Grounding Rod?

[Al G]

Edit: Disregard my speculation about being a grounding rod. I realized it was connected to both sides of the low voltage cable so it can't be that. But what is it?

I was doing some backyard landscaping and came upon this. The top of the concrete was about an inch below ground level. My first thought was it was just dumped concrete from the house construction 20 years ago. After digging it out I saw the rebar and 2 conductors coming out of the bottom. After a little more digging I found the splices into what looks like the low voltage lighting system that was installed when the house was built. The only part of the system ever used is lighting around the perimeter of the pool deck.

I'm thinking this is grounding for that system? Anyone know why it would be done this way and what's inside the concrete?

The conductors are pretty corroded and I don't think I could get a good connection to them. Can I drive a new grounding rod and connect to that? Connect to the rebar and rebury it?

Maybe I 'm off the mark and it is something else. It was about 8 feet off the corner of the house and 20 feet from the lighting transformer.

 

[duneslider]

I'm not a sparky but if they were using that as a ground it doesn't meet code for a grounding rod. I'm sort of leaning towards it not being a ground and the ground you have going to it may just be a coincidence.

I don't think low voltage exterior lights need their own ground, they usually plug in or are wired direct including a ground wire tied to all the house grounds. Not a random chuck of concrete in the backyard.

 

[Al G]

I'm questioning my initial speculation that it is a grounding rod since it was connected to both conductors of the low voltage cable. I wish I knew what is inside the concrete.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I was doing some backyard landscaping and came upon this. The top of the concrete was about an inch below ground level. My first thought was it was just dumped concrete from the house construction 20 years ago. After digging it out I saw the rebar and 2 conductors coming out of the bottom. After a little more digging I found the splices into what looks like the low voltage lighting system that was installed when the house was built. The only part of the system ever used is lighting around the perimeter of the pool deck.

I'm thinking this is grounding for that system? Anyone know why it would be done this way and what's inside the concrete?

The conductors are pretty corroded and I don't think I could get a good connection to them. Can I drive a new grounding rod and connect to that? Connect to the rebar and rebury it?

Maybe I 'm off the mark and it is something else. It was about 8 feet off the corner of the house and 20 feet from the lighting transformer.

my guess is someone tried to do a redneck's version of a UFER electrode but definitely not done right or to code.

and if it was for low voltage lighting someone wasted their money cause it wasnt needed.

if youre driving rods you need 2 spaced 6' apart

 

[Spareparts]

Someone was being cheap and using the rebar for a ground.

 

[PCustoms]

How would a ground rod hooked to the low voltage lights even work?

 

[wssix99]

What do the 'splices' look like? Are they the white wires in your other picture?

 

[LXCam]

I'm with wyliesdiesels on this one. Looks like some yahoo's attempt at a ufer ground. I'd drive a new ground rod and the correct size grounding conductor. It's not like we don't get our fair share of lightening out here. What size service do you have - 200A or larger?

​

 

[mm08822]

Just lose that concrete into the garbage can and forget it.

Cleanup those connection points on the lv lighting cable and seal the insulation breaks with silicone.

If there is no lv lighting and these cables go back the the main panel neutral/ground bar, remove it and install 2 grd rods with #6 solid copper conductor as described above.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Someone was being cheap and using the rebar for a ground.

and they didnt even do it correctly

 

[JeepYJ]

I wish I knew what is inside the concrete.

Got a hammer?

 

[PCustoms]

Any chance there was some sort of light embedded in that concrete?

Tying to LV feed to a piece of rebar makes no sense

 

[Al G]

What do the 'splices' look like? Are they the white wires in your other picture?

Yes. The splice pierces both sides of the LV cable and appear to have been wirenutted to 2 conductors going into the concrete. I'm not sure they were actually still connected when I dug it up. They're petty corroded and the splice to the LV cable fell off when I touched it.

 

[Al G]

Got a hammer?

That may be the next step.

 

[Al G]

Any chance there was some sort of light embedded in that concrete?

Tying to LV feed to a piece of rebar makes no sense

Definitely no light. I'm wondering now if it was an informal survey or grade marker and the power was to help locate it.

 

[Al G]

Just lose that concrete into the garbage can and forget it.

Cleanup those connection points on the lv lighting cable and seal the insulation breaks with silicone.

If there is no lv lighting and these cables go back the the main panel neutral/ground bar, remove it and install 2 grd rods with #6 solid copper conductor as described above.

I've traced the cable back to the low voltage transformer. It does not go to the main panel. The service entrance and main panels are on the other side of the house where the grounding rods are.

 

[Al G]

What size service do you have - 200A or larger?

​

400 amp service.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

I've traced the cable back to the low voltage transformer. It does not go to the main panel. The service entrance and main panels are on the other side of the house where the grounding rods are.

very odd

 

[mm08822]

I've traced the cable back to the low voltage transformer. It does not go to the main panel. The service entrance and main panels are on the other side of the house where the grounding rods are.

Then just remove it, seal the insulation and forget about it.

 

[Max]

I’d use sandpaper to clean up the ends of the wires. Then I’d use an ohmmeter to see what the resistance was. That would tell you if the wires were shorted in the concrete, or maybe connected to an incandescent or LED light. Or maybe not connected at all.

 

[cgrutt]

Just a WAG but could it be for collecting earth worms for bait?