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Freebird
Intermediate Member
Username: Freebird
Post Number: 186
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 10:05 am: | 
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Im going to be grounding my i max 2000 today but want to know a few things first.what gauge copper wire would be best to use?wheres the best place to attach the copper wire?If i attach the copper wire to the mast somehow would this ground the i max 2000 also since its connected to the antenna? |
Hotwire
Junior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 38
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 12:25 pm: |
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I would attach the wire with the metal clamp on the antenna. The heavier the wire the better for a ground. I think that those masts have a coating of paint or something to prevent rust. You cant get a good closed circuit for your ground like that. |
Timebomb
New member
Username: Timebomb
Post Number: 6
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 2:43 pm: |
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I connected 14 gauge copper wire to the bottom of my mast which is galvanized steel. I used grounding clamps to attach the wire from the mast to the grounding rod. I've heard it's best to use the shortest amount of wire for your ground wire. Attaching it to the mast should be sufficient in my opinion, but there's so many opinions on this topic!! |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 08, 2005 - 4:16 pm: |
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Attaching copper directly to galvanized steel is a bad move. They're too far apart on the galvanic index. The connection will quickly corrode and instead of a good ground you will have no ground. If you really want to use copper wire you could tin it with solder and that would make the connection less volatile and bridge the galvanic difference. Personally, I prefer to take advantage of the inexpensive and durable stuff that is made for grounding TV antennas - aluminum ground wire, galvanized ground rods and associated clamps. Aluminum and zinc (galvanized steel) are very close together in the galvanic index. The connection will corrode very slowly and be stable for a long time. You can't beat the price, and it works fine for a safety and lightning ground. For an RF ground you'd want to use copper, but most people don't need RF grounds.
Unless your antenna is mounted very high I'd suggest connecting a ground strap directly to it rather than relying on the support structure as part of the ground. |
Timebomb
New member
Username: Timebomb
Post Number: 7
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 12:58 am: |
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Racer X, I've had my copper ground clamps connecting from my galvanized ground rod, to my galvanized steel mast at my last location, hooked up for 8 years with NO CORROSION whatsoever. Just moved, and am using the same clamps again, and they're clean as a whistle. They're actually the exact clamps SBC uses for grounding. I would think there shouldn't be any "galvanic action" without any amount of current going through the clamps or mast. Like I said, lots of opinions on this topic. Have a good one! |
Freebird
Intermediate Member
Username: Freebird
Post Number: 187
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 1:57 am: |
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I like the sound of the ground strap but where do i buy on of those?I connected the copper wire to my mast today but i may move it to connect to the antenna if that would be better?im not really sure.but the mast is gray its from radio shack so im gussing that the gray is some sort of paint? |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 7:16 am: |
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Freebird - You should be able to find copper strap easily on the internet. I'd put a link to the particular site I recommend, but sometimes they get posted and sometimes they don't, so I'll just suggest you search for it.
You may even find some at local hardware stores in the form of copper tape. Some is heavy enough to withstand soldering which is what you'd want to use. Of course there is always soft copper pipe that you can flatten and use as copper strap too.
Timebomb - Just because you can't see corrosion doesn't mean it's not there. Even a very fine film of corrosion can make an electrical connection poor. Take some resistance readings across the connections and I think you'll find what I mean. If your resistance is anything more than 0 there is oxiditation.
Your clamps are probably brass which tells me that they're using copper wire/strap and copper clad ground rods. I know that I would if I had as much money in my equipment as they have in theirs. But I don't, so I use aluminum wire, galvanized ground rods, and galvanized clamps.
The point of the galvanic index is to choose materials wisely when making connections with them. It can be electrical or mechanical in nature. Ask your local plumber if you don't think glavanic action means anything. Or better yet, look at your water heater. It comes with a sacrificial anode so the inside of the tank doesn't erode over time - due to galvanic action.
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Hotwire
Junior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 42
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 12:38 pm: |
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That paint thing. What I myself would do is go get my multi tester and do some tests. See if the tester can close the circuit between your ground wire and mast. If you get a closed circuit reading on the tester you should be good to go! Hope this helps out. |
Marconi
Intermediate Member
Username: Marconi
Post Number: 357
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 09, 2005 - 3:53 pm: |
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Hey Hotwire, it that the same as a short circuit? |
Hotwire
Junior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 48
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 11, 2005 - 11:41 am: |
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You could say that a short circuit is opened. A closed cicuit just means that thers a connection. |
