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Title: station desk ground bus Post by: David, K3TUE on July 03, 2006, 01:19:20 AM OK, so now I am looking for an acceptable common ground bus scheme at my station desk. I have heard of many schemes that people use including a hollow copper pipe and using hose clamps as attachment clamps. I have been wracking my brain and the best and most convenient solution would be a ground bus bar from a circuit breaker box like this.
(http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/elect/panel/sub_panel/01/elspra08a.jpg) These things are cheap and easily available at Home Despot. They also seem to provide a solid electrical and mechanical connection. Aside from the fact that it does not as easily allow attachment of flat braided ground strap instead of and is better suited to using #10/12/14 solid copper house wire, is there a downside to this idea? Also, if I have a metal desk frame (not the shelves), whould it be better mounted insulated from the frame or mounted directly to the desk frame (electrically grounding it)? And, should I be using flat braided ground straps or are they over-rated/over-priced? Title: Re: station desk ground bus Post by: Glenn NY4NC on July 04, 2006, 11:16:46 AM David;
Braided ground strap is far from the best material for ground connections. Over time, the thin individual wires in the braid will oxidize and start to become insulated from one another. I've been using 1 inch wide solid copper strapping. I found some heavy duty stuff on E-bay a few years back. For a good low inductance shack bench ground I suggest using copper flashing material available at Home Depot. I believe it comes in 4 inch wide rolls. Layout a length of it at the rear of your operating bench, screw it down, the the full width of the bench. If you can't find 1 inch wide strap, make connections from your radio gear to the flashing using short pieces of 12ga solid copper wire (romex scraps) Title: Re: station desk ground bus Post by: KB2WIG on July 05, 2006, 07:46:43 PM I've used plumbing Strap. It has holes that are easily connected to equipment and 'bolted to Cu pipe or flashing.... gud for holding up pipe also..... klc
Title: Re: station desk ground bus Post by: WA1GFZ on July 06, 2006, 08:48:39 AM A good ground conductor by mil spec is take the length and make the width at least 20%. Copper Strap is always used. Also 2.5 milliohms max per joint. All metal is conversion coated so it stays fresh. No Ox would work for us tax payers.
Title: Re: station desk ground bus Post by: Glenn NY4NC on July 06, 2006, 09:58:08 AM Did you mean to say "conformal coated"?.... AMfone - Dedicated to Amplitude Modulation on the Amateur Radio Bands
Yea, strap is great!... a nice low henrys path to earth. ;D A good ground conductor by mil spec is take the length and make the width at least 20%. Copper Strap is always used. Also 2.5 milliohms max per joint. All metal is conversion coated so it stays fresh. No Ox would work for us tax payers. |