Ground Rod

Ground Rod is a galvanized steel rod with a pointed end driven into the soil beside a pole to bond its transformer, arresters and neutral to earth. Specify diameter, length and the quantity you need.

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At a glance

Ground Rod at a glance.

Function

The pole's connection to earth

The pole ground wire runs down the pole and is clamped to the top of the rod, giving fault and lightning current a path into the soil.

Material

Hot dip galvanized steel

The rod is steel with a hot dip galvanized coating; the point lets it be driven straight into the ground.

Product form

5/8 or 3/4 in, 6 to 10 ft

5/8 and 3/4 in (M16 and M20) diameters, 6, 8 and 10 ft (2–3 m) long, pointed end, galvanized to ASTM A123 / A153, in UL 467 sizes on request.

Also known as

Also called grounding rods in the US. Spanish-speaking crews call it pica de tierra.

US English: earth rodgrounding rodearth electrode
Español (US): pica de tierravarilla de puesta a tierravarilla de tierra

More names (2)

US English: earthing rod
Español (US): varilla polo a tierra

Trade names for the whole range ↗

How it works

Drive it down, clamp the wire on top

The rod is driven vertically into the soil close to the pole base, by hand or with a driving tool, until its top is at or just below ground level. The ground wire from the pole equipment is fixed to the top with a ground clamp. Where the utility needs a lower resistance, further rods are driven and bonded together.

Common applications

Where it is used.

Application

Transformer poles

Pole-mounted transformers and their tanks are bonded to a driven rod at the pole base. The rod is part of every transformer pole.

Application

Arresters and neutrals

Surge arresters and the system neutral are grounded at set intervals along the line. Each grounding point uses one or more rods.

Application

Equipment and fence grounding

Switchgear, metering and substation fences are also grounded with driven rods. The same sizes suit these jobs.

What else is a ground rod called?

In the United States it is also called a grounding rod. In Spanish it is a pica de tierra or varilla de puesta a tierra.

What sizes of ground rod does GV supply?

GV supplies galvanized steel ground rods in 5/8 and 3/4 in (M16 and M20) diameters, 6, 8 and 10 ft (2 to 3 m) long, with a pointed end for driving. They are hot dip galvanized to ASTM A123 or A153 and UL 467 sizes are available on request.

Pole-Line Assemblies