atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Grounding racks

Part of it is that most of the guys on the forum cut to the chase. They don't believe in dazzling you with brilliance, OR baffling you with BS. They have work to do, jobs to bid/finish and a life with no room for minutia! ME, however, I've got the time. But I don't talk about stuff that other folks have more knowledge about. I sit back and learn! (That's an 'attaboy' for all the contributors on this site!!!!!!!) John C.

I second the attaboy!

Should I scrape away the paint for the grounding position (given the rack doesn't have one already)?

After all this new-found knowledge, I decided to project around at work today and properly ground a repeater that has an antenna 50' in the air

Definitely scrape away the paint. Or, if you explore the grounding products from Panduit you will find paint piercing washers. They have kits that come with the washers, and tubes of grease that inhibit oxidization. It's pricey, and maybe overkill, but it's handy to have an off the shelf solution. You wouldn't want to cut yourself while scraping paint off your racks.

Should I scrape away the paint for the grounding position...

:bang: :bang: :bang:

-Hal

I think what Hal is trying to say, is that if you bang your head against the rack enough you will eventually chip away the paint to expose the metal underneath.

Aww come'on Hal...did you forget, I'm an IT Guy!

Hal, do you carve your turkey that way too?

I use one of those USB powered chainsaws to keep you guys happy.

-Hal

The lockwashers are "Internally-Toothed Lockwashers". Probably get them at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. And by all means,scrape away the paint. The 'teeth' on the lockwashers are meant to 'bite' into the metal, not try to pierce the paint and THEN bite into the metal.
The stack of washers on the bolt would be, starting at the bolt head, standard split lockwasher, flat washer, internally-toothed lockwasher, wire, with jacket stripped off, wrapped around the shank so that looking at the bolt from the head the wire wraps clockwise, OR BETTER, a Spade Lug, crimped correctly on the end of the wire, then in either case, 1 more internally-toothed lockwasher, then chassis you are grounding. By the way, I prefer #6 GREEN THHN STRANDED wire. It's easier to handle and place, and technically, it will carry more current.

#6 GREEN THHN STRANDED wire. It's easier to handle and place, and technically, it will carry more current.

Tell me you aren't saying that stranded will handle more current than sold for a given size.

Besides that, other than our Bell spec #6 ground wire, you won't find anything larger than #8 in solid per the NEC.

-Hal

Hal, where do I find one of those USB chainsaws? Could come in handy when I get really frustrated fixing a computer :p