What's Wrong With This Picture?

The clamp on the ground rod is 1/2 installed reversed, possibly because it is too large for the rod and would not tighten.

The ground clamp is backwards, the rod is not driven flush or below the ground level, and the GEC is not continuous to the ground rod

Look at page 5 of this pdf.

http://www.o-zgedney.com/PDF/MA1thru12.pdf

You can get UL listed reversible ground clamps.

That water pipe clamp, even if it was turned around is not listed as a ground rod clamp. I also don't know where that copper strap came from.

Proper way would have been to use a GEC long enough to reach the ground rod and an acorn or other listed clamp.

-Hal

Hal that clamp may well indeed be listed for that use.

The two bumps touching the rod on the 'reversed' part of the clamp are a tip off.

From page 5 of the pdf link I posted above.



Bob

Bob, that's for a driven pipe grounding electrode, not a solid rod.

-Hal

Was typing when you were. Ok, definite could be.

-Hal

The rod clamp is rated to be used like this. I'd say the biggest violation here is the compression fitting that the Brass Conduit adapter is screwed on to. It could become loose in time.

Well thats my guess.

Rob

AM I the only one who considers this an improper means of splicing the GEC?

GROUNDING AND BONDING
EQUIPMENT (KDER)

pg. 64

2004 GENERAL INFORMATION DIRECTORY

Ground Clamps — Strap type ground clamps are not suitable for attachment of the grounding conductor of an interior wiring system to a grounding electrode.

Joe, isn't this referring to a strap that wraps around a pipe or rod and is "clamped" to the pipe/rod with a pinch bolt? The following link is for the strap type ground clamp I'm thinking about.

http://ecatalog.fciconnect.com/fci/datasheet.asp?PN=GS4T50&FAM=302

[EDIT} Here is a factory manufactured product that is similiar to the one in the photo. http://ecatalog.fciconnect.com/fci/datasheet.asp?PN=C11CSH1&FAM=491
(I hope these links work...)

steve

[This message has been edited by stamcon (edited 02-21-2005).]

Go to the forth paragraph down and it reads;



The 'strap type' clamp in the first part is a strap of perforated metal that you literally wrap around the pipe and install a nut and bolt between to of the perforations to tighten it up. IMO a piece of junk.

The clamp in the picture may very well be UL listed for that use.


Theres that and I was wondering why someone ran such a large conductor to an ground rod.

6 AWG Copper is all the NEC requires.

Bob

Water Pipe Ground Clamps with Copper Strap

C-11CSH-1
Good point, I wonder if they also make one for the rod, because this was what I found on the top of the page in your link

Clamps aside this still should not pass as the rod is not flush with or below the surface and you don't have 8' in contact with the ground. (Assuming it is an 8' rod)