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Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
Subject: Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 22:31:50 -0400
From: "George W. Ensley" <erc-at-coastalnet-dot-com>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
At 03:06 AM 4/27/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Subject: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 16:25:35 -0400 (EDT)
> From: ADatesman-at-aol-dot-com
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>
>
>My Tesla coil is set up in a school building which has the steel girder
>frame
>very typical of institutional buildings. Instead of sinking copper
>pipes
>into the ground, couldn't I just attach my ground wire to these steel
>girders? It seems the same idea to me, but possibly there is some
>aspect of
>this idea I don't see. I don't want to blow up any computers in the
>building, for instance.
> Thanks for the wisdom.
>
> Aaron Datesman
>
>
>
Aaron,
Given the cross sectional area of steel beams for a building of that
size.
The effective resistance would be negligible.
Given the surface area that is involved. It is likely to be a better RF
ground than a single if not several 8ft ground rods. Earth is not a very
good ground unless you live in a salt marsh, even then it is usually
reenforced. Even if the building is isolated from earth ground it would
present a tremendous counterpoise. Use it to your advantage.
As far as RFI is concerned I suspect most if not all wiring is in
conduit.
With reasonable precautions you should be in good shape. I would worry
more
about my AC line filtering than ground loops and hot spots.
Of course all of this is easy for me to say i'm not responsible for the
damages.
George............