ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Connecting two ground rods

I did a service the other day, and the inspector wants me to install a second ground rod 6' away even though it is less than 25ohms. Im not going to argue, b/c I will get paid to do it, but I need to know how to connect the other ground rod. Most other EC I'ved talked to never had to do this. Can I just run direct burial wire in the ground from the 1st G.R. to the second or each from the ground lug?
Thanks

You must have real good soil conductivity to get below 25 ohms with one rod.

I generally just run a continuous GEC from the panel, to one rod, then to the next rod.Leave the wire on the surface, and bury it in a shallow trench after inspection....

I've done this several times. I connect rod #2 to rod #1 with one length of wire & connectors (all of ours should be exposed, in pipe here). Another wire connects rod #1 to the panel.

you should check with the poco or inspector in your area. We had to have one wire from each rod to the meter base.

If your under the NEC and it is less than 25 ohms why are you still going to do it? Anyway just dig a small trench between the rods and run the wire between them. Connect to each rod and you are done. Until the inspector comes up with something else he would like you to do.

How did you test it to find that it is less than 25 ohms?
Don

All inspectors in my area that I've dealt with require two ground rods. Also I have failed for not having a continuous wire from meter base to both rods.

Don,
Good point.
eswets,
There are ready made clamps for this very thing.
Personally I'd just use a single heavy wire between the two rods.

we do one continuous run of bare copper #6 here in our area. one end in the panel one rod just outside the building and one a ground rod length away. this is pretty much standard in our area. our inspectors and poco's want it this way if possible, plus it's easy and fewer house penetrations to do it this way when your installing or replacing a service.

The county I live in in Maryland has been requiring 2 rods for last couple years now.
When I wired my house I ran one # 6 out of the panel through the clamp on rod # 1 then over to rod # 2. One wire two rods . Now I hear the county wants footer gronds instead of rods.