When Is Copper Grounding Rod Required?

Ground Rods

• The National Electrical Code mandates grounding for all electrical systems operating between 50 and 1000 volts. Grounding a system entail connecting it as directly as possible to the Earth so electrical current dissipate into the ground upon leaving the home. Various methods of grounding exist, including the use of ground rods. Ground rods drive into the ground and attach to your home wiring system, providing a direct conduit from your electrical wiring to the soil.

Types of Ground Rods

• Though commonly known as copper ground rods, copper-bonded ground rods actually consist of a a core rod of steel surrounded in copper. If you must ground your electrical system per code requirements and choose to use a ground rod, you can technically use any type your want. However, according to an article in "Electrical Contractor" magazine, stainless steel rods generally prove too expensive for practical applications, leaving you to choose between copper-bonded and galvanized steel.

Advantages of Copper

• Copper offers material advantages that make it ideal for ground rods and preferable to galvanized steel. Galvanized steel contains zinc as an outer layer, which offers less corrosion resistance than copper when driven into the Earth. Factors within soil, such as the presence of carbon, oxygen and microorganisms, can lead quickly to corrosion and rust on galvanized steel ground rods. Rainwater, for instance, can absorb carbon dioxide as it falls and enters the soil, forming carbon acid, which attacks metals and rusts galvanized steel much more quickly than it does copper. While neither metal proves ultimately impervious to damage, "Electrical Contractor" magazine reports that copper ground rods generally lasts longer and resist corrosion better than galvanized steel rods.

Additional Information

• In most domestic settings, electricians ground the electrical system during the construction process. Therefore, if you purchase a home or move into a rental house, you most likely don't need to worry about grounding. When building your own home, the question of grounding invariably comes up at some point. Keep in mind that all grounding rods must contain a steel core at least 1/2 inch in diameter as per the National Electrical Code. The code further stipulates that all ground rods should be driven into the ground at an angle no more than 45 degrees from a straight vertical position. For more specific information in your area, check your local electrical code.