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I've seen diagrams on reputable electrical journals showing two grounding rods driven 8' into the ground with approximately 8' distance between then, the two rods connected by a length of 6GA copper wire with a clamp on each rod; and then there's a separate length of 6GA copper wire running between the panel and the nearer of the two rods, to which the wire is attached with a third clamp.

From such diagrams I gather than the conductor between the panel and the near rod must be a single piece, not that there has to be a single length of copper wire running from the panel to the first rod and then over to the farther rod. Is that correct?

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  • I was going to drive the rods myself and connect them up to each other, and then have an electrician wire up the connection to the panel. I didn't want to leave the loop of copper wire lying there on the ground for a week or two depending on his work schedule, and I'm not sure if there are any local regs specifying how the wire must enter the house, e.g. whether the bare wire can simply pass through a hole drilled in a basement window box frame or if there has to be a PVC conduit between the rod and the panel. Just seemed easier to use two pieces of wire.
    – mr blint
    Commented Jan 3 at 21:16
  • I would ask the electrician. Leaving it on the ground is probably not the best of ideas these days, but can have it where it is handy to get, and tell the electrician.
    – crip659
    Commented Jan 3 at 21:22

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Yes, continuous from the panel to the last rod:

NEC 250.64(C) Continuous Except as provided in 250.30(A)(5) and (A)(6), 250.30(B)(1), and 250.68(C), grounding electrode conductor(s) shall be installed in one continuous length without a splice or joint. If necessary, splices or connections shall be made as permitted in the following:
(1)Splicing of the wire-type grounding electrode conductor shall be permitted only by irreversible compression-type connectors listed as grounding and bonding equipment or by the exothermic welding process.
(2)Sections of busbars shall be permitted to be connected together to form a grounding electrode conductor.
(3)Bolted, riveted, or welded connections of structural metal frames of buildings or structures.
(4)Threaded, welded, brazed, soldered or bolted-flange connections of metal water piping.

Just save the coil of wire and hand it to the electrician to have him install the panel end first. The difficulty is the head of the rod mushrooms when you pound it in. So attach the acorn to the rod before you pound it in, then loosen the acorn on the rod closest to the panel, and thread 8 feet of wire through the clamp to extend to the last rod.

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