copper grounding rod........ almost

My son and I pulled out an 11 foot grounding rod from the side of an 80 year old barn that burned down. I thought for sure it would be my first solid copper one. Nope, that dang magnet stuck nice and firm. Maybe next time.

Too bad. I would have thought that one that old would have been solid. I have pounded many a solid ground rod in my day. When I started in utilities, we were using solid copper, but it wasn't long before they became steel.

I was very excited and then very bummed out, I think it must of been added recently last 10 year's), after viewing some of the other buildings on the property I think something close must have taken a lightning strike. There are three lightning rods on the house alone. There is a half inch braided copper copper line that connects them all and runs into the foundation. When I get the go ahead that will be a good day, I don't know know what's under the braid.

The boys from down south (gypsies) use a larger size alum braided wire as the ground wire, don't know how fast it would melt if hit by a lightning strike.

I use to work for a telecommunication as a foreman.. until the dot com business dropped out.. and we were required to slam grounding rod into the ground for grounding.. and I've a slew of them, but its copper coated on the outside.. and the inner is steel.. I've had about a dozen of these and well, it wasn't worth much. but I did manage to sell them as is.. to another company for 15 bucks a piece..

maybe next time you'll find a real copper rod.

The old ground rods for the electric utilities should be copper rods, they'll be at the base of old electric meters on poles.
Don't pull up working ones!! Just don't do it.