# UL Notice of a Counterfeit Ground Rod



## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

www.ul.com


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Scott Electric (of the previous counterfeit Square D breaker fame), has been selling galvanized ground rods for years that have no UL embossment on the rods, and no tag on the bundle. They're just a bundle of 10 galvanized pointed rods lashed together with wire at 3 places. 

Looks like the one's in this recall are copper clad.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

But in case you stuck with these you can always use a pipe electrode or copper plate, OOPS are they UL listed?

Legally an issue, therotically a non issue, unless these are made of PVC...


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## Jim (Jun 12, 2007)

Gee whiz Joe, I guess I sort of like sticking my neck out, and getting it chopped off. I have to agree with Brian John in that it’s a non issue in the first place.

The picture shows a common ground rod which is assumed copper clad. It’s pointy on one end, and if it should be eight feet long, with a diameter of 5/8”, 250.52 (5)(b), then in my opinion it’s about as real as a ground rod gets. When it’s driven into the ground, and a grounding conductor is attached it becomes a used real ground rod. I can not see how a ground rod manufactured to those specifications can be called counterfeit, but I could be wrong.

The UL trademark that is stamped on the ground rod could well be counterfeit, but not the rod. The lack of a “Real” UL rating could become a legal issue but I can’t see that as being likely, or it could just come under 90.4 for that matter.

I’ve had my say, so let the roasting begin.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Jim said:


> ]I’ve had my say, so let the roasting begin.


Point taken.

Joe was just passing the information along. Nothing more, nothing less. 

I think it's a darned shame that the UL mark is being counterfeitted on so many items the last few years.


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## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

*UL Anti-Counterfeiting Operations*

www.ul.com


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Joe Tedesco said:


> ... However, even one counterfeit UL Mark is one too many, given the safety concerns involved in the certification of electrical products.


Agreed. 

In the case of the ground rods, it's probably not that big of a deal from a safety standpoint. Where the problem lies is in the fact that it dilutes the integrity and the legitimacy of the UL mark.


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## Joe Tedesco (Mar 25, 2007)

www.ul.com


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## sparkyob (Feb 27, 2009)

Wow!!!!!


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

gosh. i never noticed the UL on a ground rod. never even looked for it. :blink:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

paul d. said:


> gosh. i never noticed the UL on a ground rod. never even looked for it. :blink:


Doesn't even need to be there, most of the time. There is no express requirement to use a listed rod.


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## cmec (Feb 11, 2008)

HEY MARC 

I use to buy 6 ft rods off scott in the 80s


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

cmec said:


> HEY MARC
> 
> I use to buy 6 ft rods off scott in the 80s


Some places still sell them. The phone company and the cable companies used to use the shorties.


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## cmec (Feb 11, 2008)

I can buy the idea of a suplemental electrode if all the houses have it,But to go into an 50 yr old neighborhood with city water, rotten/loose /dirty neutrals I feel your inviteing a hit,at the verry least some of your neighbors neutral current back thru your system.


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## hurk27 (Jun 2, 2009)

I know this is an old thread but I noticed that it wasn't mentioned that, rods smaller in diameter than 5/8", have to be UL listed, this is in the UL white book, and required in 250.52(A)(5)(b)

I believe this was the rods that were counterfeited


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

hurk27 said:


> I know this is an old thread but I noticed that it wasn't mentioned that, rods smaller in diameter than 5/8", have to be UL listed, this is in the UL white book, and required in 250.52(A)(5)(b)
> 
> I believe this was the rods that were counterfeited


 Yes the ones smaller than 5/8" have to be listed.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Joe Tedesco said:


> .....xxx
> 
> _Last edited by Joe Tedesco; 06-04-2009 at 10:01 PM. _



:blink:

WTF is with this?


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Celtic said:


> :blink:
> 
> WTF is with this?


 Who knows he did it several times.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

william1978 said:


> Who knows he did it several times.


...and on more than one forum.


IMHO, he should be banned so the posts do not lose their "flow".


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## George Stolz (Jan 22, 2009)

It's exactly that BS that prompted the change at Holt's to reduce the editing time down to five minutes. Kinda takes the wind out of the sails of some who say anything, knowing they will edit it to be something different when the argument doesn't end in their favor. Better to leave a trail of nonsense behind than bad behavior, in their minds, I suppose.


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