Grounding Rod for OWB?

[fourapples]

Getting off the subject some, I have purchased and installed a stainless OWB. Just curious if anyone has feedback on installing grounding rod and grounding the unit to protect from electrical storms etc.. Should this be included in the installation process?

 

[ericjeeper]

I had never given it a thought.

But it might not be a bad idea to put a ground rod on it. Might save a pump or control from a jolt.

 

[JAL]

Getting off the subject some, I have purchased and installed a stainless OWB. Just curious if anyone has feedback on installing grounding rod and grounding the unit to protect from electrical storms etc.. Should this be included in the installation process?

It is not a good idea to install a ground rod just for the OWB if it is not properly done. The electrical circuit feeding the OWB should have a ground and that should be all you need for a normal installation.


Post here if you need more help:
http://www.diychatroom.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

 

[Geez]

I just installed a new OWB and the dealer was very adamant about installing a ground rod next to the unit. He said he had a customer whose OWB was struck by lightning and the current followed the aluminum in the Kitec piping all the way to the house. I followed his advice, seemed like a reasonable thing to do.

 

[windthrown]

I put in a grounding rod when I installed our OWB next to the slab that it is on, and I ran #6 copper wire to it. I also ran a wire from the rod to the slab metal wire mesh before I poured the slab. I am a degreed electical engineer, and I also used to be an electrician. I believe in over-gounding circuits if for no other reason that they can save your arse, and save your house wiring. Or anyone near the heat exchanger inside the house, which is metal, and in contact with the water in the heating loop. Least resistance is going to be that fat copper wire to that grounding rod, and not me, the water lines or the house wiring. Be is a short circuit, a lightening strike, or whatever. Whenever you have water in contact with metal, and electric motors and wires connected to the metal? Ground the crap out of it. I also did the same thing with the outdoor hottub here. Ground rod with wire in the slab connection, as well as a GFI breaker to it. Cheap insurance in my book.

 

[J.Walker]

fi

Just wondering if a piece of zink needed to be installed as a sacrificial metal to cut down on corrosion as part of this system?

 

[WVwoodsman]

Mahoning, the manufacturer of my OWB supplied a wire that was attached to the back of my unit along with a tag that said to ground. I used about 4ft. of grounding rod that i bought at the hardware store.

 

[Husky137]

A grounding rod is SOP with Central Boilers.