Pulling Ground Rods, Why and How!

Ground rods are used with all types of machinery and buildings to help prevent accidental electrical shock. Generators, pumps, temporary buildings, and drilling well heads must all be protected from errant electrical charges by dissipating electrical energy into the ground. Typically, Ground rods are solid 5/8” diameter steel rods coated with copper to help make them more conductive. They are usually 8 feet long or longer. In some cases, multiple rods or longer ones are necessary because of high resistance in the soil. They are usually pounded into the ground with electric hammer drills, gas-powered pounders are steel slide hammers.

If the ground rods are used with temporary buildings or structures, such as field offices, generators, or well heads, they must be removed after the job is done. Ground rods not removed, represent a tire puncture hazard to any vehicle that may pass over them in the future or a trip hazard for people. Even if pounded below the surface, eventually, erosion will expose them. So they are usually removed.

JackJaw® models JJ0300 and JJ0500 make it easy to pull the ground rods out of the ground, even if the ground is frozen. Rods can easily be pulled from good soils in most of the Midwest with the JJ0300. It has a leverage of 16 to 1, meaning that when the operator pushes down on the handle with 100 lbs. force, the JackJaw JJ0300 produces an upward force of 1600 lbs. on the ground rod. Most ground rods can be removed with the JackJaw puller in about 30-45 seconds. When soils get tough, such as kalachi clay in the dry western states or rock conditions or heavy red clay in the southeast, the JJ0500, with its 28 to 1 leverage, is a better choice.

More information on these and other JackJaw® models are available at www.jackjaw.com or by calling Bob Anderson at 937-609-8937.

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