Plugging PC's into Ungrounded Outlets

[Jokerswild]

From what I've heard aluminum wire was used mostly in the seventies for house wiring. Also that some localities have banned it's use.

[Reloadron]

Originally Posted by Jokerswild

From what I've heard aluminum wire was used mostly in the seventies for house wiring. Also that some localities have banned it's use.

Absolutely! The use of aluminum was the biggest mistake ever made for use inside the home. It was used as a cheap alternative to copper. Aluminum wire has its use primarily in high voltage transmission lines as to weight and cost but for home wiring it was a disaster.

Ron

[Hitman]

To ground any thing you just need a cable securely fastened to a metal rod (or pipe) pounded into the ground, the deeper the better. This is a common use with generators.

Working with military communications equipment often times there isn't proper grounding from the power source. In this case I usually just run a piece of wire to anything metal that is secured in the ground. For example, metal rod pounded into the ground, Metal railing, or pipe that is concreted in a building.

[Reloadron]

Originally Posted by Hitman

To ground any thing you just need a cable securely fastened to a metal rod (or pipe) pounded into the ground, the deeper the better. This is a common use with generators.

Working with military communications equipment often times there isn't proper grounding from the power source. In this case I usually just run a piece of wire to anything metal that is secured in the ground. For example, metal rod pounded into the ground, Metal railing, or pipe that is concreted in a building.

This is an example of the newly installed generator and air conditioning unit I installed. Visible in the image between the units is about 4" of the grounding rod I pounded into the ground. Both units are grounded to the rod using AWG 4 (AWG 6 is acceptable also in my area). Additionally that same ground is carried into the house to my breaker (distribution) panel as well as the cold water feeder pipe and accross the water meter.



Some of the construction disaster still needs cleanned up. The backup generator is an 18 KW unit made by Centurion (Generac) and runs on natural gas or LPG with the flip of a valve.

Fortunately pounding the rod in was not that difficult. The rod was bought at Lowes and is steel but copper clad.

Ron

Ron

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by Reloadron

Fortunately pounding the rod in was not that difficult.

I'm not even touching that comment, too easy!...

[Reloadron]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

I'm not even touching that comment, too easy!...

LOL, never gave it a thought. Me guesses some people here have a sick and twisted mind. Gee ain't it fun!

Look I have spent the past 20 years pointing to a 4 inch rod telling the wife "this much is six inches".

Ron

[Elysium]

OK, well the 8' rod thing is out, mostly because we are renting and we don't want to piss of the landlord. I explained the situation to my parents, and they said they would try to contact the landlord and try to get the house grounded professionally.

Many thanks to you guys!