Grounding Rod for Main Panel

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hagler

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Quick question - the electrician that installed 200 amp service to my horse barn has a grounding rod laying in the ground horizontally.

It is a 4' rod buried about 30" down and about 2 feet off the outside wall of the barn...laying horizontally (not driven into the ground).

Do I need to correct this???? (only came across this when I was installing insulation around the perimeter of the barn 24" underground).
 

ActionDave

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Ground rods are allowed to lay in a ditch at least 30" deep. They are supposed to be eight feet long.
 

DonL

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You could always drive a additional 8 foot rod. Or measure the resistance to see if it meets NEC requirements.

The electrician should have known, and it should have been inspected.

1 4 foot rod does seem rather short, but is better than nothing.
 

JWelectric

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Quick question - the electrician that installed 200 amp service to my horse barn has a grounding rod laying in the ground horizontally.

It is a 4' rod buried about 30" down and about 2 feet off the outside wall of the barn...laying horizontally (not driven into the ground).

Do I need to correct this???? (only came across this when I was installing insulation around the perimeter of the barn 24" underground).

Yes this needs to be addressed. I will say that the person that did this is not an electrician but instead an installer.

The requirement if for no less than two 8 feet rods no less than six feet apart driven straight down.

First an attempt must be made to install the rods straight down and if this cannot be accomplished then they can lean no more than 45 degrees. If this to fails then direct burial is allowed at a depth of no less than 30 inches but the 6 feet spacing must be maintained.
 
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