 2007)

I love it. 

Squeeze on . . .


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I usually call for digging if i even think there's a small chance something could be down there, I never even heard of calling for a ground rod. I just grit my teeth and use my tick tracer/ a lot. I have moved the ground rod on the far side of the gas meter a couple times just to be safe.


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## itsunclebill (Jan 16, 2007)

Pictures before the locates are done. Pictures after the locates are done. Hard copy to be left on site somewhere if you can't meet the locater and get it in person - they're pretty good about that around here. Take it and get a copy made because the NCR paper they use will get messed up if wet or in a lot of heat - like on the dashboard. Make them get a body on site - a phone clearance is NOT, IS NOT acceptable.

Been there, done that. You don't have a leg to stand on without pictures and a SIGNED hard copy. The first time it happened to me we hit a 6" gas line while drilling a 10' X 36" hole for a traffic signal pole foundation. The line was marked 5' from where we drilled. There are just too many plastic pipes and buried cables anymore to gamble.

Finally, if you hit something in the clear zone stop immediately and get pictures from the same places you took the originals to show you were in the clear. Call the utility you hit immediately and let them know that they were hit and that you had clearance to dig. SHOW THE HARD COPY to the repair crew forman so they know immediately who to go after.

I've seen guys that thought they were in the clear drive a ground rod and hit a buried line to a garage because it didn't "look" like the line would be there.


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## HighWirey (Sep 17, 2007)

Amen unclebill.

"That can't ever happen to me".

In todays litigious society you can not cover your butt enough. Digital camera pictures are cheep, and you don't even have to develop 'em . . .
Evidently the court system is not insisting on Polaroid pictures anymore ?

Can you not predict three days in advance that you are going to dig, or drive a rod. For gosh sake the locator service is free. 

"I just grit my teeth and use my tick tracer".
Is that excuse admissable, doubt it.

I don't like this mess anymore than any one else, but get on the boat or stay at the dock . . . 

Best Wishes


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I would like to see a survey of how many electrician call dig alert for ground rods, Most of us have enough common sense and experience to get a ground rod in without a catastrophe. We all pick our battles I have managed 15 years without an injury for me or for any one on one of my crews, and just so you know I dont always were my saftey glasses. bk


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## itsunclebill (Jan 16, 2007)

It only takes "just that one time" though..........:whistling2:


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

Yeah, that statement is true for a lot of things we do.


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

vinniem said:


> ....In Nj, you call the 1-800-dig number.


That number is now 811 nationwide.


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## guschash (Jul 8, 2007)

I never heard of calling before driving a grouning rod either. We just check in the basement or crawl too. No thought about calling.


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## Mountain Electrician (Jan 22, 2007)

Drive away, that's my motto. This is the first I've ever heard of calling for a locate before driving a ground rod. 23 years and hundreds of rods, no calls and not one hit. (Knock wood) Maybe nonchalance isn't the proper response and I'm jinxing myself, but WTF??


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I drove one through a basement wall once. Must have hit a stone, and curved like the letter "C". Came right out through the basement wall. I sawed it up and slathered the spalled out spot with some duct seal. That was a good while back, when I didn't know any better. I'd never "repair" that in such a manner now.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I had an apprentice 10 years ago drive one through a water main I know that was very expensive too repair, waterford township back in michigan made a huge ordeal over it, The line was about 4' away from it's mark. That was for a row of light poles and we called dig alert because we were trenching with the back hoe. I remember walking past the ground rod and I could hear it vibrating when I walked by.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I drove one for my pool pump house and it came back up, I hit rock and the rod curved up. I WAS BANGING AWAY gaining about 1/4" to 1/2" per 2 or 3 wacks.

Sad fact is in the shop we had 3 different Hilti's with ground rod driver attachments, this was a Saturday I forgot the Hilti and thought heck it is only one rod.


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## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

For houses, we don't call, but the electric, cable, telephone, and gas isn't run yet, and I can check with the plumber regarding water and sewer. (New)

Service upgrades, check the basement for water, gas, etc, but call if we are not sure.

Commercial, always call.


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## sguinn (Nov 19, 2007)

I live in the mountains of N. Georgia and unless it's commercial or in a subdivision the only thing at risk as far as underground would possibly be a water line, and as a former EC, I would always contact GC or PC to make sure .


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