Just curious how (or even if) anyone has tested their ground from the amp/radio to the ground rod to ensure the ground is good. I see plenty of info checking grounds on electrical connections but not much on taking a wire from the back of the equipment right to that ground rod and testing to make sure it's working right.
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Testing ground
- Thread starter RobInSTL5150
- Start date
The best way I've found was to disconnect the house electric meter ground rod, if possible. Measure for any AC voltage from the house meter case to the ground rod. If not removable, pound another 4 footer into the ground as close as you can to the original rod without touching it, and use that as your ground reference instead of the meter ground rod... You're checking the AC voltage potential at the house meter coming in, and it's earth ground via the meter's ground rod (or your new substituted one). If there is any voltage at all, you need to correct that first.
Then, go to the shack's closest earth ground source and with the voltmeter, do the same type of check. Any voltage is not ideal, but more than 3VAC indicates woefully-insufficient ground at the shack. But I would check the utility's incoming potential first. You'll never have a good ground if electric coop's potential coming in is out of whack. If it is, call them and ask them to fix it. THEN, you can fix yours if needed. But not until.
Then, go to the shack's closest earth ground source and with the voltmeter, do the same type of check. Any voltage is not ideal, but more than 3VAC indicates woefully-insufficient ground at the shack. But I would check the utility's incoming potential first. You'll never have a good ground if electric coop's potential coming in is out of whack. If it is, call them and ask them to fix it. THEN, you can fix yours if needed. But not until.
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A simple DVM can check for these 2 ways...
Ohmic - across from Back panel - to Ground Lug - even Neutral.
Leakage test - from Ground (at outlet) to Neutral - same can be applied to your stations ground - Neutral To station Ground and House Ground to Station Ground.
as said earlier - any reading above 1V in AC DVM settings is a dangerous trickle current you don't want - these can set off GFCI's and Arc fault detectors making for a frustrating set of days and worries if you have staples they used to hold the wires to the studs cutting into them and they pounded them down into the wire cutting the insulation and now, generating another hazard you don't want - fires in your walls caused from arcing in your home wiring caused by overzealous installers.
Let alone watching the Power Company Meter Spin from the shorts...
IF you don't trust the outlet, you can pop the breaker off and still check Ground and Neutral - make sure they are lowest ohmic bond <1Ω Neutral is always connected powers on or not breaker on or not - and it's used as the "CT" Center Tap of the 220VAC service.
Pretty much every pole using a ballast (drop down / step down) transformer for Home - is 3 phase AC - you have "neutral" with 220V across the other two lines referenced to it. 120VAC each side. So, to reference that, they ground that Neutral at the pole. So, they are protected (or supposed to) because the service they provide is always having a ground to protect as much as they can from a direct lightning strike.
When you check your house, there are several places you can see where the power company has doubled down on their bet of Neutral is also Ground - Check your water pipe service inlet. IT may (or should) have a clamp that routes into the Electrical box.
Issues with Open Neutral - places the Ground lug in jeopardy - because the wires to the box and outlets are now in question - so always check not just the "ground lug spade to Ground" but Neutral To your Ground as well. Open lines or poorly wired and bonded boxes can form leakage currents and the potentials can rise - putting you and your station at risk for becoming the only ground point for the whole house system.
Ohmic - across from Back panel - to Ground Lug - even Neutral.
Leakage test - from Ground (at outlet) to Neutral - same can be applied to your stations ground - Neutral To station Ground and House Ground to Station Ground.
as said earlier - any reading above 1V in AC DVM settings is a dangerous trickle current you don't want - these can set off GFCI's and Arc fault detectors making for a frustrating set of days and worries if you have staples they used to hold the wires to the studs cutting into them and they pounded them down into the wire cutting the insulation and now, generating another hazard you don't want - fires in your walls caused from arcing in your home wiring caused by overzealous installers.
Let alone watching the Power Company Meter Spin from the shorts...
Pretty much every pole using a ballast (drop down / step down) transformer for Home - is 3 phase AC - you have "neutral" with 220V across the other two lines referenced to it. 120VAC each side. So, to reference that, they ground that Neutral at the pole. So, they are protected (or supposed to) because the service they provide is always having a ground to protect as much as they can from a direct lightning strike.
When you check your house, there are several places you can see where the power company has doubled down on their bet of Neutral is also Ground - Check your water pipe service inlet. IT may (or should) have a clamp that routes into the Electrical box.
Issues with Open Neutral - places the Ground lug in jeopardy - because the wires to the box and outlets are now in question - so always check not just the "ground lug spade to Ground" but Neutral To your Ground as well. Open lines or poorly wired and bonded boxes can form leakage currents and the potentials can rise - putting you and your station at risk for becoming the only ground point for the whole house system.
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Shadetree Mechanic
Delaware Base Station 808
Be careful removing the wire from the ground rod. If there is a difference of potential (voltage) there, then there is also current flowing through it before you disconnect it. That current could go through you if you are not properly insulated.