How to Ground a Park Fence Backstop

Park fence backstops allow ballplayers to retrieve baseballs and softballs that are hit off the fence in the outfield without having to chase after them. Most park fences are made out of metal posts with chain-link fencing stretched and secured between each post. Outdoor fences may acquire an electrical charge from lightning storms that pose a serious danger to people. To make the fences safe, connect grounding rods to the fence to disperse the electrical charge.

Things You'll Need

Post hole digger
8-foot-long copper rod, 1/2 inch in diameter
Shovel

2 U-bolt clamps with metal plate and nuts
Adjustable wrench
#12 copper wire

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a hole into the ground using the post hole digger until you reach a depth of 6 feet, about 2 feet from the fence. Space the holes every 150 feet around the outside area of the fence backstop.
- 2
  Place the 8-foot-long copper rod into the hole. Take the dirt you dug from the ground and fill it in around the pipe. Pack it tight so that the rod cannot shift.
- 3
  Unscrew the nuts from the threaded ends of the U-bolt clamp. Remove the metal plate from the threaded ends. Place the U-bolt clamp on the copper rod while fitting the #12 copper wire through the clamp so that it is up against the rod.
- 4
  Slide the metal plate back onto the threaded ends of the U-bolt clamp. Hand tighten the nuts. Place the adjustable wrench on the nuts and tighten fully.
- 5
  Attach the other U-bolt clamp and the wire on the metal post to the fence. Continue placing grounding rods with wire and clamp connections to the other fence posts.

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