Grounding revisited

[LocutusOfBorg]

It looks like I don't have single point grounding at my house. The main disconnect box on the back of my house is tied to a ground rod while the breaker box is connected to the water pipe. I guess that violates code? I suppose I should hire a licensed electrician to check things out and, if necessary, bring the grounding up to code. I have my new dish grounded to the same ground rod as the main breaker box, though.

 

[turbosat]

Might be a good idea , just to get one to check out the house wiring! You don't want to take chances with your house. Anybody's guess what would happen with a direct lightning strike, but knowing you have done all you can to protect your investment would give you some peace of mind.

 

[LocutusOfBorg]

I guess I should join Angies List to see if I can get someone reputable and that is unlikely to do unnecessary work. That's a possible problem when hiring someone to do an inspection. In today's economy companies are hungry for work which can result in unecessary "repairs".

 

[Larry1]

Anybody's guess what would happen with a direct lightning strike

Proper grounding would help in nearby lightning strikes, surges, and static buildup, but a direct hit would melt the copper wire almost instantaneously. A 1.5' I-beam turned red when lightning struck a factory near here.

 

[brentb636]

Proper grounding would help in nearby lightning strikes, surges, and static buildup, but a direct hit would melt the copper wire almost instantaneously. A 1.5' I-beam turned red when lightning struck a factory near here.

As a former electrician, I've seen many training videos on the same subject. Some show lightning melting the gutters right off a house. A direct hit is not something you can plan for.

 

[stogie5150]

As a former electrician, I've seen many training videos on the same subject. Some show lightning melting the gutters right off a house. A direct hit is not something you can plan for.

Every electrician I have ever talked to tells me the same thing. If you are interested in static dissipation, ground your dishes. If you want lightening protection, its a waste of time.

 

[brex2001]

Many years ago(1960's) our family was on vacation at June Lake, CA. The kitchen had 3" high stainless steel panels all the way around the kitchen area & one ungrounded receptacle opposite the window. As is usual for August there an afternoon thunderstorm developed. While my mother was watching the storm, bent down at the waist to look out the window, a bolt struck a power pole across the lake. She let out an (expletive deleted) & jumped because the surge jumped to the metal flashing & then to her rear.

Don't let that ungrounded wiring bite you in the butt!:haha