"Richard Casady" wrote in message
...

The ten foot rod is the one that the electrical suppliers sell. It
isn't the only thing that will work. There is one in the ground under
pole mounted transformers. Has the neutral connected to it. Copper
plated steel, driven in with a sledge. Any kind of metal pipe you have
lying around will work.

Casady


Electron beam equipment used in vacuum deposition systems cause all kinds of
spikes on the ground plane due to high voltage arcing. (They operated at
10kv dc) The common practice for grounding is two, eight foot copper clad
steel rods, driven about 10-12 feet apart from each other.

Then, a solution of water and copper sulfate is poured along side the rods
and into the holes until an ohm meter reads one (1) ohm or less resistance
between the two rods. Almost impossible to accomplish, but it provided an
"out" for any complaints you might have to the electron beam power supply
manufacturer. Their first question would be "Did you establish a ground
plane as outlined in the manual?". If no, or only close, they were never
much help in resolving any problems.

Eisboch