# Pulling ground rod out!



## renimus (Aug 1, 2008)

Hi all, I was wondering if any of you knows of a efficient method to pull ground rod out? PG&E required from us to pull it out saying it's too close to their gas line. Anything other than good old digging?


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## randas (Dec 14, 2008)

farm jack


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

If there's an excavator or skid steer available you can clamp a vice grip on it and pull it straight out using the teeth on the bucket. 

FYI I'd probable telling the gas company to pound sand.


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

back hoe/track hoe/bobcat...


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## KDC (Oct 19, 2012)

A farm jack/jackall. Get something choked around the end of the rod, loop over the jack, jack it up, slide the choke down, repeat.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

ponyboy said:


> If there's an excavator or skid steer available you can clamp a vice grip on it and pull it straight out using the teeth on the bucket. FYI I'd probable telling the gas company to pound sand.


I might abandon it but f pulling it out.


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

what type of soil? if its sandy you could probably pull it with channelocks

clay? good luck


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

I always pound my rod close to gas lines :laughing:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

JackJaw.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Bkessler said:


> I might abandon it but f pulling it out.


Sounds like the gas co is getting a stiffy because it's there at all. They probably don't care whether or not someone's using it


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

480sparky said:


> JackJaw.


Thats a copper thiefs dream


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

renimus said:


> Hi all, I was wondering if any of you knows of a efficient method to pull ground rod out? PG&E required from us to pull it out saying it's too close to their gas line. Anything other than good old digging?


I'll bet you could drive to the closest Dunkin Donuts,get a coffee,a steak eg and cheese bagel toasted then hit the supply house buy a ground rod and drive it home faster than you can pull one out of the ground..just sayin:whistling2::laughing:


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## yamatitan (Sep 4, 2010)

step 1: Use kinpex cobra to tighten crap out of acorn clamp on ground rod.
step 2: Use knipex cobra and grab right under acorn clamp twist and pull up at same time.
Step 3: success

We pull everyone of ours up that we used for temp poles and reuse them on the next one. Works every time with little effort, of course I live in a swamp and can usually push them in by hand too so ymmv.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Hit the thing with a sledge three times and then tell them you pulled it out...


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

I've pulled them with a highlift jack in the past.


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

Put a sign that says" Free Ground Rods" at each location. Try Craig's List.


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## CraigV (May 12, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> Hit the thing with a sledge three times and then tell them you pulled it out...


I was gonna say, "dig a little deeper, cut it off, and refill to the original level", but your way is faster.:thumbsup:


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

renimus said:


> Hi all, I was wondering if any of you knows of a efficient method to pull ground rod out? PG&E required from us to pull it out saying it's too close to their gas line. Anything other than good old digging?


Usually a utility has no jurisdiction over contractors, I would tell them that the NEC requires us to be in that spot. Sometimes they say "OK".


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## CraigV (May 12, 2011)

jrannis said:


> Usually a utility has no jurisdiction over contractors,


True, but they will refuse to activate their service until their requirements are met. Blackmail, but effective.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

Just out of curiosity, how close is it to their gas line?


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I use one of theses... keep on pulling up as you twist in a semi-circle.....

Open the jaws so the rod fits snug in the back...


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## Haxwoper (Dec 13, 2013)

I hate pulling ground rods out.

Cut it and bury it. Buy a new one for $8.


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## Ultrafault (Dec 16, 2012)

Did you bond the gas lines inside?


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## SteveBayshore (Apr 7, 2013)

Snap a pair of vise grips on it. Get a block of 4x4 or 6x6 as a fulcrum, use a bender handle under the vise grips and lever it out 6" at a time, like a seasaw. Relocate vise grips and repeat until you can pull it out by hand. We use this for removing stuck temporary fence posts all the time.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Next72969 said:


> Thats a copper thiefs dream


Why? Are your GRs pure copper?


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## daytoncj (Dec 16, 2013)

*RE: JackJaw*



480sparky said:


> JackJaw.


I have to second the JackJaw. If you absolutely have to remove it, this will save you a lot of time and frustration. You could probably resell it on ebay for what you paid. I've bought a few off there for just under retail. 

Here's a video of how it works:


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Why? Are your GRs pure copper?


Why? You dont have a sense of humor?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Next72969 said:


> Why? You dont have a sense of humor?


Not according to half the people here.


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## buddhakii (Jan 13, 2011)

Tell them to feel free to pull it out at their leisure. They can even have it if they pull it.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

daytoncj said:


> I have to second the JackJaw. If you absolutely have to remove it, this will save you a lot of time and frustration. You could probably resell it on ebay for what you paid. I've bought a few off there for just under retail.
> 
> Here's a video of how it works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axpLpUjrqhk


Nice video. I would be really impressed if he had pulled out a whole length ground rod.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

Spunk#7 said:


> Put a sign that says" Free Ground Rods" at each location. Try Craig's List.


"free" doesn't work, say: $20 pay inside


True story, I had the stock set of wheels and tires left over from a 4X4, set them out on the front yard with a "free" sign on them for over a week. landlord got mad, so I put a new sign asking for $100 and they were stolen within 2 hours.


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## eds (Mar 21, 2009)

Chuck it up in the hole hawg, throw it in reverse and spin it out while pulling backwards, or tell them to pound sand


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## Haxwoper (Dec 13, 2013)

eds said:


> Chuck it up in the hole hawg, *throw it in reverse* and spin it out while pulling backwards, or tell them to pound sand


:laughing::laughing:

I remember a long time ago as an apprentice trying to pull a rod out because we hit a rock. The journeyman told me I was twisting it the wrong way :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## eds (Mar 21, 2009)

Haxwoper said:


> :laughing::laughing:
> 
> I remember a long time ago as an apprentice trying to pull a rod out because we hit a rock. The journeyman told me I was twisting it the wrong way :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


did you listen to him:laughing:


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

five.five-six said:


> "free" doesn't work, say: $20 pay inside
> 
> 
> True story, I had the stock set of wheels and tires left over from a 4X4, set them out on the front yard with a "free" sign on them for over a week. landlord got mad, so I put a new sign asking for $100 and they were stolen within 2 hours.


 That's exactly how I got rid of a lawnmower with a busted block: It sat by the curb because the trash guys wouldn't take it, and neither would anyone else. I mowed a path with the new mower, left the broken one sitting at the edge like I'd just walked away, and my mower-disposal problem solved itself.

On topic: I've yanked rods with a farm jack without much pain.


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

SteveBayshore said:


> Snap a pair of vise grips on it. Get a block of 4x4 or 6x6 as a fulcrum, use a bender handle under the vise grips and lever it out 6" at a time, like a seasaw. Relocate vise grips and repeat until you can pull it out by hand. We use this for removing stuck temporary fence posts all the time.


 
The time it would take me to pull a rod ain't worth what a new one is worth...


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

eds said:


> Chuck it up in the hole hawg, throw it in reverse and spin it out while pulling backwards, or tell them to pound sand


:laughing: :laughing: i dont know why i laughed so hard when i read this


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## fp.unit (Dec 18, 2012)

yamatitan said:


> step 1: Use kinpex cobra to tighten crap out of acorn clamp on ground rod.
> step 2: Use knipex cobra and grab right under acorn clamp twist and pull up at same time.
> Step 3: success
> 
> We pull everyone of ours up that we used for temp poles and reuse them on the next one. Works every time with little effort, of course I live in a swamp and can usually push them in by hand too so ymmv.


Lol it usually takes me a solid 20 minutes to pound one into rock with a hilti. My forearms hate me everytime it's time to drive ground rods. So slow you can't even see them move, but they go.


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

fp.unit said:


> Lol it usually takes me a solid 20 minutes to pound one into rock with a hilti. My forearms hate me everytime it's time to drive ground rods. So slow you can't even see them move, but they go.


Living on an island has its perks, i usually drive 3/4 of it by hand :thumbsup:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

randas said:


> farm jack


Why not leave it and driver another one?


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Not according to half the people here.


I think its more around 53.8% :laughing::whistling2:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Next72969 said:


> :laughing: :laughing: i dont know why i laughed so hard when i read this


because if it worked, it would be funny, and if he broke his wrist doing it, it would be funny:thumbup:


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