Earth Electrode Connectivity

Thread Starter

Sayed Hamid

Joined Feb 20, 2021
6
Dear all, I came across two earthing electrode made out of Marconite, they are 35 feet apart and are of 15 feet depth. They are still not connected to any system if by way of independent conductor and using multi-meter I can see connectivity between the tips of both electrodes. Can some one explain
 

ericgibbs

Joined Jan 29, 2010
18,766
hi Sayed,
Welcome to AAC.
The ground itself is a conductor, especially if it is damp or wet.
Are measuring the resistance with your meter.?
E
 

Thread Starter

Sayed Hamid

Joined Feb 20, 2021
6
Dear all, I came across two freshly laid earthing electrodes using Marconite, they are 35 feet apart and are of 15 feet depth dia is of 4 inches. They are still not connected to any system, just buried in ground. Using independent conductor and multi-meter I noticed continuity between the tips of both electrodes. Please some one can explain?
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
8,813
Why are you surprised? Isn't that the entire point of grounding, connecting to the large conductor known as the earth?

Bob
 

Thread Starter

Sayed Hamid

Joined Feb 20, 2021
6
Thanks for the response. As these two earths are supposed to serve two separate residential units. I am afraid that any fault current in one earth will hit the other house as well because their earth has connectivity
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,284
Thanks for the response. As these two earths are supposed to serve two separate residential units. I am afraid that any fault current in one earth will hit the other house as well because their earth has connectivity
No.
Any fault current to earth will travel to the earth connection for the power grid, not to the other electrode.
How do you expect the electrodes to work if there's no continuity to ground?
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
34,284
Voltage dissipation from one electrode can hit other electrode
What is "voltage dissipation"?

The earth is a ground potential, and will stay at that potential for any ground currents a typical main's fault is likely to generate.
The only time one electrode would likely affect the other would be from very large currents into ground nearby, like the thousands of amps from a lightening strike.
 

Thread Starter

Sayed Hamid

Joined Feb 20, 2021
6
Thanks for responding. I understand that dissipation is electrical field which is created around electrode with gradual drop of voltage in each circle, like stone create waves when thrown in still water. My main concern is that one residential unit should not get any negative impact because of fault current in the earth from another house.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Earth itself is a conductor. There are cases where it is not, such as sand, but they are more the exception than not. Some electrical delivery systems use ground to deliver AC power and only have one wire to transmit power.
 
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