Thomas & Betts Earthing Materials

Earthing Introduction
An effective earthing system is a fundamental requirement of any modern structure or system for operational and/or safety reasons. Without such a system, the safety of a structure, the equipment contained within it and its occupants are compromised.

Earthing systems typically fall into (but are not limited to) one of the following categories: 

• Power generation, transmission and distribution 

• Lightning protection 

• Control of undersirable static electricity 

• Telecommunications

CLICK HERE to download a schematic illustrating the key elements of an effective earth system.

Earth Rods

Earth electrode materials

Quality earth rods are commonly made from either solid copper, stainless steel or copperbonded steel.

Furse can supply all three types, but the copperbonded steel cored rod is by far the most popular, due to its combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and comparatively low cost.

Solid copper and stainless steel rods offer a very high level of corrosion resistance at the expense of lower strength and higher cost.

Diameter of rod

One common misconception is that the diameter of the rod has a drastic effect on lowering earth resistance. This is not true! As the graph shows, you only lower the resistance value by 9.5 per cent by doubling the diameter of the rod (which means increasing the weight and the cost of the rod by approximately 400 per cent!)

Thus the rationale is: Use the most economical rod that soil conditions will allow you to drive. This is one of the ways to ensure that you don’t waste money on over-dimensioned rods.

Thread & shank diameters

Confusion often arises between thread and shank diameters for threaded rods.

The thread rolling process, used by quality rod manufacturers, raises the surface of the rod so that thread diameter (B) is greater than shank diameter (A) (see drawing).

All threads are Unified National Coarse (UNC-2A).

Threaded & Unthreaded Copperbond Earth Rods
Furse copperbond earth rods probably offer to the installer the best and most economical earth rods available. They are made by molecularly bonding 99.9% pure electrolytic copper onto a low carbon steel core.

Furse rods are not of the sheathed type. They are highly resistant to corrosion, and because the steel used has a very high tensile strength, they can be driven by power hammers to great depths.

The counter-bored couplings are made from high copper content alloy, commercial brass is not used. This again ensures excellent corrosion resistance and high strength.

Copper thickness minimum 250 microns.

Connections to the rods can be by mechanical clamps, compression or by Furse’s own “FurseWELD” exothermic welding system.

CLICK HERE to download Copperbond Earth Rods datasheet

Solid Copper Earth Rods
Furse solid copper earth rods offer greater resistance to corrosion. They are ideally used in applications where soil conditions are very aggressive, such as soils with high salt content.

Connections to the rods can be by mechanical clamps, compression or by Furse’s own “FurseWELD” exothermic welding system.

CLICK HERE to download Solid Copper Earth Rods datasheet
 

Stainless Steel Earth Rods
Stainless steel rods are used to overcome many of the problems caused by galvanic corrosion which can take place between dissimilar metals buried in close proximity.

Furse stainless steel earth rods are highly resistant to corrosion.

Connections to the rods can be by mechanical clamps, compression or by Furse’s own “FurseWELD” exothermic welding system.

CLICK HERE to download Stainless Steel Earth Rods datasheet

 

Earthing Accessories
 

Earth Plates & Seals CLICK HERE to download Earth Rod Seal leaflet CLICK HERE to download Earth Plates & Earth Rod Seals datasheet	Earth Inspection Pits CLICK HERE earth pits datasheet	Earth Rod Clamps CLICK HERE to download Earth Rod Clamps datasheet
Fixings, Bonds & Clamps CLICK HERE to download Fixings, Bonds and Clamps datasheet	NEW Standing Seam Roof Fixing	Rebar Connecting Clips
Earth Points	Earth Bar & Disconnection Links	Earth Boss & Insulators
Earth Electrode Backfills	Earth Rod Hammer	Hammer Rig
	Earth Resistance Testers

Static Earthing Kits

Medium duty stainless steel earthing clamps

Medium duty stainless earthing clamp for earthing buckets, small drums, containers and plant equipment etc. Clamp features twin tungsten carbide teeth for effective penetration of paint and contamination.

Supplied complete with chemically resistant Cen-Sta 3m Spiral Cable and 10mm ring terminal.





Heavy duty stainless steel earthing clamp

Heavy duty stainless earthing clamp for earthing 205 litre drums, IBCs, production vessels and road tankers etc. Clamp features twin tungsten carbide teeth for effective penetration of paint and contamination.

Supplied complete with chemically resistant Cen-Sta 5m Spiral Cable and 10mm ring terminal.





Medium duty stainless steel earthing clamp & reel

Medium duty stainless earthing clamp for earthing buckets, small drums, containers and plant equipment etc. Clamp features twin tungsten carbide teeth for effective penetration of paint and contamination.

Supplied complete with 6.1m retracting cable reel.






Heavy duty stainless steel earthing clamp & reel

Heavy duty stainless earthing clamp for earthing 205 litre drums, IBC’s, production vessels and road tankers. Clamp features twin tungsten carbide teeth for effective penetration of paint and contamination.

Supplied complete with 15.2m retracting cable reel.







CLICK HERE to download Static Earthing Kits datasheet

Etech Components, Unit 14 Park Court, Sherdley Business Park, Sullivans Way, St.Helens, Merseyside, WA9 5GZ