What Size & How Many Ground Rods Do I Need

In this quick video we go over everything you need to know to make an informed purchase when it comes to grounding rods. We talk about the length, diameter as well as quantity and spacing as put for in the National Electrical Code codebook. Always handy to have one!

Thanks for watching and subscribing! As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support!

[dentron]

I actually find the thicker ground rods to be easier to drive, they are more rigid and the force of each hit wobbles less and is transferred to the ground. I use 3/4" with a rotary hammer

[DrHellbenders]

This is a great, quick explainer! Thanks!
One extra callout: accessory buildings with sub-panels may ALSO NEED TWO 8ft ground rods, depending on location.

I would really appreciate a video explaining some of the install methods, too. There's the water hammer method and literal hammer drill as alternatives to a sledge or digging. Though, I will say that clay soils likely take the sledge best.


Great video as always! Thanks!

[MrJirntson]

Great videos man! Straight to the point with everything important thrown in.

[ianbelletti]

Most places nowadays require two grind rods because one is replacing the service bond to the water service. Most modern water services, especially in homes, uses plastic pipe which does not make for a good ground. You always had two means of earthing but if you can't use the water service or foundation as one of your means of earthing, you need a second ground rod. Secondly, code allows a 6 foot minimum between ground rods but ideal would be to put them 12 feet apart if possible. This is because each ground rod has a 6 foot effective radius for grounding and the less overlap you have of these radii the more effective your grounding is.

[johnclyne]

My company has provided me a Honda 4 cycle ground Rod driver. It works better than a rotary hammer. It takes a bit to start & warm up. However it will pound as many ground rods as you desire. Only exception is in rock. Then we call for a core borer.

[aytviewer]

I am attaching an outdoor aerial antenna to my garage and I know it needs to be grounded. I am wondering if I need two rods or one to ground the coaxial cable running down to the ground before it enters the house. This will NOT be connected to my home's electrical grid.

The cable itself will be attached to an Amazon Fire Recast, which then supplies all of my Amazon Fire Sticks with other the air channels plus recording capabilities. Where I live there are close to 25 over the air channels (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, many independent stations, etc...) all for free! It's a heck of a lot cheaper than paying for cable or satellite. I've been using the Recast for over two years with an indoor antenna. But have purchased a large outdoor antenna to pick up even more channels and ensure the signal is even stronger. Hence, the discussion about one rod or two for the ground.

[larryoverhagen]

Per NEC You can also trench to 3 feet and lay it in horizontally. Bend a 90 degree on one end to surface.

[lesterwatson]

THE KEY TO A GOOD GROUND ROD IS SURFACE TO GROUND CONTACT IN THIS CASE BIGGER IS BETTER.

[brarautorepairs]

We have service grounded to the cooper pipe. I've never heard of a ground rod before

[dwooddiix]

In the late 1980's I investigated farms in Grant county Wisconsin for stray voltage, many times I found the ground often was severed to the return of the over Head line ( two wire feed ), requiring power to get back to the original source through the ground. I had proposed a smart breaker box allowing the balanced current to get back to the original source. The official statement is stray voltage does not exist.

[Samlol_drrich]

I buy one of each and hammer each one half way into the ground just to cover all bases. Thanks for the video

[newguy]

Quick tip:
I use a post driver to install ground rods. It works great.
Have a good day everyone.

[LeeBreece]

Benjamin! If i have a duplex with two meters and two panels how many ground rods do i need? both meters and one panel are grounded to one rod while the other panel is grounded to another rod with a grounding bar in the panel.

[FlashTwoSix]

Can you make a video regarding Ground Loop. What is the danger and what caused it. Thank You

[josephrobi]

Nice now I know exactly what to buy. One question can I put the wire inside my breaker box with the same area than the other wire? That mean the two wires together because I don’t have space. And What is the size of the wire for the ground thanks 😅

[taffythegreat]

I always thought that, that the rods should be 8ft or more. I live in the Philippines and they only sell 4ft ground rods. Can you get away with using one rod for a domestic dwelling which would go straight to your distribution box? If not, where woulf]d the other one go? Like the video 👍👍

[jlo]

Do you have a video on a DIY adding a second ground rod to your service panel?

[MrScottie]

Question: why are ground rods necessary? My house has none as the service is grounded to the incoming cold water pipe which obviously has full contact with the earth outside the home. Perhaps it’s because newer house use plastic piping?

[ellkir]

Can they be one left and one right of meter ? Or, do they have to be 6' then 12' minimum?

[drubradley]

G-WIZZ.. You mean building code finally caught on that putting ground rods in the concrete slabs / foundations was a bad idea after 19 different family's were exploded from lightening strikes to the houses, and concrete and molten zinc and steel went flying.... I remember the day that crap happened, and I had just spent 4 days banging in 8 ground rod (by machine) and the inspector shows up and says, "Nah, can't do that bro, Those were suppose to go into the foundation".... The general was like "WHAT?"... LOL they had to bust up concrete and caused a serious delay and mess, I connected to both those concrete rod and the ground rods as I didn't think that was a good idea only being in concrete... Please note, Our area with in i years, already vetoed that code after the deaths... and issued orders to put in ground rods on jobs that had concrete units... What a mess that was...

I even remember asking, "Is that a good idea?" the inspector in his cocky tone, "Yup, men much smarter then you think so".... Okay... vapor barrier and all and the footer bases back fill dirt that can be dry and pulled away.. Nah, its all good... ...LOL... I only got to see two of the homes that took on lightening strikes that had rod in the concrete and what messes those were turned into, and burnt to the ground.. and were the ground rods were, not a lick of concrete for a 6 to 8 foot width the full 7 to 8 foot length of the rod... The general mentioned the one home owner was on his back patio grilling when his home took the hit, and exploded and I guess, he was walking just turned around to walk towards the back door / screen door when it exploded.. instantly catching everything on fire from liquid metal from the rods... He gave the example "have you ever seen the movie Terminator?".. which the general had not, but, I picture the scene of the liquid molten metal as the terminator is being lowered down into the stuff? That might be part two, with the kid?